I'm a long time AA flyer, but I'm giving UA a try so they matched my status to 1P. Thought I'd go on the united.com web site and book a flight for my maiden voyage, but was surprised to find the seat selection did not show me any E+ seats or emergency exit - everything in an E+/EE row was blocked out.

Is this usually how it works? Are you only supposed to be able to get these seats at the airport? I sure hope not.... Is it perhaps just that one part of the web site doesn't know I'm 1P yet, even though the "my milage plus" page does?

Also, how can one put a reservation on hold via the web site (if at all)? I see how to save a "search", but that doesn't look like it's the same thing as truly putting seats on hold.

All help is appreciated.

- cheapo

Sometimes you have to call and they will see you are 1p and open it up to you and assign you seats on the spot.

1) You can get E+ seats as a 2P or 1P. My boss in only Premier and I get E+ seats for him all the time and using the website. Are you logging in first before looking at the seats? If I just troll for reservations & schedules before putting the MP # in, the E+ seats do NOT come up. You have to "login" and re-do the whole thing.

2) The only downside to flying UA out of SJC is climbing the stairs outside if it's raining but I like the fact that you are really close to the parking lot & shuttles at that airport (vs SFO). Even though UA has the last gates at that terminal ...

3) The "Book & Hold" deal is only offered at this time to 'select' Mileage Plus members -- and we have no idea how they pick us. It's really not that exciting since you can't manipulate the reservations later or even use it to buy time while you take a coupon to the airport since the agents (airport and phone) aren't supposed to "touch reservations made with Book & Hold". So don't feel sad if you don't have this so-called 'Feature'.

Be aware that the UA website is buggy, and oftentimes the E+ seats are not green when, in fact, there is PLENTY of availability. There have been numerous threads on this. Edited to add: Yes, this problem can occur EVEN IF YOU ARE LOGGED IN, AND HAVE BEEN LOGGED IN ALL ALONG.

Also be aware that many UA aircraft still don't have E+ -- though the front section of Economy is still shown as a Premium seating zone, i.e., green. (Also many threads on this.)

If there are NO green seats showing, here is what I do: I do NOT select a seat for that particular segment; I allow the automatic seat selection to take place. Usually this yields satisfactory results: a window seat (in accordance with my saved preferences) in the E+ or Premium economy section (in accordance with my status). But, if the result is not to my liking, I phone UA and ask for a seat change. This usually works, unless the flight is booked up. Then, you can always ask for a seat change at checkin (or try to change it with Easy Checkin).


Kathy

[This message has been edited by KathyWdrf (edited 10-16-2003).]

Susy1K: yes, I was logged in. I'll get used to not holding my reservations, I guess Yeah - I'll have to get used to flying out of Terminal C. I've only flown Alaska from there, and I remember it being nothing but a bunch of chairs and a few gates past the security checkpoint. I've never flown out of the main section with UA, etc, but I don't have my hopes up. For close parking, try OAK! You can walk right out of the terminal to long-term!

KathyWdrf: Sounds like you hit the nail right on the head - this is exactly what I am seeing. I'll try letting it select seats for me, and if that doesn't work out I'll give them a ring.

Thanks everyone.


- cheapo

[This message has been edited by elCheapoDeluxe (edited 10-16-2003).]

Just call the 1P service desk, they will seat you in E+, even if you can't do it yourself online.

When you make your reservation, make sure you go to www.united.com and click on the link next to Fare finder that says "More options" near the top left corner. This will prompt you for the login screen. I used to go to "Planning travel" near the bottom left and click on "Shop for flights". But some time in the middle of this year, this link no longer takes me to the login screen. So I rang united.com support, and they told me about the proper place to click on.

Yes, I agree that you have even MORE problems if you don't click on the "right" place.

However, I've seen the problem even if I did everything "right!" Obviously, I've seen it happen enough times that I've got my way of dealing with it down pat.


Kathy

Inexplicably, doing everything the same, I am able to get the E+ seats now. During the reservation process it prompts you to log in (or continue as guest) two screens before seat selection, so I'm sure I was logged in before. But as long as I know the "system" I can play by the rules in the future.

Yes, inconsistency is yet another feature of the seat mapping bug(s)!

Sometimes you'll see the green seats for a particular flight on a particular date, and sometimes you won't!

However, I have noticed that, even when the green seats fail to show, AND FAIL CONSISTENTLY on a particular flight in a particular itinerary, if the exact SAME flight (same date) is included in a DIFFERENT itinerary (other flights different), the green seats may then show on it!

Whee! What fun.


Kathy

I've never had problems by logging in from the front screen (the mileage summary login on the right side), then clicking Planning Travel from there.

Kathy...you think that's screwy? I often am booking on say a 777 and the seat map says 777 at the top, but it displays the seat map of a 737 or some other plane!!

I haven't been so lucky.... yet!


Kathy

After 7 emails and 5 phone calls to ual.com support I was finally able to convince a web support supervisor (Pauline) that the profile option were not being populated in the "Shop for Flights" page.

I even sent this procedure on how to recreate

1. Login to ual.com on mileage summary area
2. Select "shop for flights"
Note that default option from the profile do no show up
3. Fill in flight info
4. Select "Search by: Schedule"
5. Select "Search"
Note that Expert option info does not display
6. Select "Price this selection"
Note that on the page displayed it says " Please log in" In order to get seat selection, it is neccessary to log in again.
This does not happen if the you go to the Home page, and select "more Options"

and I got emails saying

1. This problem has been corrected. You may either login at the Mileage Summary page then click on "Create Itinerary" or click on "More Options" in the Fare Finder box and login.

note that there is no "Create Itinerary" selection after the "Mileage Summary page"

2. Please contact our Web Customer Support at 1-800-589-5582 for further
assistance with this issue. One of our agents will be able to speak with you on this and walk through this with you.

[i]as if this was my problem and did not know what I was doing.


[This message has been edited by gfowler-ord-1k (edited Dec 06, 2003).]