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Pain of traveling on an award ticket. Should I ask for compensation?

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Pain of traveling on an award ticket. Should I ask for compensation?

 
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Old Jul 15, 2010, 10:07 pm
  #31  
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I was on an Aeroplan award in January and due to weather didn't make a connection at MUC for my LH flight to BOS and onto YYZ on AC. By the time I made it to the LH lounge they had rebooked me on AC's non-stop MUC-YYZ the next day. So STAR awards should be endorsable to other STAR carriers even if there is no award inventory. Seats should and can be taken from revenue if necessary, but then we know about UA's Starnet blocking. (In the end I had LH change my flight to their morning MUC-JFK as I needed to be in NYC the following evening for an FT SMD1 reunion. LH had no problem with that change of routing.)
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Old Jul 15, 2010, 10:15 pm
  #32  
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Originally Posted by Shareholder
I was on an Aeroplan award in January and due to weather didn't make a connection at MUC for my LH flight to BOS and onto YYZ on AC. By the time I made it to the LH lounge they had rebooked me on AC's non-stop MUC-YYZ the next day. So STAR awards should be endorsable to other STAR carriers even if there is no award inventory. Seats should and can be taken from revenue if necessary, but then we know about UA's Starnet blocking. (In the end I had LH change my flight to their morning MUC-JFK as I needed to be in NYC the following evening for an FT SMD1 reunion. LH had no problem with that change of routing.)
This really conflicted with what the 1K agent was telling me as I asked her to check other *A flights (ANA, AC, CA, OZ....) She kept on saying that there were no award inventories...
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Old Jul 15, 2010, 10:34 pm
  #33  
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Originally Posted by jtn
This really conflicted with what the 1K agent was telling me as I asked her to check other *A flights (ANA, AC, CA, OZ....) She kept on saying that there were no award inventories...
Because all those carriers you mentioned require connecting flights, if one flight open but not the connecting flight, it is not going to work, not unless you are willing to pay from your own pocket of overnight cost. It is hard to look for awards for the next day travel in the busy summer season. If not, UA could have rebooked you on XY SFO-PVG in the first place, rather than have to route it thru ORD.

NH SFO-NRT-PVG
AC SFO-YVR-PVG
OZ SFO-ICN-PVG

I am not sure but I think it is easier if you are on a XC or XF award.
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Old Jul 15, 2010, 10:53 pm
  #34  
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Originally Posted by ORDnHKG
Because all those carriers you mentioned require connecting flights, if one flight open but not the connecting flight, it is not going to work, not unless you are willing to pay from your own pocket of overnight cost. It is hard to look for awards for the next day travel in the busy summer season. If not, UA could have rebooked you on XY SFO-PVG in the first place, rather than have to route it thru ORD.

NH SFO-NRT-PVG
AC SFO-YVR-PVG
OZ SFO-ICN-PVG

I am not sure but I think it is easier if you are on a XC or XF award.
But Shareholder was saying that even if there was no STAR award inventory, they could force one. (unless I misread his post)

There was a Air China flight from SFO - PEK then PEK - PVG that left later but she wouldn't get me on because she said there were no award seats available.
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Old Jul 15, 2010, 10:54 pm
  #35  
 
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Originally Posted by unavaca
No dice there It's happened to me in the past (award rebooked in full Y), but since the ticket # (or PNR) is associated with a mileage ticket, I got no miles.
That just reminded me the last time I did a standard award for a friend. She got bumped for W&B, then the connector to ORF went mx at ORD and she was forced to spend the night and then they lost her luggage going to ORF. Poor girl. I talked with the CSR at ORD and got her the Hilton and they delivered her luggage a couple of days later. She got a 300.00 cert for the mx and a 200.00 cert for the baggage. IIRC, she did get miles for some segments. One helluva first plane ride at 19

So, OP, ask for compensation. They'll throw some miles at you, at minimum, IMO.
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Old Jul 15, 2010, 11:09 pm
  #36  
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Originally Posted by camachinist

So, OP, ask for compensation. They'll throw some miles at you, at minimum, IMO.
They already did offer miles or certs.
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Old Jul 15, 2010, 11:13 pm
  #37  
 
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Sorry about that. Darn notifications aren't working again.
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Old Jul 15, 2010, 11:19 pm
  #38  
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Originally Posted by jtn
The GA said that they couldn't give me a seat on Delta because Delta would not accept a "miles" ticket from another alliance. I am a UA 1K...but I'm sure that doesn't mean anything to Delta.

With my bad luck today, it was a UX flight from PDX...but I don't know whether that has anything to do with their inability to get me a Delta seat.

I just got off the phone with 1K desk too. They basically said the same thing. Offered to give me some good will compensation...20% or 250 Ecert or 10K miles.

I am calling again to see if I can get on a later Air China flight from LAX...at least that's *A so maybe.....
Sounds like they offerred you compensation without you having to ask...if it were me, I'd take the $250 e-cert....not too bad of a deal since you get food vouchers and hotel on top of that...plus you get to enjoy what turned out to be a BEAUTIFUL sunny day in Portland
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Old Jul 15, 2010, 11:26 pm
  #39  
 
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Originally Posted by jtn
But Shareholder was saying that even if there was no STAR award inventory, they could force one. (unless I misread his post)

There was a Air China flight from SFO - PEK then PEK - PVG that left later but she wouldn't get me on because she said there were no award seats available.
I know that the 1K agent insisted that award inventory has to be available, but I think the 1K agent might have been talking about what s/he could do over the phone. At the airport, the agents there have more flexibility.

I was travelling on a *A award on a LH flight to KUL via BKK during the 2008 airport shutdown, and LH rebooked me to KUL via SIN (in F on the 77W, no less) at the last minute. I doubt the 1K line could have done anything for me at that point (that flight can't be booked with a *A award), but the LH agent was intent on getting me to my destination via any means at his disposal.
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Old Jul 16, 2010, 3:08 am
  #40  
 
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Originally Posted by jtn
Yes, the 1K desk has sent me an email offering some good-will compensation. I have to choose among $250 Ecert (domestic), 20% off any flight or 10K RDM. I think I will choose the 20% discount, as I rarely fly domestic.
You could also ask for a $250 international Ecert, not domestic (such things exist, as I've received one recently). If refused in an email from 1KVoice, reply with the original text intact, express your displeasure and occasionally the original decision will be overridden..
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Old Jul 16, 2010, 8:04 am
  #41  
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Flew UA in September '09 on an award ticket. Departing flight from IAD was delayed over an hour (mechanical) so connection was a sure miss and it was the last flight of the evening into the destination. I had no status at the time and UA customer service at the airport re-booked me on another UA flight out of IAD connecting to an AS flight. So endorsing an award ticket to another airline (*A or not) is possible, although they may not be keen on doing it. (May have helped that Mrs. MileKing was also traveling and was on paid ticket.)
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Old Jul 16, 2010, 8:07 am
  #42  
 
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Anything is possible with a ticket. I can make an award coach ticket from ORD-STL become an F RTW ticket. The question is, does my company allow me to do it?
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Old Jul 16, 2010, 8:11 am
  #43  
 
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Originally Posted by fastair
I can make an award coach ticket from ORD-STL become an F RTW ticket.
Can I PM you some upcoming PNR's
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Old Jul 16, 2010, 8:51 am
  #44  
 
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Originally Posted by warreng24
..So, no they are not out of date. There are no one-way SAVER awards on Star Alliance carriers.
There are no saver awards on non-UA *A full stop.

And there are most definitely one-way awards on *A as UX/UA are part of the *A.
Originally Posted by channa
UA can most definitely transfer an award ticket to another carrie..
And they do this all the time.

My friend ended up flying CX, BR, once LA for all the connections UA bungled. But they reliably provided her with fine alternatives.
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Old Jul 16, 2010, 9:44 am
  #45  
 
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Originally Posted by fastair
Anything is possible with a ticket. I can make an award coach ticket from ORD-STL become an F RTW ticket. The question is, does my company allow me to do it?
According to the letter I got from CR you can put award tickets on other airlines "when it is a situation within our control." Whatever that means. Sure didn't help me get to my destination when my flight last week "was cancelled for an operational need."
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