UDU Sweeps not Happening
Nov 28, 2010, 6:24 pm
#31
Join Date: May 2010
Programs: UA GS 2MM, HHonors Lifetime Diamond, Marriott Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 78
Yes, you probably need to call and have your MP number re-entered on all existing reservations. I had to do this when I went from 1P to 1K. FWIW, the 1K desk has tended to understand this issue much more than the 1P line did (when I went from 2P to 1P) and they should be able to help you out.
I could tell that the system recognized me as a GS after they reentered my MP number as the text about automatically requesting the UDU on the united.com page where you view the itinerary details changed from "as a valued 1K member" to "as a valued GS member", but the actual UDU status remained 'Pending'.
I called back several hours later (I figured the UDU batch process might only run once an hour or so and wanted to give it a chance to process if that was the case), and had to argue with (and be insulted by) two GS agents before the second one manually cleared the upgrade.
Instead of fighting with them on my remaining future reservations I just cancelled and rebooked all of them (fortunately all of my flights are unrestricted fares so it didn't cost me anything other than the time to do it).
My guess is that calling United web support would get you a better result than dealing with the reservations agents. The GS agents I spoke to both kept saying "we have the automated upgrade system so we don't have to deal with people like you" (awesome customer service BTW...). I even asked them to just remove me from the UDU queue and put me back into it and they refused to even do that when I know they can from previous PNRs that had schedule changes and required that to get my UDU's to process.
Good luck....
Nov 29, 2010, 12:04 am
#32
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: WAS
Programs: UA Silver, Marriott Titanium, Nexus, GE
Posts: 2,123
Damn...you guys were right. I got denied both ways. In fact, when I asked about my upgrade chances in St. Louis (there are no screens), you could practically see the gate agent giddy when she told me no, as if I were an idiot for even asking.
Nov 29, 2010, 9:18 am
#33
Join Date: Nov 2010
Programs: United Prem Exec, HHonors Gold
Posts: 5
So does today's flight listed as 1F and 0XF mean United is holding out to sell that last seat, and if it doesn't sell should clear to somebody at the gate? *Fingers crossed*
Nov 29, 2010, 9:46 am
#34
In memoriam
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Chicago, IL (ORD), Phoenix AZ (PHX)
Programs: UA 1K 1.9MM, Starwood Platinum, a nothing in several others
Posts: 5,176
They are holding out for 1 person to pay a high fare for that last seat. However it is the NF fare bucket for F upgrades. Don't get your hopes too high.
Dec 9, 2010, 9:41 am
#35
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Slightly to the left of center
Posts: 3,475
One way OAK-DEN. Didn't clear at T-100; continued to show "pending" where it should have gone into NF or "waitlisted". I had to call UA for a manual process. Rep said "it's not 100 hours yet," then later apologized for her math. She then claimed it is waitlisted, yet at my end I still showed pending. After some push, she "cleared it out" and poof, it went into NF. "Craziest thing I've seen" she says.
Today, same thing - DEN-OAK (separate one-way ticket). t-100, shows pending. Call for manual process, rep says, "odd". Claims she has not seen this happen before. Calls helpdesk, resolves, apologizes. Asks if I am a new 1k. Asks if I was a status match 1k. Asks if I may not qualify for 1k status next year. no, no, yes. How is this relevant?
Babysitting is the term I now use to call in. I have to babysit my reservations to make sure the UDU gets processed. No problems with manual upgrade (thankfully their have been open seats), but on an elite-heavy route, I need UDU's to clear automatically as UA intended and markets it.
Today, same thing - DEN-OAK (separate one-way ticket). t-100, shows pending. Call for manual process, rep says, "odd". Claims she has not seen this happen before. Calls helpdesk, resolves, apologizes. Asks if I am a new 1k. Asks if I was a status match 1k. Asks if I may not qualify for 1k status next year. no, no, yes. How is this relevant?
Babysitting is the term I now use to call in. I have to babysit my reservations to make sure the UDU gets processed. No problems with manual upgrade (thankfully their have been open seats), but on an elite-heavy route, I need UDU's to clear automatically as UA intended and markets it.
Dec 9, 2010, 10:01 am
#36
In Memoriam
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: ORD, UA 1K, SPG
Posts: 421
UDU
Bring back the old 500-milers. At least that system worked. UDU doesn't do anything for anyone except United. There is ALWAYS a reason to pend, waitlist or deny upgrades that should be UDUed...unfortunately.
Dec 13, 2010, 8:36 pm
#37
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: SAN, CLD
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 13
Shook off the pending purg this morning for 0600 16 Dec departure BWI-ORD-STL, but it took four calls to India to get it done. First two reps had no idea what the difference between "pending" and "waitlisted" is (one insisted that they are the same thing), the third only cleared the BWI-ORD leg (757), which was listed at NF9. Based on seat map population, I'm fairly sure some 1Ps cleared on the ORD-STL leg (CR7) this morning, so the purg may have knocked me out of that one.
My guess as to why it happened is that I had to change the return trip because the ORD-BWI flight kept getting pushed back (when ticketed, arrival in BWI was 7 pm; 3 weeks later, it was 11 pm for the same flight...sheesh!) and when I did that it wiped out the UDU pending tag on the united.com display of the reservation. Called to get that fixed, and everything looked a-ok after that.
Oh: first time, long time.
My guess as to why it happened is that I had to change the return trip because the ORD-BWI flight kept getting pushed back (when ticketed, arrival in BWI was 7 pm; 3 weeks later, it was 11 pm for the same flight...sheesh!) and when I did that it wiped out the UDU pending tag on the united.com display of the reservation. Called to get that fixed, and everything looked a-ok after that.
Oh: first time, long time.
Dec 13, 2010, 10:17 pm
#38
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: based out of LAX
Programs: UA 1K, AA Platinum, Hilton HHonors Diamond, National Executive, Starwood Gold
Posts: 701
Dec 13, 2010, 10:23 pm
#40
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: SF BayArea
Programs: Nothing worth mentioning
Posts: 2,223
Shook off the pending purg this morning for 0600 16 Dec departure BWI-ORD-STL, but it took four calls to India to get it done. First two reps had no idea what the difference between "pending" and "waitlisted" is (one insisted that they are the same thing), the third only cleared the BWI-ORD leg (757), which was listed at NF9. Based on seat map population, I'm fairly sure some 1Ps cleared on the ORD-STL leg (CR7) this morning, so the purg may have knocked me out of that one.
My guess as to why it happened is that I had to change the return trip because the ORD-BWI flight kept getting pushed back (when ticketed, arrival in BWI was 7 pm; 3 weeks later, it was 11 pm for the same flight...sheesh!) and when I did that it wiped out the UDU pending tag on the united.com display of the reservation. Called to get that fixed, and everything looked a-ok after that.
Oh: first time, long time.
My guess as to why it happened is that I had to change the return trip because the ORD-BWI flight kept getting pushed back (when ticketed, arrival in BWI was 7 pm; 3 weeks later, it was 11 pm for the same flight...sheesh!) and when I did that it wiped out the UDU pending tag on the united.com display of the reservation. Called to get that fixed, and everything looked a-ok after that.
Oh: first time, long time.