david7031

Help!

I am sitting in the Intl. RCC at SFO right now and wondering what to do. First, the context:

My itinerary was LAX-SFO-FRA-STR, with UA 239 to SFO and UA 900 to FRA. I had a confirmed upgrade on both flights using a friend's SWU. Due to a mechanical problem, UA 239 departd LA 2 hours late and got to the SFO gate at around 1:40 pm. (At least I was sitting in 1st for the 3 hours I spent on board!) I jogged from Gate 90 to Gate 97 - almost the farthest possible distance at SFO - and got there just in time to see the jetway being retracted.

So, I went up to the RCC and asked then to rebook me. They had already put me onto UA 930, the 7:00 pm flight to LHR. Now the fun begins:

After almost 30 minutes of typing and telephoning, the agent handed me an E+ BP to LHR. She said, "you are waitlisted for the upgrade. However, since a friend upgraded you, the SWU was "used" on the FRA flight, even though you weren't on it. The SWU will be deducted from her account whether you get the upgrade or not. Actually, the UG is already gone, but as a favor to you, since you were delayed due to a mechanical problem, I have put you on the UG waitlist anyway."

I can't believe that this is really UA policy. However, since I unfortunately am no longer a 1K (since Jan 31 ), I can't call the 1K line. I don't know who to call to try and resolve this. I'm afraid that waiting until I get back to Germany will only make it harder to resolve. I mean, even if I don't get the UG tonight, at least my friend shouldn't lose her SWU!

Any ideas on what to do? I'll be here in the RCC for another 2 hours, so an immediate response would be really helpful! Thanks!

SEA1K4EVR

Well the SWU was actually used on flight 239 LAX-SFO, not on 900 since you didn't fly 900. By rights the agent was correct to put you on the UG list for the flight to LHR...hopefully you will clear as you have paid for that upgrade with that SWU. If you don't get upgraded.. your friend will need to call and see if there's anything they will do.. they may let her swap the used SWU for a CR1 (I've had that offered to me before). What you should have done is just applied the SWU to 900 alone and went UDU for LAX-SFO. Then it would have been no problem for her to get the SWU back if your upgrade didn't clear.

Keep your fingers crossed for the upgrade! Unfortunately 930 is totally sold out in business tonight... maybe there will be some no shows.

weirdlyndon

If an agent manually adds a passenger to the upgrade list, what do they put the upgrade as being supported by? Or can they just manually add them to an upgrade list with no explanation or upgrade instrument documentation required?

david7031

Thanks for the explanation! I have had bad luck out of SFO, but I'll cross my fingers anyway. And I will definitely have my friend follow up if the UG doesn't clear. You are quite correct about applying the SWU only to the international segment...I didn't think of that. (Of course, I did think that 2 hours was enough for the conncection...)

Cheers,
David

espostor

No way is this a "favor" for the OP to be put on the UG waitlist. This is what is supposed to happen. The SWU is valid for the entire single direction of the trip (assuming the SWU stopover rules are followed), and even though it was "used" on LAX-SFO, a rebooking due to mechanical (or even wx in this case) does not forfeit the downtrip use of the SWU. Period. The computer may think so, but the rules sure don't.

Now, if the OP doesn't clear, it would be technically correct to say that the SWU was used for the LAX-SFO trip and there's nothing to be done there after the trip in terms of refunding the SWU or swapping for a CR-1. However, given that the reason for the misconnect was UA's fault, it would be reasonable for United to refund the SWU to the sponsor as compensation. I'd definitely have the sponsor make that request to the 1k desk.

Couple of experiences: pre-UDU, was flying JFK-LAX-SFO, cleared all legs on a CR-1. JFK-LAX went fine. LAX-SFO canceled, rebooked on a later LAX-SFO, waitlisted for UG and ultimately cleared. No additional instruments were taken. Another time, same route, same situation, actually did standby with the GA on an earlier LAX-SFO, confirmed in first immediately, no additional instruments taken.