rhwbullhead

Okay. I'd appreciate some advice. I bought a ticket ORD-TPA for $140 all-in with a bunch of segments added in for extra miles. I logged on today and saw that there has been a schedule change, but the flights that are listed now don't work. I'm reserved on flights that leave before I arrive at certain points. What do I do now? Am I going to lose these extra segements when they try to "help me" by booking me on a direct flight ORD-TPA-ORD? To complicate things more, I have my mother booked on the same flights as I am on Oct 11, but on a different itinerary as she lives in FL (so she returned ORD-TPA on a direct flight as she won't do extra segements unless I do them with her.)

ORD-TPA:
For this, I assume I can just change the CLT-TPA flight to a later flight and I'll be fine.

Chicago O'Hare (ORD) to Washington Dulles (IAD)
Tue, Oct 3 United Airlines 0382
Oct 03 09:00 AM depart ORD
Oct 03 11:49 AM arrival IAD

Washington Dulles (IAD) to Philadelphia Pennsylvania (PHL)
Tue, Oct 3 United Airlines 7182 Operated by UNITED EXPRESS/MESA AIRLINES
Flight: Confirmed
Oct 03 12:44 PM depart IAD
Oct 03 01:48 PM arrival PHL

Philadelphia Pennsylvania (PHL) to Charlotte North Carolina (CLT)
Tue, Oct 3 United Airlines 1787 Operated by US AIRWAYS
Flight: Schedule Changed
To confirm, please call 1-800-united1 (1-800-864-8331) for schedule information.
Oct 03 04:30 PM depart PHL
Oct 03 06:06 PM arrival CLT

Charlotte North Carolina (CLT) to Tampa Florida (TPA)
Tue, Oct 3 United Airlines 2131
Flight: Schedule Change, Not Confirmed
To confirm, please call 1-800-united1 (1-800-864-8331) for schedule information.
Oct 03 05:55 PM depart CLT
Oct 03 07:32 PM arrival TPA


TPA-ORD (Originally, I was booked, TPA-MIA-CLT-IAD-ORD)

Tampa Florida (TPA) to Miami Florida (MIA)
Wed, Oct 11 United Airlines 9597 Operated by GULFSTREAM/CO CONNECTION
Flight: Confirmed
Oct 11 10:30 AM depart TPA
Oct 11 11:40 AM arrival MIA

Miami Florida (MIA) to Charlotte North Carolina (CLT)
Wed, Oct 11 United Airlines 2181
Flight: Schedule Change, Not Confirmed
Oct 11 12:45 PM depart MIA
Oct 11 02:45 PM arrival CLT

Miami Florida (MIA) to Philadelphia Pennsylvania (PHL)
Wed, Oct 11 United Airlines 2276 Operated by US AIRWAYS
Flight: Schedule Changed
Oct 11 01:45 PM depart MIA
Oct 11 04:32 PM arrival PHL

Philadelphia Pennsylvania (PHL) to Charlotte North Carolina (CLT)
Wed, Oct 11 United Airlines 2764 Operated by US AIRWAYS
Flight: Schedule Changed
Oct 11 06:45 PM depart PHL
Oct 11 08:29 PM arrival CLT

Charlotte North Carolina (CLT) to Washington Dulles (IAD)
Wed, Oct 11 United Airlines 2317 Operated by US AIRWAYS
Flight: Schedule Changed
Oct 11 07:45 PM depart CLT
Oct 11 09:08 PM arrival IAD

Washington Dulles (IAD) to Chicago O'Hare (ORD)
Wed, Oct 11 United Airlines 0363
Flight: Confirmed
Oct 11 09:35 PM depart IAD
Oct 11 10:37 PM arrival ORD

Spiff

Find other segments that do work for you and call up United.

If they ask about your proposed routing, tell them you've got meetings in your connecting cities and that you've already paid the PFCs for those connections.

If your new itinerary is similar to your original, UA should have no problem switching you. If the person who answers the phone does have a problem, thank them, tell them you'll think about some other possible routing, and call back. Under no circumstances should you accept a routing you don't want or a refund.

flying_bubba

QUOTE from rhwbullhead: For this, I assume I can just change the CLT-TPA flight to a later flight and I'll be fine.

Yes, but you're in PHL for almost three hours and trying to get to CLT, these are two of US's hubs, there has got to be an earlier connection. I'd check this first and ask, then demand, they put you on it.

On your return, you have several avenues you could pursue. Per the Flying Fish app your original return is 2239 EQMs without any bonuses. If you can find flights that fit their new routing, than you'd be in good shape with 3102 EQMs, but if that's not possible try cutting CLT out and still earn 2602 EQMs.

Whatever you come up with tell them you must have this routing, meeting friends/family, business, whatever works for you, but don't let them rebook you directly. They will try it is a lot easier for them, and they may not understand what you're trying to do, or they might smell the MR and try to usurp it.

Good luck!

JerseyJoe

Similar situations have occurred with several of my MR's. The biggest problem is finding flights that still have your fare class available. You can often find (and most times United will book) the alternate routings but at a higher fare. Sometimes you can find a telephone agent that will help, but most want to ticket on the non-stops. Remember, just politely thank them, hang up, and call back again. Most of my "re-scheduled" 8 segment runs seem to wind up as 7 segments when rebooked.

Spiff

It's irrelevant if your fare class is still available when United makes a schedule change that causes misconnects. If the flight is not sold out in coach, then you should be moved to it.

As long as you have an itinerary that is very similar to your original itinerary, then United should switch it for you. Call back if you experience unnecessary resistance.

cblaisd

Correct.

And my experience is that if you have done your research and have a proposal ready when you call, the CSR is grateful and I've always had mine accepted.

Moreover, at least in the past when this has happened to me and I needed the original segments but there was no alternative to a few-segment re-route, after the trip I have faxed UA with a copy of my original itin, a cover letter saying that UA changed the schedule on me, and that I would like the originally booked-and-ticketed-and-paid-for mileage/segment credit.

exerda

Yes, this has worked for me as well. I have heard of pax being told things like that is not permitted or that it is a "one-time exception," but if told so, I would think a second faxing would take care of it--the same old, "Try, try, again, until you get the answer you want," approach.

cblaisd

Faxing the elite customer relations number also helps, ime.

rhwbullhead

Thanks for all the responses. I just got off the phone with India. They say that I have to go to the airport to make changes b/c I am on a paper ticket. (When I booked the ticket, they said I needed a paper ticket b/c the TPA-MIA flight is operated by CO Connection.)

Here's a new problem:
How does my mother change her flight then? Does she have to go to the airpot also with the paper ticket? Can I just have her mail me the tickets and then go make the changes for her?

UA2SYD

This works everytime. Just detail the schedule change and that you want credit for only the original paid segment & miles. If all the original connections were legal (and it appears they were) then you are golden.

rhwbullhead

I'm on the phone right now with UA reservations. I called last week to get my flights changed, but as I said above, the Indian Call Center told me that I couldn't change my flight on the phone as it was a paper ticket. I wondered about this as "My Itineraries" said that the tickets hadn't been issued yet.

Well, today, UA called me and said they were in the process of isssuing the tickets but needed me to call about the schedule change. Okay. Why couldn't they fix this last week? I think I know the answer: bad training at the Indian call center.

For all I know, I might be talking to the Indian call center now, but this woman doesn't have the accent so it's possible I'm not. She seems to be doing a good job so far. I'm just worried that the fare got broken somehow. My flight was $140 all-in last week. Do they have that noted somewhere?

Edit:
I'm going to ask what call center this is. She even knew about unblocking the middle seat next to me so I can seat my mother next to me (she's on a different reservation.)

Okay, she said she's in Washington. I don't know if that means Washington state or DC. You can definately tell a HUGE difference. This woman new exactly what she was doing. Every time I call the India, the person has to go on hold for every little thing, and then they tell me that they can't help me if it's something complicated.