Need Quick Help Re: Reservations and Holds
 

I tried to purchase 2 W class tickets on UA website this morning but the system was acting up and I was unable to get back in for most of the day. This evening, when I went back in the system had only 1 seat left for the outbound for the cheapest price. The next lowest is 100 bucks more.

What to do? I tried calling web support and they gave the usual line that a fare isn't guarnteed until purchased. I tried explaining it was a system issue and not my fault. The agent wanted no part of my sob story.

I have come up with these alternatives, please advise if you think there's another solution:

1. buy 1 cheap tix, 1 more expensive ticket

2. fly on an earlier flight (not really convienent but ...)

3. wait until after midnight and try again. Will this possibly work? Meaning, W is showing 0 avail. right now.... would unsold tickets be released back into inventory, thus allowing me to purchase the cheap fare?

4. one of the above and still complain in the morning?

Please Help! I need to take some action tonight as I don't want to loose that 1 seat (thus further reducing my options.)


thanks!

What I would probably do is #1.

Then I would call United Customer Service and explain that I felt that I had to overpay because of their system error and that I would feel much better about it if they gave me a $100 Travel Voucher to make up the difference as a Customer Service Goodwill gesture.

I've been in your shoes several times before and have had very good success at resolving matters over the phone (with Delta, American, and United). I suggest that you call the website support number and, if that fails, MP. Be sure to emphasize (exagerate even) that you would already own the tickets right now were it not for THEIR sketchy website. FYI, even though my track record has been pretty good in this area, I had to plead my case to multiple people in all cases. Good luck!

Well, I did call several different people. No luck. Web Support told me that the fare never existed. That wasn't true. I tried again this morning even called customer service, this time I was told the flight I wanted is oversold, yet the website is still selling seats (not at $100 more but only $30).

Ultimately, I bought tickets for the earlier flight and customer service is sending me a $25 coupon. What I'm trying to figure out, is what went wrong and will United not have this same set of circumstances happen again? I'm leaning my conclusion towards the problem that is created when the web sells tickets at different price than the 800#. This could create lots of issues in the future if UA keeps this two-tiered pricing structure up. It's one thing when they offer 10% off all web tickets but when they start scaling their discounts to sell seats on certain flights, that's when the troubles begin.

I don't know how exactly comparable/applicable this is to your situation, but I saw something recently on some Web sites selling theater tickets that I thought was interesting: when it shows you the tickets available for the show and gives you pricing, it says that you have five minutes to purchase (and there's a little counter) and if they haven't heard from you in that time, the seats will be returned to their inventory. A nice sort of "time out" feature.