$1000s in expired coupons and not even an upgrade ?
Jun 25, 2009, 4:00 pm
#16
Join Date: Sep 2005
Programs: UA Million Miler
Posts: 1,358
I think your expectations may have been too high. At most I would say a reasonable "trade" would be 1 SWU, or 2 CR1s, and that's on coupon connection. From UA -- I have never heard of travel certs being swapped for upgrades, and while it would be nice for them to replace them for you, I wouldn't expect it myself.
How has your business (spend) and status been with them lately?
How has your business (spend) and status been with them lately?
Jun 25, 2009, 4:05 pm
#17
Join Date: Feb 2006
Programs: UA, Starwood, Priority Club, Hertz, Starbucks Gold Card
Posts: 3,952
No sympathy from here.
The expiration terms are clearly stated on the certificates. You had 1 whole year to use them, with an additional 300 days forward that you could make plans for. And you could also have extended generosity by giving them to friends or family members as many have said.
Better luck next time, but I don't see how your being busy is UA's fault at customer service. Nor do I think it's reasonable to expect UA to agree to exchange all those accumulated certificates for a CR1 or SWU.
The expiration terms are clearly stated on the certificates. You had 1 whole year to use them, with an additional 300 days forward that you could make plans for. And you could also have extended generosity by giving them to friends or family members as many have said.
Better luck next time, but I don't see how your being busy is UA's fault at customer service. Nor do I think it's reasonable to expect UA to agree to exchange all those accumulated certificates for a CR1 or SWU.
Jun 25, 2009, 4:07 pm
#18
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: ORD
Posts: 177
Ladies and gentlemen, breakage personified. No sympathy here.
Jun 25, 2009, 4:11 pm
#19
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: CGK SIN PER ORD
Programs: UA 1K MM, Hyatt Plat
Posts: 2,813
2 years ago, my bro let all his miles expire (about 160k) and no one called UA, we all gave my bro a lecture.
So no sympathy from me either
Jun 25, 2009, 5:23 pm
#20
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: LAX
Programs: UA Plat MM, CM Plat, Amex Plat, Hertz CP, Hyatt Globalist, SPG Gold, Vons Club
Posts: 6,849
I don't understand the sense of entitlement. Would it have been nice if you got something? yes. Should you be upset that you didn't? No! You knew the rules. Would you bring spoiled milk back to the grocery after 2 months and ask for an apple?
Maybe it would have been a good customer service move on UA's part but I would never fault an airline for following their own clear rules.
I don't get that you are so busy you couldn't even LOOK at the certs but you found the time to bundle them all up and mail a letter to UA.
Maybe it would have been a good customer service move on UA's part but I would never fault an airline for following their own clear rules.
I don't get that you are so busy you couldn't even LOOK at the certs but you found the time to bundle them all up and mail a letter to UA.
Jun 25, 2009, 5:35 pm
#21
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: LAX
Programs: UA Silver, AA, WN, DL
Posts: 4,091
Understand the OP's frustration, but as others have noted (maybe a bit harshly), it's clear about the expiration. Whether one is too busy is not UA's concern.
That said, I did get an extension on an expiring $350 by contacting Customer Service and asking nicely (this is about a year ago).
Good luck next time and try to get an extension, use CC, or gift to a friend... they'll certainly appreciate it.
That said, I did get an extension on an expiring $350 by contacting Customer Service and asking nicely (this is about a year ago).
Good luck next time and try to get an extension, use CC, or gift to a friend... they'll certainly appreciate it.
Jun 25, 2009, 5:35 pm
#22
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: IL USA
Programs: UA 1.55MM Lifetime Premier Gold, AA Exec. Plt., NW MM(875K on DL), MC Gold, HH Diamond, SPG, HY GP
Posts: 205
Give them as gifts to family and friends. Whenever I get bumped, I give free tickets as gifts and never ever use them myself. People are overjoyed, and I never have any remaining.
Jun 25, 2009, 5:41 pm
#23
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: OSL/IAH/ZRH (time, not preference)
Programs: UA1K, LH GM, AA EXP->GM
Posts: 38,265
@OP: do you ever write to UA and complain? Then you know how terrible, terrible their customer service is.
I am more than happy when I get 80% of what I am entitled to.
I am more than happy when I get 80% of what I am entitled to.
Jun 25, 2009, 6:14 pm
#24
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: LAX
Programs: UA 1K; CO Plat; Hilton Dimond; Marriott 3/3
Posts: 281
Forgive me for being dense, but I don't understand how a UA 1P can accumulate over $1000 in vouchers that quickly. Since they all expired around the same time, I take it they were all obtained about the same time...
There's something I don't get about this situation. I've been flying over 100K per year on various carriers for each of the past 5 years and I don't think I have been granted that much comp in total!
OP - do you mind sharing what you did? Four consecutive IVDB's?
Jun 25, 2009, 6:15 pm
#25
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2008
Location: San Francisco
Programs: GM on VX, UA, AA, HA, AS, SY; Budget Fastbreak
Posts: 27,582
I definitely feel for OP because it sucks to have expired ecerts. I can empathize as I was TOTALLY unaware of the e500>mileage conversion expiration, and thus I frequently lose e500s (it's tough for me to find the energy to try to swap them on CC). I was so spoiled with 4 of them converting to 1000 RDM, and now I hate the idea of losing those 1000 RDMs! This was all pre-Flyertalk, as well. Then I received some restaurant.com ecerts (from UAL after I complained about the e500 situation) but let them expire when I couldn't find any desired restaurants.
And I've frequently (ie annually) blown it with those Chase Visa "T" fare companion coupons, where I can spend about 150% of a single T fare ticket to get the free companion (ie save roughly 25% of two T fares), because I can never book ahead of time to get those T fare tix. I just found my coupon that expires 4/2010 and I tried to book during Thanksgiving but the 763 (new config) wasn't available as T fare, and I ended up giving up and using $$ instead. Who knows if I'll ever use this one...
This all said, even though the "loss" of these certs is not as financially big as OP's loss, I don't feel that I can blame anyone but myself, even for losing the e500 situation (I swore to UAL CS that I never got their email about it) which will haunt me for the rest of my travelling UAL life (as 1P, this is roughly 16 e500s a year, or 4000 RDMs a year that I'm not getting).
And I do think that cash vouchers should receive special attention, no matter how busy a person is, simply because... of their cash value (sorry for this lousy pun).
So I'm not being helpful to OP, and hopefully you don't have future bad UAL experiences to receive these cash vouchers... but if you get them again, look at the expiration dates!
And to everyone else, OP may travel weekly and remain 1P simply for flying 50 segments a year with UAL and then flying other segments with other airlines, etc etc. Or perhaps OP's corporate policy is that the boss has a million RDMs and uses them for OP from time to time (I've definitely done that for one employee, instead of paying $$, since I don't get EQMs out of it).
And I've frequently (ie annually) blown it with those Chase Visa "T" fare companion coupons, where I can spend about 150% of a single T fare ticket to get the free companion (ie save roughly 25% of two T fares), because I can never book ahead of time to get those T fare tix. I just found my coupon that expires 4/2010 and I tried to book during Thanksgiving but the 763 (new config) wasn't available as T fare, and I ended up giving up and using $$ instead. Who knows if I'll ever use this one...
This all said, even though the "loss" of these certs is not as financially big as OP's loss, I don't feel that I can blame anyone but myself, even for losing the e500 situation (I swore to UAL CS that I never got their email about it) which will haunt me for the rest of my travelling UAL life (as 1P, this is roughly 16 e500s a year, or 4000 RDMs a year that I'm not getting).
And I do think that cash vouchers should receive special attention, no matter how busy a person is, simply because... of their cash value (sorry for this lousy pun).
So I'm not being helpful to OP, and hopefully you don't have future bad UAL experiences to receive these cash vouchers... but if you get them again, look at the expiration dates!
And to everyone else, OP may travel weekly and remain 1P simply for flying 50 segments a year with UAL and then flying other segments with other airlines, etc etc. Or perhaps OP's corporate policy is that the boss has a million RDMs and uses them for OP from time to time (I've definitely done that for one employee, instead of paying $$, since I don't get EQMs out of it).
Jun 25, 2009, 6:20 pm
#26
Moderator: Smoking Lounge; FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: SFO
Programs: Lifetime (for now) Gold MM, HH Gold, Giving Tootsie Pops to UA employees, & a retired hockey goalie
Posts: 28,878
exactly and especially if it's close to expiry date. i can't tell you how many i have simply given away or pm'd a few f/t'er friends asking them if they wanted them gratis as for me, it's almost like throwing away cash if i let them go "poof"
Jun 25, 2009, 6:24 pm
#27
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: UA 1K 1.45MM, Marriott+SPG Plat, Clear, Nexus, Global Entry and MEX Viajero Confiable
Posts: 1,777
You were inconvenienced in the past and deserved compensation, so United compensated you. I don't think you deserve anything beyond what they've already offered and what you accepted. It'd be like buying something with a mail-in rebate, missing the rebate window, and requesting something else because you saved them money by not cashing in.
Jun 25, 2009, 6:24 pm
#28
Flyertalk Evangelist and Moderator: Coupon Connection and Travel Products
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Milton, GA USA
Programs: Hilton Diamond, IHG Platinum Elite, Hyatt Discoverist, Radisson Elite
Posts: 19,040
I have actually learned to place a reminder on my calendar when I receive a coupon. I put a reminder about it 3 months from expiration... that way I get a friendly nudge to do something if I still have it at that point.
Yes, anal retentive.... but hey, never had one expire.
Yes, anal retentive.... but hey, never had one expire.
Jun 25, 2009, 6:35 pm
#29
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: USA
Programs: UA (1K, 2MM), AA, Avis, National
Posts: 867
The reason UA gives coupons with expiration dates, restrictions, and requirements like redeemable in person or by mail only is to make it likely that these will not be used. So it is not surprising that OP got nothing.
Jun 25, 2009, 6:39 pm
#30
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: LAX
Programs: UA MM | BA Silver
Posts: 7,193
Let's face it, we fly alot. I had accumulated over $1,000 in UAL discount coupons and three (3) free flight certs, all of which expired in the the last three months. These were customer service coupons for lost luggage, bumps, 5 hour delay on the tarmac, etc. Since I travel weekly, I have not had the opportunity to use these for personal travel.
So, I sent them back to UAL, and thought maybe due to my loyalty they would give me something. Maybe not another year to use the coupons, but how about 3 or 4 SW upgrades or a half-dozen regional upgrades.
Nothing!
I know I should set my expectations low, but it is truly amazing the lack of customer service that any of the airlines have these days.
So, I sent them back to UAL, and thought maybe due to my loyalty they would give me something. Maybe not another year to use the coupons, but how about 3 or 4 SW upgrades or a half-dozen regional upgrades.
Nothing!
"First, thank you for your loyalty as a Premier Executive. We appreciate your business.
"We truly appreciate you choosing United and regret that you were unable to use your travel certificate within its valid period. Unfortunately, we are unable to grant your request to extend your travel certificates at this time... I am sorry for any inconveniences.
"To be able to offer certificates like these in a financially sound way for the company, we have to enforce time limits on their use. I hope you understand this need.
Wow."We truly appreciate you choosing United and regret that you were unable to use your travel certificate within its valid period. Unfortunately, we are unable to grant your request to extend your travel certificates at this time... I am sorry for any inconveniences.
"To be able to offer certificates like these in a financially sound way for the company, we have to enforce time limits on their use. I hope you understand this need.
I know I should set my expectations low, but it is truly amazing the lack of customer service that any of the airlines have these days.
UA gave you the vouchers and you didn't use them. Your problem, not United's.
