US cheating on award travel again
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2004
Programs: USAir
Posts: 429
US cheating on award travel again
I checked several flights in business to Europe for May and June time frame.
Between May 25 and June 25 I spoted many flights with either empty (as nothing sold) to virtualy empty (as in 2 sold out of 24).
USAiways has those seats available for highest number miles and none for lowest.
They have no right to devaluate our hard earned miles like that - and I hope the United Million Miler case will prove that Frenquent FLyer program is a contract. The Judge in Chicago refused to dismiss the case just because there is the escape clause: "we can change anything and void everything anytime even without telling you".
Or is it that they do not want pay for our travel on Staralliance as they are getting ready to jump to pittyful Oneworld? This is still cheating.
Between May 25 and June 25 I spoted many flights with either empty (as nothing sold) to virtualy empty (as in 2 sold out of 24).
USAiways has those seats available for highest number miles and none for lowest.
They have no right to devaluate our hard earned miles like that - and I hope the United Million Miler case will prove that Frenquent FLyer program is a contract. The Judge in Chicago refused to dismiss the case just because there is the escape clause: "we can change anything and void everything anytime even without telling you".
Or is it that they do not want pay for our travel on Staralliance as they are getting ready to jump to pittyful Oneworld? This is still cheating.
#2
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: PHL
Programs: AA Executive Platinum; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,659
I checked several flights in business to Europe for May and June time frame.
Between May 25 and June 25 I spoted many flights with either empty (as nothing sold) to virtualy empty (as in 2 sold out of 24).
USAiways has those seats available for highest number miles and none for lowest.
They have no right to devaluate our hard earned miles like that - and I hope the United Million Miler case will prove that Frenquent FLyer program is a contract. The Judge in Chicago refused to dismiss the case just because there is the escape clause: "we can change anything and void everything anytime even without telling you".
Or is it that they do not want pay for our travel on Staralliance as they are getting ready to jump to pittyful Oneworld? This is still cheating.
Between May 25 and June 25 I spoted many flights with either empty (as nothing sold) to virtualy empty (as in 2 sold out of 24).
USAiways has those seats available for highest number miles and none for lowest.
They have no right to devaluate our hard earned miles like that - and I hope the United Million Miler case will prove that Frenquent FLyer program is a contract. The Judge in Chicago refused to dismiss the case just because there is the escape clause: "we can change anything and void everything anytime even without telling you".
Or is it that they do not want pay for our travel on Staralliance as they are getting ready to jump to pittyful Oneworld? This is still cheating.
#3
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: BWI
Programs: AA Gold, HH Diamond, National Emerald Executive, TSA Disparager Gold
Posts: 15,180
Umm, low awards have always been capacity controlled, and you'll find that on any airline. US doesn't say that every seat will be available for low award redemption. If you want that, then pony up for a standard award. If US thinks they can sell a seat, they're not going to give it away. That's true of upgrades as well.
US tends to be a bit stingy with Envoy awards, but keep in mind you're also looking during a peak travel season too. You're not the only one looking for those seats.
Take a look at Star Alliance awards. You can do this on United's or Air Canada's websites and usually you can find what you're looking for if you're flexible. I booked quite a complex itinerary in C for July (actually July 5 - right during a holiday) for SAN-PHX-ORD-WAW-VIE-PRG-VIE-ORD-BWI. That's a mixture of US, LOT, and Austrian. UA and AC had a decent amount of availability to Europe in the summer - ironically it was the domestic F seats that were hard to come by (US had F, UA didn't).
Good luck.
#4
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: BGM/ PHL
Programs: US (Silver, *A Silver), AA, Starbucks (Gold)
Posts: 2,242
I checked several flights in business to Europe for May and June time frame.
Between May 25 and June 25 I spoted many flights with either empty (as nothing sold) to virtualy empty (as in 2 sold out of 24).
USAiways has those seats available for highest number miles and none for lowest.
They have no right to devaluate our hard earned miles like that - and I hope the United Million Miler case will prove that Frenquent FLyer program is a contract. The Judge in Chicago refused to dismiss the case just because there is the escape clause: "we can change anything and void everything anytime even without telling you".
Or is it that they do not want pay for our travel on Staralliance as they are getting ready to jump to pittyful Oneworld? This is still cheating.
Between May 25 and June 25 I spoted many flights with either empty (as nothing sold) to virtualy empty (as in 2 sold out of 24).
USAiways has those seats available for highest number miles and none for lowest.
They have no right to devaluate our hard earned miles like that - and I hope the United Million Miler case will prove that Frenquent FLyer program is a contract. The Judge in Chicago refused to dismiss the case just because there is the escape clause: "we can change anything and void everything anytime even without telling you".
Or is it that they do not want pay for our travel on Staralliance as they are getting ready to jump to pittyful Oneworld? This is still cheating.
#5
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 7,884
What you see on the seat chart has little to do with the number of seats sold or number of awards available.
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Pittsburgh
Programs: MR/SPG LT Titanium, AA LT PLT, UA SLV, Avis PreferredPlus
Posts: 30,956
They have no right to devaluate our hard earned miles like that - and I hope the United Million Miler case will prove that Frenquent FLyer program is a contract. The Judge in Chicago refused to dismiss the case just because there is the escape clause: "we can change anything and void everything anytime even without telling you".
The UA MM suit was allowed to go forward with the explicit note that "defendants had a contract with Million Miler members which differed from the contract they had with other Mileage Plus members" as the program T&C disclaimer only referred to "MileagePlus membership and benefits, including the Premier Program, "
I'm pretty sure aware availability doesn't fall under a completely different contractual arrangement than the DM program. And I'm pretty sure those seats will be full, regardless of what any seatmap (which only bares a passing resemblance to tickets sold) says today.
But you can file another lawsuit and give it a shot.
#7
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 413
Look for a Star Alliance booking. I had no problem finding 2 seats in business to London for this summer last week. US Air of course wanted high award but there were 100k awards available on Star Alliance carriers.
#8
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Charlotte
Programs: US CP
Posts: 224
Yes, use United.com to search for availability on *A. When low level shows up on that site, US will be able to book your seat by calling reservations.
If you have to go and since you are CP, you could always book now and just change once lower level seats opened up.
If you have to go and since you are CP, you could always book now and just change once lower level seats opened up.