Answering a few reader questions....

Ben,

I've seen you mention SkyKits in a couple of recent posts. How often are you able to get SkyKits? Do they give them out for broken audio or just broken video? Are flight attendants often unwilling to give them out?

Thanks for the great blog entry. I have a question. How does claiming original routing credit work? (In times that you are re-routed by UA, normally eliminating segments, or put on another airline)

Do you get the original itinerary: both RDMs and EQMs?

Thanks!

gba,

I'd say I get about a dozen a year (although I fly 200,000ish miles), give or take. They're for any "hard product" problem (ie you can't say the service I received from you sucked, I'd like a skykit. You can ask for one when the audio, video, reading light, leg rest, recline, etc. is broken.

I've always gotten very friendly responses from FA's when asking, usually something like "Oh, I forgot we had those, let me get you one" when asking.

This last trip was an exception, although the FA was a total you-know-what. 😉

David,

You can receive original routing credit whenever you're involuntarily rerouted. That means whenever a flight is cancelled for whatever reason, whenever you misconnect and get a more direct routing, etc. You can't, however, receive it when you choose to standby for a more direct routing or take a VDB.

I actually think that Marriott is a good value when you get enough points for a trip award because, for example, I redeemed 250K points for 120K UA miles plus 7 nights at a Category 6 hotel worldwide.

Nice post Lucky --

Here's a question for you -- do you get yourself added to the list for every single flight, or only when you see the loads look favorable? I must say that sometimes I feel a little weird about asking for a bump when I know the load is Y9! But with the way UA's IM works these days, I've seen stranger things!

Thanks hobo13! 🙂

Actually I use a bit of a different strategy, because as you mention IM can be strange at times. Heck, I recently got a bump on a flight that showed as L9 the night before!

I usually ask either at check-in or in the RCC about how full a flight is. If they say "it's very full" I ask if they might need volunteers, and if they say they don't think so but might, I ask them to add me to the list just in case. If they say they aren't I'll assume they won't need volunteers and just go on my merry way.

number5858, that's a very good point. At lower redemption levels Marriott isn't that good, but when you have a lot of points it can be extremely rewarding!

Also, I just found out about their buy one get one free vouchers, which is another great benefit.

You can also get a skykit if you are flying in a premium cabin, have ordered a special meal and the meal is not boarded.

Lucky, great blog you have running here. Can you tell us in more detail what exactly is a "Skykit" ?

Thanks for the kind words, Smooth Rob. A skykit is basically United's form of onboard compensation. If something doesn't work onboard (your reading light, audio, entertainment, a meal is miscatered, etc.), you should get one from an FA. If you don't, you can always ask for one. In turn you'll get compensated based on the severity of the problem, status, and cabin of service.

I am here at a forum newcomer. Until I read and deal with the forum.
Let's learn!

So, what exactly is contained within a Skykit ?

"Skykit" is a bit of a misleading name, since it's not really a "kit," but rather it's a "form" with a code which you can redeem on united.com/appreciateion for the compensation of your choice (such as miles, e-certificates, % off certificates, etc).

Ah ok, thanks pal.