Questions and Answers

Hi folks. Before the 10/6 changes to UA’s routing rules, I managed to book the following in business for 120k miles:

TPA-IAH-NRT (Stopover)
NRT-PVG (Destination)
PVG-ICN-SIN (Open Jaw)

Not exactly a standard UA routing by the system allowed it. With the new rules on awards having to finish in the region they started from this would obviously not be allowed. I now find that I need to be in Tokyo a few days earlier and, ideally, I’d like to keep the rest of the routing the same (particularly the ANA NRT-PVG flight that I am on as I’m flying it with a friend and it no longer has availability).

Anyway, there are other routings from Tampa that will get me to Tokyo a few days early but when I go into the reservation in UA’s system I see that they have it listed as two separate “flights” on the same ticket:

TPA-IAH (16h layover)-NRT (280h layover)-PVG

PVG-ICN (4h layover)-SIN

That’s right…they’ve got NRT not as a stopover but as a 280 hour layover. I guess what I am wondering is does anyone have any experience with changing a complex flight like this that is no longer allowed under new UA rules? I can’t do it online as the computer just won’t have it, particularly because it no longer recognizes a 280h layover as being valid. So if I do it online I lose the stopover. I’d like to know what I am likely to face if I call in on this. Worst case would be the rep says the change isn’t doable *and* the original routing looks a bit weird/fishy and then they go back and charge me more miles to make it a valid routing.

Thanks!

Hey Nygel, and welcome!

If it helps at all, what you have would have been a legitimate award under the old rules, and that’s how I would have expected it to price. So you didn’t “get away” with something that they’re going to automatically rescind if you call.

So given that, you should be able to change the outbound flight given the original issue date, and without triggering a reprice. If you’re not a United elite I would recommend one of the international call centers, as they tend to be a bit better with this stuff, but would still plan on spending a few hours on the phone to do so. It likely won’t automatically price, you’ll have to protest that it should be done as an even exchange, someone will look up the rules and eventually agree, then it will have to go to rates to be manually processed, etc.

Good luck, and let us know how it goes!

You shouybe fine. I changed a pre-change itinerary (coincidentally NRT-PVG) that had a stopover without issue. But keep in mind once you change the first coupon of the itinerary your ticket is now considered to be under the new rules. Meaning you won’t be able to change without fees or include stopovers. I read this rule but have not experienced it being enforced. Just be aware.

The new website change methodology won’t allow this change so you will have to call and like [USER=7]@Tiffany[/USER] says it may test your patience. Just be firm.