United -$30 To Make Reservations!!!

[WHIT1]

Here is my problem with United. I have a credit of $189.10 plus have the voucher from entertainment book. I know I will lose $100 for canceling 4 months ago . So here's the unfairness, I need to make reservations for my nov/dec trip for my dh and myself. I get $89.10 credit toward my ticket and use the $25 voucher toward my dh. United is going to also charge me additional $15 per person more just to make the reservations cause I am unable to do it unline. I feel like they should waver that $30,this gives me next to nothing for a deduction toward my tickets. Do you think this is unfair and I should ask nicely of course to wavier the $30. Any suggestions????

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Yes, it's unfair that several airlines now charge fees for ticketing by phone and ticketing at the counter — even in cases when that ticketing cannot be handled on their website because of limitations of their website.

However, they're not doing anything illegal, and those are the airlines' published fees.

I would not expect a waiver.

 

[bavaria]

If it's an ecert from the Entertainment website, you can enter it online at United.com .

Otherwise if it's paper, put the reservation 'on hold' on the website, then call and they will tell you how to mail in the cert. You can put it 'on hold' and go to your local airport to ticket it.

BTW it's not 'unfair', it is their fee for changes. United is not alone in this.

 

[megan2346]

I had pretty much the same problem. I had a credit with American which in order to use I had to book the flight over the phone of course they charge you to book it over the phone. I think it really stinks that they charge you even though they are making you booking on the phone. Just another way for them to make a extra buck.

 

[bavaria]

More users booking online = fewer reservations agents required = fewer fare increases.

If you go to flyertalk.com there is a thread on Mileage Plus which explains exactly how to book with the Entertainment coupon and avoid fees.

 

[SuzanneSLO]

You can cut the fee in half to $15 if you book your DH's ticket on line, then book your ticket over the phone. Best of luck -- Suzanne

 

[jenjersnap]

Ugh, I had my own issues with United because they don't let you purchase seats for kids under two on the website (at least they didn't in 2005) so they charged $15 to book my middle DS over the phone even though I wanted to book online and it was *their* site that prevented me. I wrote a letter to the corporate office on the advice of the customer service agent who agreed that it was ridiculous and never heard back from them.

So, yes, that is what I did - booked everyone I could online and paid one fee of $15 for his ticket. I believe they held his in their system for me until I got my online transaction completed to ensure we were on the same flight.

 

[bicker]

Website booking really is intended to appeal to customers that want the lowest possible price and care about little else (like using vouchers or taking advantage of special prices for younger travelers). Customers that have special needs typically are willing to pay a little more for the personal attention of a person, which does indeed cost more to provide. More and more, the marketplace is pushing companies to offering things this way.

 

[WHIT1]

If it's an ecert from the Entertainment website, you can enter it online at United.com .

Otherwise if it's paper, put the reservation 'on hold' on the website, then call and they will tell you how to mail in the cert. You can put it 'on hold' and go to your local airport to ticket it.

BTW it's not 'unfair', it is their fee for changes. United is not alone in this.

I went to entertainment and put in all the promotional code and got the list of eligible flights and then went to next page to see if the discount went through and it said its not. It said it was already discounted. Its the same price that you get when you just go on the united web site. I figure since a holiday is coming up the flights are high so will wait until after the 4th of July and see if the flights come down for nov/dec. They have a technical support number to call so will try that to. Thats for your input.

 

[WHIT1]

You can cut the fee in half to $15 if you book your DH's ticket on line, then book your ticket over the phone. Best of luck -- Suzanne

Thats a good idea, will try to do it that way. Thanks again for the help and great ideas.

 

[seashoreCM]

It is unfair when vouchers, coupons, etc. cannot be used in any fashion without incurring fees that other methods of purchase might not incur.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

United, for example, used to have (do they still have) $25. discount certificates. Do you mean to say that these are totally worthless?

 

[FlyingBelle]

I'm pretty sure that if you register your Entertainment book number online you can get an electronic cert for United to be used on the united's website.

IME - using eCerts on united.com can be a little tricky - depending on the inventory available at the time of purchase, you might have to be flexible in your itinerary (time of day, day of week, etc). I have been able to successfully use them before.

 

[bavaria]

If you go to flyertalk.com there is a thread on Mileage Plus which explains exactly how to book with the Entertainment coupon and avoid fees.

FYI to the OP I successfully booked another ticket with the discount, using this workaround just this evening - I hope that it works for you.

 

[WHIT1]

FYI to the OP I successfully booked another ticket with the discount, using this workaround just this evening - I hope that it works for you.

Went on the flytalker.com and click on the mileage then clicked on the united airlines FAQ. Hope this was right , anyways now what do I click on?? Is it the current promo or the booking tickets. I looked under some not all. There is so many links don't know which one to click.

 

[bavaria]

WHIT1, you've got mail - I sent you the detailed instructions...

 

[WHIT1]

WHIT1, you've got mail - I sent you the detailed instructions...

I do live about an hour away from charlottesville so I could go there .I wonder if they will charge me for going there to do the whole reservation. Will have to wait until the next paycheck anything. So thanks again.

 

[bicker]

It is unfair when vouchers, coupons, etc. cannot be used in any fashion without incurring fees that other methods of purchase might not incur.

Unless the voucher, coupon, etc. specifies that additional fees may apply.

 

[NJDad18]

We had vouchers from US Air. What we did was book the flights online and put them on hold. Then we went to the airport to turn the vouchers in to pay for the tickets. That would be my suggestion to avoid the charge for booking over the phone.

 

[bavaria]

'tickets purchased through United reservaiton offices are $5 per ticket higher'

checked the paper coupon... hopefully the OP can do the booking online as per the method I provided, adn that it all works out eventually.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

WHIT1, you've got mail - I sent you the detailed instructions...

What a nice thing to do for a fellow Diser!