Adelaide to San Francisco on Qantas and UNITED AIRLINES - Not Happy

[ozbeachbabe]

serfty, my experience is that in EVERY case airlines routinely expect a passenger to use the 'coupons' (the old term - but e-tickets still have a sequencing for the flights on a PNR) exactly in the order in which they were booked and that to not do so invalidates the unused flights with the only exception being if one is ill and presents a doctor's certificate (or presumably if there was a death of a family member or close friend, neither of which I have experienced while on a return ticket).

Is this your experience serfty or have you come across where a bit of your undoubted wit or charm sees the checkin staffer or call centre answerer give you some latitude to make ad hoc changes? Which airlines are a little more 'liberal' in their interpretation of such ticketing rules?

What can happen is if you noshow for a flight, depending on the airline, that may cause the status of the eticket coupon(s) to change from 'O' for open for use or 'A' meaning under airport control to 'S' for suspended which would mean a sales desk/ticketing staff member would have to unsuspend the coupon before it can be used for another flight.

On a couple of occasions I've had a MSN to ORD flight with AA that has been severely delayed (4-5 hours in a very small region airports in the USA winter) when checking in... So have advised the checkin agent that I will make my own way to ORD via road (which is about 2 hours) and had no issues with the onwards ORD - LAX - MEL flights...

The difference in your case is that when you advised the airline you weren't flying MSN/ORD they probably cancelled that flight out of your pnr hence you weren't a noshow pax for that sector so there wasn't a trigger to suspend the rest of your eticket hence there being no issues travelling on the rest of the ticket as the ORD/LAX/MEL sectors would have had a valid eticket attached against the flights despite a previous coupon status not being 'F' for flown segment.

Also if there is a disruption due to snow, volcanic ash etc sometimes anything goes so airport staff will be more flexible. Telesales for airlines may also have authority to waive change fees in certain circumstances like natural disasters.

Also keep in mind, that some airlines will actually charge you a 'no show' fee for not turning up for a segment. It's not common anymore, but it certainly used to be. I had one attempted on me once, for a segment I never booked (QF screwed up, this was around 10 years ago).

Generally speaking if you called telesales for most airlines & advised them you were not travelling on a flight mid-journey they would want to re-issue the eticket to reflect the revised journey. The crazy thing is sometimes by not flying a segment could mean that you may be up for hundreds of dollars more.

I guess the ideal situation is getting the airline to cancel the unwanted sector without wanting to re-issue the ticket. Checkin staff primarily just want to see valid eticket coupons for the sectors they're checking you in for & it may not even be apparent to them you had not flown a previous sector on that ticket provided the sector was cancelled properly not by being a noshow.

 

[FlashKiwi]

OK, first, I have to admit this is my fault! but (and isn't there always a but!!)
Back in January, I booked a flight ADL-SYD-LAX-SFO return - all one ticket/pnr.

I had a similar problem a couple of months ago BNE-SYD-LAX-PHX drive LAS-LAX-SYD-BNE with the LAS-LAX a UA sector. I wasn't too worried at first, as there was no AA Lounge at LAS, only travel with carry on, and wasn't too worried about seating as had a 3 hour wait at LAX. Never again!

I ended up buying some goods from the trade show I was at in Flagstaff. I assumed that my luggage allowance would be based on the QF flight coming in (and being WP). I was also pleased to see on my online booking I had been assigned at the front of economy. Turned up at LAS and tried to check two bags in, just to LAX (wanted to recheck and get the priority labels). That took 30 minutes of arguing as they wanted to charge me for the bags. Finally a supervisor sorted that one out, but they wouldn't let me check to LAX - had to go through to SYD. More argument and finally all sorted. Walking down the gangplank and notice my seat - second to last row :-( Short flight so didn't really matter. Then I see it was a 757 so lots of people and no overhead for laptop bag. Again short flight so can handle it. Then the start motor on the RH engine failed. Back off again. Of course being last it took 40 minutes to get to the front of the service desk, to be told a. it was a QF ticket so they will need to sort it out and b.that they have substituted with a smaller plane and would have to wait for several hours (which meant I would miss all of the Australian bound flights that night from LAX).

I rang the WP line from my cell ($80 later), and whilst the agent was trying to find me some flights, the 757 magically reappeared with a new starter motor. Jumped on that and at the same time QF managed to get me the last seat on the last flight of the night, as I would have missed the two earlier ones. Had to use the coughpy Oneworld lounge, and center seat in the back of a 747 (from a preassigned window upstairs bulkhead on the 380) but got home.

I rang the WP line when I got back to both thank them for sorting out the flight, and to complain about why the QF booking engine brings up UA flights when there are plenty of AA flights (OK maybe not at the fare class QF sell them). The obviously felt sorry for me and said I could have a 1 class upgrade on my next flight. This happened to be 10 days later back to the US (BNE-LAX-SFO). This time though I booked the domestic sector separately as a AA YUPP and still worked out $400 cheaper (plus an extra 100 SC's) than through the Qantas site. How does that work? I get more SC's for traveling 1/10th of the distance for 1/5th of the price. And they upgrade Gods were smiling as op-ups both ways on the long haul

So the moral of the story, don't book a non-Oneworld flights as part of a QF ticket and book your domestic travel directly with AA.

 

[auspal]

The other day, I realised my baggage (entitled to 3 @ 23kg) was an issue with the local domestic legs in the US. Think I have that sorted thanks to Serfty.

I face the same problem in a few weeks, is there a link to this solution thanks?

 

[FlyboyAl]

I face the same problem in a few weeks, is there a link to this solution thanks?

I'm copying all the paperwork and taking it with me (like Serfty showed in his post). I've read up on the baggage rules and I think I have enough knowledge to put a good case. I'm also seriously going to look at what I can post home and do my best not to have to go to 3 bags.
I suspect the biggest issue with be the additional 3rd bag as a QP member - I can't see that UA will give a stuff about the QP membership and allowances, but I might be wrong.

 

[auspal]

I'm on a round the world ticket, and couldnt get an internal US flight on my itinerary so Qantas advised me to purchase it myself as it would be cheaper. The flight that I have booked charges for all baggage. I'm just have to wear it.

 

[Anna]

---

As to lounge access, serving flyboys with ID have special lounge access in the US. I don't know how good the lounges are though.

 

[TiredOldFlyer]

I'm on a round the world ticket, and couldnt get an internal US flight on my itinerary so Qantas advised me to purchase it myself as it would be cheaper. The flight that I have booked charges for all baggage. I'm just have to wear it.

I have always found it much cheaper to book internal flights in the US direct - and a greater variety of flights !

 

[drewbles]

There are NO public showers at LAX. Your options are one of the lounges with showers (Delta at T5, One World, *A or SkyTeam at TBIT, AA at T4, Virgin at T3) or else one of the local hotels.

There are no showers in The Loft (VA/VX lounge in T3).

 

[harvyk]

I'm copying all the paperwork and taking it with me (like Serfty showed in his post). I've read up on the baggage rules and I think I have enough knowledge to put a good case. I'm also seriously going to look at what I can post home and do my best not to have to go to 3 bags.
I suspect the biggest issue with be the additional 3rd bag as a QP member - I can't see that UA will give a stuff about the QP membership and allowances, but I might be wrong.

I believe there is most significant carrier rules which will apply here. In other words provided that both your UA and QF flights are under the same PNR, and since QF are operating the longest sector, their baggage rules will trump UA.

Of course that doesn't mean that a UA check in agent won't try it on, even if they know of the most sig carrier rule...

 

[serfty]

I believe there is most significant carrier rules which will apply here. In other words provided that both your UA and QF flights are under the same PNR, and since QF are operating the longest sector, their baggage rules will trump UA.

Of course that doesn't mean that a UA check in agent won't try it on, even if they know of the most sig carrier rule...

I anwered this elsewhere, but it's the first allowance based on the marketing MSC for the whole trip. (http://www.australianfrequentflyer....s/baggage-allowance-sfo-syd-qantas-52773.html)

 

[FlyboyAl]

Well, the UA problem has been slightly overcome with my upgrade to 34K in PE. I have a window, and a bulkhead, so it will be a nice trip over.
Probably make the UA experience seem worse, but I'll go with an open mind!

 

[FlyboyAl]

Just did online check in, and I cannot check in for the UA flight online!!!!
This brings up the issue of the bags being checked right through to SFO. Will see what happens at the airport in the morning

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Just did online check in, and I cannot check in for the UA flight online!!!!
This brings up the issue of the bags being checked right through to SFO. Will see what happens at the airport in the morning

the bags can still,be checked through to SFO regardless of whether or not you are 'checked in'. you still have to collect your bags anyway at LAX. even if they're not checked through, I think the bag drop counter can issue a boarding pass?

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Just did online check in, and I cannot check in for the UA flight online!!!!
This brings up the issue of the bags being checked right through to SFO. Will see what happens at the airport in the morning

Bag tags & the issue of boarding passes are two separate issues so just because you don't have boarding passes for UA SYD/LAX/SFO doesn't mean your bags can't be through checked to SFO.

QF in ADL will be able to check your bags to ADL/SYD/LAX/SFO as all flights are in the same booking. QF don't have an IATCI agreement with UA to issue boarding passes so you will only get a QF boarding pass for ADL/SYD. You will then need to see UA checkin in SYD after getting off the QF shuttle bus at the International Terminal.

UA should be able to give you both boarding passes SYD/LAX/SFO so after clearing customs at LAX with your bag you just need to drop it off then head directly to the departure gate.

 

[FlyboyAl]

well, it all went well.
Bags checked through in ADL to SFO, collected in LAX after customs, and put back in the system at LAX.
I walked down to United (15 mins) as I thought the walk would do me good, and went to the auto check in for passengers with no bags to get he boarding pass.
All totally painless except that the flight crew gave me a couple of bottles of Champers (don't ask!) which I had to quickly repack into a suitcase before re-depositing them.
World record customs clearance at LAX!!!!
Off the plane (747 Y+) and through customs and bags collected and out of customs in about 11 mins!!!!!! There were NO other flights in at the time (about 09:30) and the customs hall was empty - I loved it.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

well, it all went well.
Bags checked through in ADL to SFO, collected in LAX after customs, and put back in the system at LAX.

I walked down to United (15 mins) as I thought the walk would do me good, and went to the auto check in for passengers with no bags to get he boarding pass.

Why did you have to get your LAX/SFO boarding pass at T7 in LAX? Couldn't UA in SYD issue it at the same time as your SYD/LAX one?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Why did you have to get your LAX/SFO boarding pass at T7 in LAX? Couldn't UA in SYD issue it at the same time as your SYD/LAX one?

i think the OP was flying qantas to lax, with the connection to SFO and vv on UA.

 

[FlyboyAl]

i think the OP was flying qantas to lax, with the connection to SFO and vv on UA.

Correct, it was QF to LAX then UA to SFO. Same thing on the return leg - I'm guessing the bags will be checked through to ADL, but I'll need to get my QF boarding passes in LAX.

 

[Fifa]

Thanks for the update.
It's always good to hear a positive outcome

 

[FlyboyAl]

Well, the return leg went very smoothly. United issued the SFO - LAX boarding pass in SFO, and checked the bags to ADL.
I then got on the shuttle bus from T7 UA to TBIT - took about 20 mins in total, and Qantas issued the rest of the tickets.