I had a MP 50K saver award booked from LAX to FRA (via EWR) on UA and LH and have been keeping my eye on availability for C class on LH new 747-8 with the newer C class seating. This past Monday, to my pleasant surprise, I found availability for a 50K Saver Award on UAs website for the 747-8 out of IAD. I quickly called UA MP awards desk and they confirmed the availability on that flight and then switched my reservation from LAX-EWR-FRA to the LH 747-8 flight via IAD. I received an e-mail confirmation shortly after my call and was ecstatic until this Wednesday when I still could not get LH to find the reservation, even with the LH booking code provided by UA.
LH was really no help, telling me it is UA's problem. After spending an hour on the phone with UA MP Awards (Houston -based personnel), they basically told me this is a REALLY UNUSUAL situation but they couldn't get US based LH folks to open up a seat that they originally showed available. MP Awards staff then escalated the problem to LH in Frankfurt today and we are awaiting a final decision whether LH will honor the seat that they showed available on Monday. My booking code remained the same. This is for travel in late August (just before Labor Day).
My question to put out to those with UA/LH flying experience is this: UA told me if LH does NOT honor the reservation then UA will basically put me on any UA metal plane to FRA in C Class. While I typically would NOT elect to use 50K on any UA C class product, this whole experience with LH has put a bad taste in my mouth and I am questioning what I should do at this point. My best option if I were to choose flying solely on UA metal would be LAX-SFO and connect to a UA 744 to FRA. If LH comes back and says I can't have the C class on their 747-8 but they will put me on a C class on their older planes out of EWR, JFK, ORD or IAD what flights should I pick? I am leaning towards the newer C class seat (lie flat) on the older UA 747 vs the superior service on old LH metal. THoughts? Any suggestions on dealing w/UA or LH? UA MP staff are going to be calling me probably tomorrow (Fri) afternoon with the answer from Frankfurt.
The whole point was to experience a good international product to Europe in C class, but this mess has now left me jaded...
Thanks!
LH was really no help, telling me it is UA's problem. After spending an hour on the phone with UA MP Awards (Houston -based personnel), they basically told me this is a REALLY UNUSUAL situation but they couldn't get US based LH folks to open up a seat that they originally showed available. MP Awards staff then escalated the problem to LH in Frankfurt today and we are awaiting a final decision whether LH will honor the seat that they showed available on Monday. My booking code remained the same. This is for travel in late August (just before Labor Day).
My question to put out to those with UA/LH flying experience is this: UA told me if LH does NOT honor the reservation then UA will basically put me on any UA metal plane to FRA in C Class. While I typically would NOT elect to use 50K on any UA C class product, this whole experience with LH has put a bad taste in my mouth and I am questioning what I should do at this point. My best option if I were to choose flying solely on UA metal would be LAX-SFO and connect to a UA 744 to FRA. If LH comes back and says I can't have the C class on their 747-8 but they will put me on a C class on their older planes out of EWR, JFK, ORD or IAD what flights should I pick? I am leaning towards the newer C class seat (lie flat) on the older UA 747 vs the superior service on old LH metal. THoughts? Any suggestions on dealing w/UA or LH? UA MP staff are going to be calling me probably tomorrow (Fri) afternoon with the answer from Frankfurt.
The whole point was to experience a good international product to Europe in C class, but this mess has now left me jaded...
Thanks!