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

[FlyboyAl]

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 did it online and when I booked, I noticed there were NO AA flights showing for any time on the day (Aug 10), and they were all UA.
I didn't pay much attention (unfortunately), and went on with the booking.
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've now realised that I will have no lounge access during the stopover in LAX on the way to SFO, and no lounge access when I get to SFO to return home.
I called Qantas this morning and was told there were no AA flights available that day, hence the move to UA. I asked (rather sarcastically) if qantas would book me on a Virgin flight as part of a QF ticket and was told "of course not", so I asked why they did it in the US - she seemed confused.
I asked why they booked me on a non Oneworld carrier and was again told there were no AA flights available.
Like I said, it's my fault, but one would think that with a booking with a FF number in it, there might be some warning, or something to alert a passenger to the issues of changing carriers.
Right now, I'm not even sure if my bags will be checked through or not, but I suspect they will. And I guess I'll have a nice walk from TBIT to the UA terminal.
I guess the upside of this is that it won't happen again!!!

 

[Fantic125]

Depending on how long your wait is in LAX, you could always use the reLAX lounge landside at TBIT.

It's fairly basic (snacks and soft drinks included in the price, alcohol available for purchase) but comfortable.

 

[phily]

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 did it online and when I booked, I noticed there were NO AA flights showing for any time on the day (Aug 10), and they were all UA.

On 10th August, if you're on QF 11 to LAX then you arrive at 9.40 am. AA has 7 flights LAX-SFO that day from noon that you'd be able to catch, and surely one of them has an empty seat for you.

 

[FlyboyAl]

On 10th August, if you're on QF 11 to LAX then you arrive at 9.40 am. AA has 7 flights LAX-SFO that day from noon that you'd be able to catch, and surely one of them has an empty seat for you.

I called Qantas back, and they told me there are no AA flights available in my fare class. The "fare class" is a new addition to the conversation. This was a normal discount Y fare (which I'm upgrading to J or PE on QF). He would not budge.
Guess I'm stuck with the learning experience but will enjoy the view from another terminal in LAX for a change.
Who knows, they might be better than AA!!!
I'm still somewhat pissed however that there is no lounge access or at least some notification about (the lack of) it on the original booking.

 

[Joshua]

A change fee is $80 + phone assistance fee $60 + fare difference... so changing was going to cost a bit anyway.

Meanwhile AA has YUPPs on that day for $260. Why not just book an AA flight (give yourself a safe transit time) on a new PNR, ditch the UA flight and enjoy lounge access + F SC's?

 

[serfty]

A change fee is $80 + phone assistance fee $60 + fare difference... so changing was going to cost a bit anyway.

Meanwhile AA has YUPPs on that day for $260. Why not just book an AA flight (give yourself a safe transit time) on a new PNR, ditch the UA flight and enjoy lounge access + F SC's?

Not taking the UA flight may invalidate the remainder of the booking.

 

[FlyboyAl]

For $50, I can get UA lounge access - if I feel like I need it, And if there is enought time to ejoy it, I'll pay up and try it out

 

[Joshua]

Not taking the UA flight may invalidate the remainder of the booking.

Of course you're right, I'm so accustom to oneway bookings lately!

 

[BobbyFlyer]

I flew with family to USA on a QF Y ticket last year and LAS-LAX on return leg was on UA. I had the choice of flying AA at a different time on this leg when i did the multi sector booking but they were more expensive so i chose UA. Baggage was all checked thorugh back to SYD and there were no extra fees charged by UA. Yes did not get lounge at LAS but was that was the price i paid for cheaper tickets.

Agree that its weird that QF have those UA flights in their system but maybe that'll go once AA merge with US Airways next year...

 

[NM]

I wonder if there is availability into SJC? Lounge access at LAX would be at T4 before boarding the bus out to the remote gates/terminal for the LAX-SJC American Eagle flight.

Was the QF agent only look at the QF codeshare on the AA operated flights? The codeshares often have less availability in the cheaper classes than the AA flight number offers.

Interesting, I just booked BNE-LAX-SFO return using AA flight numbers (booked into Q class) and it was about $500 cheaper than the lowest fare using QF flight numbers (would have been V class I think for QF numbers). AA flight numbers were showing plenty of availability in N, O, Q etc, while QF flight numbers were showing all zeros for all fares below V.

 

[dajop]

Just curious are the lounges that fantastic in LAX (either the AA/QF one that I have been to) and the UA one ( that I haven't) that expenditures, rerouting, flight changes are necessary for what, an hour or two in a lounge? Or is it longer - how many hours is the layover (bearing in mind some of this will be consumed in immig, baggage reclaim and terminal change).

I don't know, I find USA lounges generally underwhelming. I'd just find either a cafe or bar to have some food/bev and/or a quiet unused gate to unwind at (no flight at gate usually means no pax waiting there). Only thing I guess that I would personally miss is a shower after a long haul, but when the next flight is only 1 hour long, I suppose that's not as bad as if you were transferring to a trans continental flight.

 

[jgm]

Haven't been to the UA lounge at LAX but I do know that it doesn't have showers. But when I go via LAX, I use the Delta lounge at T5. There is a connection airside between T5,T6 & T7. The Delta lounge has showers, reasonable snacks & booze. A 1 day pass is US$50

 

[FlyboyAl]

Just curious are the lounges that fantastic in LAX (either the AA/QF one that I have been to) and the UA one ( that I haven't) that expenditures, rerouting, flight changes are necessary for what, an hour or two in a lounge? Or is it longer - how many hours is the layover (bearing in mind some of this will be consumed in immig, baggage reclaim and terminal change).

I don't know, I find USA lounges generally underwhelming. I'd just find either a cafe or bar to have some food/bev and/or a quiet unused gate to unwind at (no flight at gate usually means no pax waiting there). Only thing I guess that I would personally miss is a shower after a long haul, but when the next flight is only 1 hour long, I suppose that's not as bad as if you were transferring to a trans continental flight.

I've got 4 hours between flights and was loking forward to a shower more than anything else. It's not the end of the world, and I'll survive until I get to SFO. It's just all the hassles it brings on, which probably now includes no points and no status credits, and no priority in boarding.
Oh well, I'll just have to fly with the great unwashed!!!

 

[FlyboyAl]

Haven't been to the UA lounge at LAX but I do know that it doesn't have showers. But when I go via LAX, I use the Delta lounge at T5. There is a connection airside between T5,T6 & T7. The Delta lounge has showers, reasonable snacks & booze. A 1 day pass is US$50

OK. no showers - that solves the whole issue. no real point going there. Anyway, there are probably showers somewhere in the terminal. And I guess the walk to the UA terminal will help to get the blood flowing!

 

[Melburnian1]

Not taking the UA flight may invalidate the remainder of the booking.

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?

 

[serfty]

Good lord! No

I subscribe to to the KISS principle.

I have not, nor ever intend to voluntarily take such a risk.

Control what I can control and not try to rely/hope on the goodwill of others for something outside the parameters that are set.

 

[DMMatlin]

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?

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...

 

[drewbles]

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?

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).

 

[jgm]

OK. no showers - that solves the whole issue. no real point going there. Anyway, there are probably showers somewhere in the terminal. And I guess the walk to the UA terminal will help to get the blood flowing!

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.

 

[FlyboyAl]

In that case, I'll enjoy my shower when I get to the hotel, then it's down to the Franciscan for a crab dinner