Update: United has confirmed they will not be waiving phone booking fees for these awards.
United finds yet another way to screw it’s customers over. Forget the fact that United recently announced a major devaluation of it’s award program – effectively eliminating first class redemptions on partner airlines and increasing the number of miles required to fly on United metal. Today, United announced that starting tomorrow they will no longer be displaying Singapore Airlines award availability online. This is a baffling move for several reasons. First of all, it’s not going to discourage most of us from pursuing those redemptions. It’s only going to make it more difficult. Second, their call center is going to be busier than ever, not to mention poorly trained and unable to assist customers with simply bookings. If you’re not equipped to handle a change, why implement it?
Based on the announcement, it seems this is something Singapore and United decided together. Still, this isn’t good PR for United at all. If you’re going to roll out one piece of bad news after another, pace yourself. And don’t do it in the midst of a #friendlyskies campaign.
In short, if you’re looking to redeem an award with Singapore Airlines in the coming days, you have until tomorrow before you have to start calling in and explaining basic geography to United customer service reps.
What are your thoughts on this move?
HT: Amol
Go to Singapore’s website, they were doing you a favor in the first place.
Tell me something I can use, after all United miles are pretty easy to get,
For the most part they have been good to me and even nicer to guys like you.
Thanks for commenting, Bill. Not that United has been nice to girls like me, but this is an unnecessary inconvenience.
If a Mileage Plus award involving Singapore Airlines flights is booked by phone, then will the phone booking fee be charged? Also, are there any Star Alliance award search engines out there that show all Star Alliance award space, and if not, what is the best Star Alliance award search engine? I was thinking maybe the ANA or Aeroplan award search engine.
No word on that yet. Lots of folks on Twitter were asking that. As for alternative tools, ANA/Aeroplan are good options.
United responded and yes, phone booking fees will still apply.