Mixing Coach and Business on one Award Ticket

[Daniel]

Booking EWR-ZRH-TLV
EWR-ZRH: Coach
ZRH-TLV: Business

If business becomes available at a later point on EWR-ZRH is there a chance of changing the ticket to that without change fees? I've gotten 10 different answers from reps.

[Dan]

You should be able to get it changed for free, but it will likely take HUCA

[Daniel]

Thanks so much. Few follow up questions:

#1- Does the same hold true if Coach becomes available on the current business leg?
#2- They only charged me 57,500 per ticket (instead of the usual 60,000 for business to TLV)- will this cause issues?
#3- If I keep my ticket with "mixed classes" how will I be treated on the EWR-ZHR leg? Will I get business baggage allowance?

Thanks again!

[PlatinumGuy]

Thanks so much. Few follow up questions:

#1- Does the same hold true if Coach becomes available on the current business leg?
#2- They only charged me 57,500 per ticket (instead of the usual 60,000 for business to TLV)- will this cause issues?
#3- If I keep my ticket with "mixed classes" how will I be treated on the EWR-ZHR leg? Will I get business baggage allowance?

Thanks again!

1. No (but still YMMV)
2, possible but unlikely.
3. Coach allowance and treated as UA Dirt ^TM. You might be able to get access to the UA lounge @ EWR, which has bearable showers.

[Daniel]

Thanks Guys, So it seems like a "mixed" ticket has no official rules and it's all really YMMV on most things. On top of that I have a lap infant I haven't put on the ticket yet. Still trying to figure out when to do that. I feel ripped paying for business and getting Coach on one leg, but NYC-TLV in August is impossible.

[PlatinumGuy]

Thanks Guys, So it seems like a "mixed" ticket has no official rules and it's all really YMMV on most things. On top of that I have a lap infant I haven't put on the ticket yet. Still trying to figure out when to do that. I feel ripped paying for business and getting Coach on one leg, but NYC-TLV in August is impossible.

Right before departure (5 hours or so) the UA direct flights open up.

Just because it's YMMV isn't proof there aren't official rules...

[Daniel]

Just because it's YMMV isn't proof there aren't official rules...

I would love to know the official rules. Every UA rep I speak with gives me different answers. The most recent guy told me I can downgrade the whole ticket to coach or change it all to business - all for no fees. Plus, he said I would get business baggage even if I flew coach on the first leg.

If I ask UA to give me that in writing would that work?

[PlatinumGuy]

It seems if the entire ticket is UA metal you get the allowance of the highest confirmed segment for the entire ticket. There's a thread in FT abt that now. (FRA luggage fees disaster)

[Daniel]

It seems if the entire ticket is UA metal you get the allowance of the highest confirmed segment for the entire ticket.

What about UA metal only on the first leg LX on the second? You seemed to say there are real "rules" in place...

[gold]

If the ticket was issued by a partner airline - than swiss will not change your class even if the ticket was an I class issue.
Just had this.
Beware swiss will only let you check in 1 bag on the economy sector!

[Daniel]

I booked the ticket on UA. Are you satying UA will not be able to change the Swiss leg even if they allow it?

The bags will be checked in EWR by UA so not sure why Swiss's plicy would matter.

[gold]

mine was a Us air ticket!

[Daniel]

mine was a Us air ticket!

Can you please explain? What do you mean by "Swiss will not change your class". ? If you book he ticket with UA or US Air then why do you need to deal with Swiss?

[PlatinumGuy]

What about UA metal only on the first leg LX on the second? You seemed to say there are real "rules" in place...

Of course there are rules, but the agents don't know AND don't care about them. It should be determined either by the first leg or by 'the most siginigcant carrier's rules, which obviously are often the same. In practice normally the first leg determines everything.

[Daniel]

Of course there are rules, but the agents don't know AND don't care about them. It should be determined either by the first leg or by 'the most siginigcant carrier's rules, which obviously are often the same. In practice normally the first leg determines everything.

OK, so if my first leg is in Coach, I'm in trouble. I'll try to contact UA and get something in writing.