Booked a TAP Portugal flight on-line, would not accept my UA FF#, they still have CO in their drop down menu so tried to put it in there, it was a no go. Had to call to have the number added to the PNR. Anyone found any other airlines where this may be a problem?
The best solution when flying a Star carrier and assigning a United or another Star Alliance member frequent flyer number is to call the airline anyways to make certain that the frequent flyer number is in the PNR. This is time consuming, but it should avoid the situation of having to request retro credit.
I have learned that it may also be beneficial to book the flight through United. If issues arise, you may want to have both their support and their English speaking skills. Even though I speak pretty decent Spanish, I have had a few times when speaking to Copa reps was quite challenging. My Spanish was learned in Costa Rica, but the language can change pretty dramatically from one country to the next, not even taking into account that the people from rural areas speak quite differently than those from urban areas. If one doesn't speak Spanish at all (or has only the high school version to rest upon), speaking to the reps of those airlines - even the ones who ostensibly speak English - can result in a lot of frustration and potential misunderstanding.
I agree with what you say, however this was a booking between MAD and LIS so used TAP web site, as fare was only $34.00 all in.
Why? When flying *A just make sure you give them your card at check-in and ask that your FF# is in the reservation. No need to call international numbers (or the US ticket office for the airline) ahead of time. I think the only time this advice is good is if a *A partner provides *Gold benefits like better seating. At that point call the airline and make sure they have the MP# in the reservation and also ask them for a better seat. -RM
This is an alternative, but the average flyer does not remember his or her frequent flyer number like the people on MP do. Making a toll free call to have the number entered into the reservation should alleviate forgetting it, and one can ask again at check in if the number is in the PNR.
Gosh, TravelerRob... I sure tried to explain my reasoning. It's the language barrier that can cause added problems. I'm not just talking about mileage credit, but rather other issues like needing a delay due to illness, MX or WX delays that mess up your whole itinerary, schedule changes prior to your original departure, etc. The things we take for granted when dealing with a native English company can't be taken for granted when communication itself becomes an issue bigger than the one I originally needed to resolve.
