United Airlines Rip-off

I'm not one to use the term rip-off often, however UA have just amazed me. I tried to book a return from ORD-MSP on their Web site and it wouldn't let me complete the transaction (turns out it doesn't like hyphens in surnames and I subsequently tried it without and now have a booking). The fare was $460ish or 234 in UK terms ... I then called UA directly to book the same itinerary and they quoted the same Dollar fare but 283 in Pounds [:0], an exchange rate of 1 : $1.62, and the agent on the line said that was right and that they charge effectively 20% of the ticjet cost as a conversion fee [:0][:0}.

I may have a ticket, but this adds United to my heap of rubbish pile to join NorthWest!

Originally posted by slinky09
and the agent on the line said that was right and that they charge effectively 20% of the ticjet cost as a conversion fee [:0][:0}.

I don't think it's a 'conversion fee'. I think it's a telephone booking levy, which they will charge for any normal transaction that could ordinarily be serviced via the booking engine united.com or the relevant United country-local website.

While you can't use a UK billed creditcard on http://www.united.com, you can on the UK site.

So, unlike most other airlines (I think you that quoted Northwest previously as being a problem) it is possible to book internal US domestic-only UA itineraries (which are ticketed 'SOTO') on http://www.unitedairlines.co.uk, with a UK credit card, and there's no sting in the tail that I've discovered, even having done it many, many times.

In the case of NWA, I think your shafted, because KLM effectively 'agent' for NWA in the UK, but won't sell you an NWA ticket that isn't 'SITI'. You'd have to use an agent.

(For an explanation of SITI/SOTO - http://www.v-flyer.com/ticket.asp)

Mike

[mitchja]

I've also booked a UA HKG>SIN return flight online using their UK web site with no problems or extra fees. I received an e-ticket.

Regards

As said - I did book online using their UK site in the end, after deleting a hyphen from my name and keeping all other details the same.

Mike, the process went like this, after failing in my first online attempt I phoned their UK number to be put through to a US based UA agent. Went through all the details and he said that the fare would be $460, then said that because I was UK based he would do the fare conversion to Pounds, this was when the figure of £283 came up - as the UK currency equivalent of $460 - no other fees were mentioned just that this was the conversion rate they had applied.

Having dealt with several US airlines ticketing agents I have to say they are no better than an offshore centre, so it wouldn't surprise me if this one had no idea what the extra fees were!