OT - Airline ticketing

My son in law purchased a ticket for my daughter on United Airlines
using a credit card. The purchase was made on line. When my daughter showed
up for the flight, she was refused boarding because she didn't have the
credit card in her possession. The ticket agent, in Eugene Or., said "We
have to see the actual card, after all, it could be stolen". The agent did
say, that my son in law, a Marine, could go down to his local United counter
and show the card there, and the agent there would mark the box in United's
computer, so boarding could occur. The trouble was, United doesn't have a
counter in Al Asad, Iraq. The kid is coming home from a tour of duty in
Iraq, and the plan was for my daughter to get to MCAS Miramar to meet him.
After some very tearful "discussion", and I believe, a direct threat of
bodily harm from my wife, the agent allowed my daughter to board.
Has anyone here ever heard of this crap before? Aren't E-Tickets usable?
What was going on here?

Al G

"Al" wrote in message
...
My son in law purchased a ticket for my daughter on United Airlines
using a credit card.

At some point I was told that I would have to show the cc when I showed up
for the flight. I don't really remember the circumstances, as I had the card
in my pocket, but I know it happens.

Al wrote:

Has anyone here ever heard of this crap before? Aren't E-Tickets usable?
What was going on here?

Al G




I book tickets for my wife all the time using a credit card she doesn't
have. She has never been asked to produce the card prior to boarding.
This may be a United policy.

"Steve Foley" wrote:
"Al" wrote in message
...
My son in law purchased a ticket for my daughter on United
Airlines
using a credit card.

At some point I was told that I would have to show the cc when I
showed up for the flight. I don't really remember the circumstances,
as I had the card in my pocket, but I know it happens.

It's a self-defeating requirement when you consider that some businesses
pay for their employee's tickets. The employee is unlikely to have the CC
that was used to pay for the ticket.

The only place I could find on United's web site that mentions you may
need to show _a_ credit card is he

http://www.united.com/page/article/0,6722,51133,00.html

"For domestic flights – all passengers 18 and older are required to
present valid and unexpired government-issued photo identification.
(federal, state or local). For example: driver’s license or passport.
All customers must carry government-issued identification with them at
all times and may be asked to show identification during boarding.

In the absence of government-issued photo identification, two forms of
identification are required. One must be government issued. Example:
Social security card and credit card.

Customers without proper identification may be subject to additional
security screening procedures."

So if the daughter had a proper ID, the need to present _the_ credit card
that was used to purchase the ticket does not appear to be on United's
web site. So even if the credit card company is asking the merchant (in
this case United) to require presentation of the credit card before
boarding (to limit CC fraud) the merchant seems to be inconsistent in its
application and is not mentioning the possibility to its customers where
one would expect to find it.

So yeah, United seems to have treated Al's daughter pretty unfairly.

She had ID. An Oregon drivers license, and a Marine dependant ID. Both with
photos.

Al G


"Jim Logajan" wrote in message
...
"Steve Foley" wrote:
"Al" wrote in message
...
My son in law purchased a ticket for my daughter on United
Airlines
using a credit card.

At some point I was told that I would have to show the cc when I
showed up for the flight. I don't really remember the circumstances,
as I had the card in my pocket, but I know it happens.

It's a self-defeating requirement when you consider that some businesses
pay for their employee's tickets. The employee is unlikely to have the CC
that was used to pay for the ticket.

The only place I could find on United's web site that mentions you may
need to show _a_ credit card is he

http://www.united.com/page/article/0,6722,51133,00.html

"For domestic flights – all passengers 18 and older are required to
present valid and unexpired government-issued photo identification.
(federal, state or local). For example: driver’s license or passport.
All customers must carry government-issued identification with them at
all times and may be asked to show identification during boarding.

In the absence of government-issued photo identification, two forms of
identification are required. One must be government issued. Example:
Social security card and credit card.

Customers without proper identification may be subject to additional
security screening procedures."

So if the daughter had a proper ID, the need to present _the_ credit card
that was used to purchase the ticket does not appear to be on United's
web site. So even if the credit card company is asking the merchant (in
this case United) to require presentation of the credit card before
boarding (to limit CC fraud) the merchant seems to be inconsistent in its
application and is not mentioning the possibility to its customers where
one would expect to find it.

So yeah, United seems to have treated Al's daughter pretty unfairly.

In every company I've worked for they've booked flights using my
corporate credit card, which I am required to carry on business trips
(they don't want me getting rewards from using my personal credit card
)
If a company used a credit card you didn't have access to or did not
issue you a corporate card with your name on it, what would you do if
you needed to make changes to the reservation which required an
increase in fare?

-Robert


Jim Logajan wrote:
It's a self-defeating requirement when you consider that some businesses
pay for their employee's tickets. The employee is unlikely to have the CC
that was used to pay for the ticket.

"Robert M. Gary" wrote:
If a company used a credit card you didn't have access to or did not
issue you a corporate card with your name on it, what would you do if
you needed to make changes to the reservation which required an
increase in fare?

Well then I would have to use a personal CC and request an expense
reimbursement from the company later. But yeah, many companies do require
the employee pay for everything (either on a personal CC or a company
issued CC) and they reimburse the employees later.

Anyway, it was meant as an example situation, not one that I suspect
happens very often anymore. No point defending a weak example. ;-)

"Robert M. Gary" wrote in message
ups.com...
In every company I've worked for they've booked flights using my
corporate credit card, which I am required to carry on business trips
(they don't want me getting rewards from using my personal credit card
)
If a company used a credit card you didn't have access to or did not
issue you a corporate card with your name on it, what would you do if
you needed to make changes to the reservation which required an
increase in fare?

-Robert

I guess you'd have to find a way to pay for the changes, cash, check,
american express. She had her own cards. In any case, I've sent my kids
plane tickets to come home from Grandma's. I thought that was what E-Tickets
were all about.

On the other hand, this guy was either incredibly foolish, or had balls
the size of the great outdoors. To go up against a Marine Wife enroute to
meet the "returning from combat" husband; would not be easy. When advised
that she will be supported by indirect fire from an Ex Navy Wife/Mother in
law, it's downright foolish. He's lucky someone didn't call in an airstrike.
I would have had the local TV news team down there in minutes.
I think pretty highly of our troops. Surveys say I am not alone. To
deny a tear jerking homecoming for a combat verteran would play very well to
the local TV ratings. To do it in front of the United desk would not help
their image.
It worked out. He is on the ground at MCAS Miramar as I speak. My
daughter was there, on time.

Al G

That is really strange. I always buy tickets for my girlfriend (She is
from Dallas and I am in Pittsburgh) through internet using my credit
card. I have been doing this for more than a year through several
airlines including United Airlines. I never had a problem like your
daughter and son in law. It must be either a new policy for UA or full
of crap.

Toks Desalu
PP-ASEL
Dyin' to Soar


Al wrote:
My son in law purchased a ticket for my daughter on United Airlines
using a credit card. The purchase was made on line. When my daughter showed
up for the flight, she was refused boarding because she didn't have the
credit card in her possession. The ticket agent, in Eugene Or., said "We
have to see the actual card, after all, it could be stolen". The agent did
say, that my son in law, a Marine, could go down to his local United counter
and show the card there, and the agent there would mark the box in United's
computer, so boarding could occur. The trouble was, United doesn't have a
counter in Al Asad, Iraq. The kid is coming home from a tour of duty in
Iraq, and the plan was for my daughter to get to MCAS Miramar to meet him.
After some very tearful "discussion", and I believe, a direct threat of
bodily harm from my wife, the agent allowed my daughter to board.
Has anyone here ever heard of this crap before? Aren't E-Tickets usable?
What was going on here?

Al G

"Al" wrote in message
...
My son in law purchased a ticket for my daughter on United Airlines
using a credit card. The purchase was made on line. When my daughter
showed up for the flight, she was refused boarding because she didn't have
the credit card in her possession. The ticket agent, in Eugene Or., said
"We have to see the actual card, after all, it could be stolen". The agent
did say, that my son in law, a Marine, could go down to his local United
counter and show the card there, and the agent there would mark the box in
United's computer, so boarding could occur. The trouble was, United
doesn't have a counter in Al Asad, Iraq. The kid is coming home from a
tour of duty in Iraq, and the plan was for my daughter to get to MCAS
Miramar to meet him.
After some very tearful "discussion", and I believe, a direct threat of
bodily harm from my wife, the agent allowed my daughter to board.
Has anyone here ever heard of this crap before? Aren't E-Tickets
usable? What was going on here?

Al G




I've traveled using e-tickets on 3 different airlines in the last 6 months.
None of which were UA. I've been asked for Photo ID but not for the credit
card.

Was the ticket purchased on the UA website or a 3rd party. I'm betting UA's
on site.