ID90 on UAL questions...
 

Apologies in advance if rookie questions:

Planning to ID90 with you guys next week to Europe with my wife, never ID90'ed before, had a couple questions.

Our first preference flight shows a few open seats in Polaris and quite a few in Econ plus...Are upgrades at all possible or is that ridiculous?

Is it good or bad form to wear my uniform to travel in if I have to run over from a quick connection? If not, is blazer/slacks/tie recommended and/or helpful? Or am I just showing my old-man-ness?

Sorry if covered elsewhere, thanks-

I'll go ahead and say...ridiculous. A summer flight to Europe will be full, full. It may not show it yet but the standby list WILL fill up. Many wait until the last minute to either list or decide to travel. You may get Econ Plus. Another factor is UA gives their best customers upgrade certificates to use on international flights. So that basically kills upgrades even for employees. Unless an employee was hired in the 80s.
Dress comfortable, no blazer required...and certainly no flip flops!:eek:

Ok, thanks for the info-

Don't believe OAL pass riders can sit in premium cabins...

No leggies either....

An ID90 can be purchased for either coach or a premium cabin. (90% off the cheapest unrestricted 'Y' fare -or- 90% off the cheapest unrestricted 'A' or 'J' fare.) If you buy the premium pass and there are no premium seats you can be seated in coach, but will get no refund of the fare difference. If you buy a pass in coach there will be no upgrade. You can buy both and apply for a refund of the unused ones.

Economy plus is a coach seat. If they are available, as a non-rev, you will likely be assigned one. When they clear you from the standby list you will be assigned boarding group 3. Although they may not clear you until all revenue pax have boarded already, making the boarding priority moot.

I haven't used ID90 in quite a while but I've also never seen anything but Y fare offered. Which airlines offer other than Y?

I'm not sure why United would offer ID90s for premium cabins for other US Airline employees... when I tried to book on DAL and AMR they only allow Y cabin. I know United has a deal with Lufthansa (star alliance) and SAS to sit in premium cabins on their metal. Other Airlines that offer for United is Hawaiian and Alaska... not sure of the others. Bottom line, if you logon to your companies ZED/Interline agreement page it will specifically tell you what cabins YOUR airline has with the other airline... each are different.

Thanks much for the information. Unfortunately, it's all standby. Good for dependents I suppose. And flying on LH or SAS.

Bottom line for J class for UAL employees:
LH
SAS
HA
AK

Yep... ID90s all standby. Regarding clothing... uniform won't work at most intl airports unless your on the crew list (working or JS)... business casual is what United requires for JS... OAL pilots have to sit in back... UAL pilots can sit in cockpit.