United - Hawaii treated as international flight?

[gkrangers]

A story from a friend...

"My wife has premier executive status with their frequent flier program thanks to all the business travel she used to do, so she calls them up today to see if we can get our seats upgraded (we usually end up being able to do so for at least one leg of the trip).

Her: I want to upgrade these seats we purchased.
United Rep: Okay, where are you flying from and to?
Her: San Francisco to Maui.
United Rep: (apologetically) I'm sorry, I can't handle international flight here. You'll need to call our international line.
Her: I'm flying to Hawaii.
United Rep: Exactly, so please call out international line and they'll help you.
Her: But...
United Rep: Have a nice day!"

So is the rep a tard sandwich or is this how its supposed to be handled?

 

[HAL]

By FAA rules flights outside of the continental 48 US states are operated under 'flag' (international) rules for dispatch purposes, crew rest etc. As far as the airline goes, they can do whatever they want for the passengers and reservations. Does UAL reservations consider Hawaii an international flight? We'd have to ask one of their staffers.

HAL

 

[gkrangers]

By FAA rules flights outside of the continental 48 US states is operated under 'flag' - or international - rules for dispatch purposes, crew rest etc. As far as the airline goes, they can do whatever they want for the passengers and reservations. Does UAL res consider Hawaii an international flight? We'd have to ask one of their staffers.

HAL

I see. I hope the rep was correct so I can call my friend a dope.

 

[filejw]

Most airlines international reps handle Hawaii however to not transfer you is stupid and most likely a big no no.

 

[ultrarunner]

Hey, you're calling India for christ sake. Don't you love the fake names they've given the call center agents.

I love it when "Bob" introduces himself....

Cracks me up

 

[XLR8]

If you fly over international waters, is that international??

 

[mynameisjim]

Like to nantucket?

 

[Poahi]

United has been treating Hawaii like that for years. Ironically, they sill have a call center at HNL. When a US passenger calls a Hawaii call center for a domestic flight and gets transferred, I have to laugh.

 

[jumppilot]

Hey, you're calling India for christ sake. Don't you love the fake names they've given the call center agents.

I love it when "Bob" introduces himself....

You mean "Floyd"...wait, he handles crew scheduling.

 

[Big Beer Belly]

By FAA rules flights outside of the continental 48 US states are operated under 'flag' (international) rules for dispatch purposes, crew rest etc. HAL

Gotta wave the BS flag on that Hal... sorry. Hawaii is treated as an international flight at UPS but Mexico and Canada (outside the contiguous US) are treated as domestic flights and scheduled that way.

BBB

 

[CesnaCaptn]

Gotta wave the BS flag on that Hal... sorry. Hawaii is treated as an international flight at UPS but Mexico and Canada (outside the contiguous US) are treated as domestic flights and scheduled that way.

BBB

Many airlines have exemptions in their ops specs to operate certain flag flights as domestic. Alaska has an exemptions for all of their Alaska, Canada, and Mexico airports; therefore Alaska's whole system is operated under domestic rules. Maybe UPS has similar exemptions.

 

[DCT MYS]

Many airlines have exemptions in their ops specs to operate certain flag flights as domestic. Alaska has an exemptions for all of their Alaska, Canada, and Mexico airports; therefore Alaska's whole system is operated under domestic rules. Maybe UPS has similar exemptions.

You are correct, we do.

 

[HAL]

Many airlines have exemptions in their ops specs to operate certain flag flights as domestic. Alaska has an exemptions for all of their Alaska, Canada, and Mexico airports; therefore Alaska's whole system is operated under domestic rules. Maybe UPS has similar exemptions.

Thanks CesnaCaptn, I knew that was going to come up. Many airlines have exemptions in their opspecs to destinations within a certain distance of our border - when I flew at AWA there were several in Canada and Mexico that qualified, but others that were farther away (Cancun etc) that didn't. If you don't have those exemptions however, they are 'flag' trips.

HAL

 

[AQ PILOT]

This is honest to god no joke...I can't remember which car rental place I called years ago...I think it was Alamo...anyhoo, I was trying to rent a car in HNL and the gal asked me if I would be driving the car out of state. I thought she just misspoke and jokingly said that I might be. She then actually needed a yes or no answer from me. Looking back I wish I would have said yes.... And no, I have no idea what difference it would have made.