United lets you book the outbound, and then they put it on a hold for 3 days past the date the return ticket would be open for sale.

Here is what the systems tells us ( reservations agents )

** UA SAVER / STANDARD AWARDS **

- WHEN A CUSTOMER REQUESTS TRAVEL DATES WHERE THE OUTBOUND DATE IS LOADED IN APOLLO (OPEN FOR SALE)...AND THE RETURN IS NOT LOADED (TOO FAR IN THE FUTURE) PLEASE FOLLOW THIS PROCESS:

1. BOOK THE OUTBOUND FLIGHTS

2. ADD A TIME-LIMIT FOR 3 DAYS BEYOND THE OPEN-FOR-SALE DATE FOR THE RETURN.


* DO NOT BOOK A RETURN - JUST TO HOLD SPACE*


3. ADVISE THE CUSTOMER:
- THE DATE THE RETURN FLIGHTS WILL OPEN-FOR-SALE
- TO CALL BACK ANYTIME AFTER THE OPEN-FOR-SALE DATE
AND BEFORE THE TIME LIMIT ON THE RECORD
- OPEN-FOR-SALE DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE AVAILABILITY
OF THE DESIRED BOOKING CLASS.

I'm told the best way to get a U.S. or Canada based agent is to call, and when the voice mail prompt comes on asking if you want domestic or international, keep saying AGENT. Each question, say AGENT. It is supposed to give you an agent with CTI ( computer-telephone-interface.) Last time I heard from my friends still working in reservations, India doesn't have CTI.

Hope this works. I've done this type of booking when I was in reservations.

Frances