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Old May 20, 2016, 5:33 pm
  #286  
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Originally Posted by Seattle68
It makes me wonder how a gate agent can have inventory to sell when the system shows me in First without a seat.
I wonder if what you saw is related to some hinky things I heard about today:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/alask...-upgrades.html
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Old May 20, 2016, 6:37 pm
  #287  
 
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Originally Posted by Seattle68
It was less than an hour before flight time, so I could not check in again on a mobile device. My passenger record did show me in both coach and first, though, so the system obviously tried to upgrade me.
I had that happen recently and had to call in immediately. The upgrade processor was "stuck," and I was told that can happen when you're upgraded after you've checked in. Apparently sometimes the PNR and ticket number can get disassociated (or something like that; I'm out of my technical system depth here) when an upgrade tries to process after check in. The CSR was able to clear up the disconnect and the upgrade processed. Not an ideal situation.
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Old May 23, 2016, 5:10 pm
  #288  
 
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Read through the last few pages on this thread and one clarification question: say an MVP 75K books an H class fare, and U is not available at booking time (but plenty of seats for sale up front). Is it still worth putting in a (say, expiring) GGU or does that get the same priority as a complimentary upgrade?
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Old May 23, 2016, 5:15 pm
  #289  
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Originally Posted by kon104
Read through the last few pages on this thread and one clarification question: say an MVP 75K books an H class fare, and U is not available at booking time (but plenty of seats for sale up front). Is it still worth putting in a (say, expiring) GGU or does that get the same priority as a complimentary upgrade?
You can't use a GGU unless U is already available.
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Old May 23, 2016, 5:15 pm
  #290  
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Originally Posted by kon104
Read through the last few pages on this thread and one clarification question: say an MVP 75K books an H class fare, and U is not available at booking time (but plenty of seats for sale up front). Is it still worth putting in a (say, expiring) GGU or does that get the same priority as a complimentary upgrade?
GGUs cannot be waitlisted. They can only be applied if U space is currently available. So adding a GGU to your reservation won't do anything to your upgrade priority and won't even work at all.
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Old May 23, 2016, 5:27 pm
  #291  
 
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Oh! Awesome, thanks! I got a bit confused since at booking it said "You will be able to apply MVP® Gold Guest Upgrade codes right after your purchase." but also the U is crossed out and "One or more of your flights does not have upgrade space available." (it's a non-stop flight soo.... yeah.).

Am I correct in understanding that if U pops up between now and the flight time, that it will automatically clear using the complimentary one?
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Old May 23, 2016, 5:49 pm
  #292  
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Originally Posted by kon104
Am I correct in understanding that if U pops up between now and the flight time, that it will automatically clear using the complimentary one?
In theory, yes, though it will clear in order of waitlist position, so if there is another 75K who booked an instant-upgrade-qualifying fare before you did, they'll get it first. If you happen to notice U space open, though, and you're not cleared into it, usually a quick call to AS will result in you being cleared immediately.
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Old May 23, 2016, 6:02 pm
  #293  
 
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Originally Posted by jackal
In theory, yes, though it will clear in order of waitlist position, so if there is another 75K who booked an instant-upgrade-qualifying fare before you did, they'll get it first. If you happen to notice U space open, though, and you're not cleared into it, usually a quick call to AS will result in you being cleared immediately.
Cool thanks! Good to see that the same tricks on AA and UA apply here
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Old May 25, 2016, 10:54 pm
  #294  
 
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Does upgrade space ever get withdrawn? I ask because I checked a flight that I was on 4 days out and it had 3 seats in F and 2 U. I bought the ticket months ago and I was hoping to be upgraded at the 72 hour window. I checked at about 75 hours and it was now no U and I figured darn someone beat me to it with an gold upgrade or a qualifying fare but what surprised me was that there was still 3 F seats. I am not using the seat map here but am determining it with dummy bookings. So what happened to the U space?
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Old May 27, 2016, 6:39 am
  #295  
 
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Originally Posted by wwongo
Does upgrade space ever get withdrawn? I ask because I checked a flight that I was on 4 days out and it had 3 seats in F and 2 U. I bought the ticket months ago and I was hoping to be upgraded at the 72 hour window. I checked at about 75 hours and it was now no U and I figured darn someone beat me to it with an gold upgrade or a qualifying fare but what surprised me was that there was still 3 F seats. I am not using the seat map here but am determining it with dummy bookings. So what happened to the U space?
Short answer: Yes, to your initial question. Depending on whatever algorithms on demand that AS uses, U space can mysteriously (to travelers) disappear and then re-appear later.
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Old May 27, 2016, 7:39 am
  #296  
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Originally Posted by wwongo
Does upgrade space ever get withdrawn? I ask because I checked a flight that I was on 4 days out and it had 3 seats in F and 2 U. I bought the ticket months ago and I was hoping to be upgraded at the 72 hour window. I checked at about 75 hours and it was now no U and I figured darn someone beat me to it with an gold upgrade or a qualifying fare but what surprised me was that there was still 3 F seats. I am not using the seat map here but am determining it with dummy bookings. So what happened to the U space?
inventory management. AS believes they can sell the 3 F seats within the last 72 hours. another option might be that coach is close to sold out and they are trying to protect some inventory flexibility.
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Old May 27, 2016, 8:25 am
  #297  
 
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I am afraid AS will eventually go the way of UA which markets discounted F upgrades leading up to the day of flight and pushes even harder during check in (sometimes at $99 ea. for a midcon). Elites get whatever people have not purchased. Adding insult to injury, the systems do not offer the discounted upgrades to elites under the false assumption that since they are already on the complimentary list, they are not interested.
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Old May 27, 2016, 2:46 pm
  #298  
 
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Originally Posted by PV_Premier
inventory management. AS believes they can sell the 3 F seats within the last 72 hours. another option might be that coach is close to sold out and they are trying to protect some inventory flexibility.
Thanks for answering me. Coach was almost sold out for this Memorial Day weekend trip to DC area. I ended up being upgraded into the last F seat at about T-23 and even got my first ever email telling me this.
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Old Jun 6, 2016, 4:27 pm
  #299  
 
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Originally Posted by jackal
In theory, yes, though it will clear in order of waitlist position, so if there is another 75K who booked an instant-upgrade-qualifying fare before you did, they'll get it first. If you happen to notice U space open, though, and you're not cleared into it, usually a quick call to AS will result in you being cleared immediately.
Any thoughts on if U=1 opens up? One is MVP 75K, the other is non-status (AA). Can they process one person or would this split and complicate things?
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Old Jun 6, 2016, 4:55 pm
  #300  
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Originally Posted by kon104
Any thoughts on if U=1 opens up? One is MVP 75K, the other is non-status (AA). Can they process one person or would this split and complicate things?
It will skip over you to the next eligible single person. If you call, they can split the record, but I am not sure if they will be able to keep the second person on the waitlist.
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