drc1912

Hi All,

Sorry if this is covered in another thread, but wanted to share my experience here.


I have read some rumbles of auto-upgrades at t-120/t-24 out not working properly, and until recently had not experienced it myself. I fly SEA->OAK and back most weeks, and am almost always upgraded as a 75k. The past two weeks upgrades hadn't been clearing until I checked Expert Flyer to confirm upgrades were available, then call into Customer Service to have them upgrade me manually once they confirm I am at top of list.

These were all reservations booked months ago, with no changes to itinerary, when I was already MVPG75k. The customer service team was just as confused about this as I was, and when they email me with a write up of why it was happening I will share with the thread.


Just wanted to keep everyone here updated.

Best,
Dan

PDXPremier

I think it's funny that we're all either calling or writing in about this problem that's been going on for months (and covered extensively in the how complimentary upgrades work thread), but all the customer service agents seem to act like it's a strange one time thing....it's happening all the time now and they have to be getting multiple calls about it--the head scratching needs to stop--just fix it for crying out loud--is this really that difficult of a fix?

damieniz1

just curious, what does expert flyer cost to check for U space?

Waitlisted

When I call in I keep being told that they are keeping more seats available for last minute paid F passengers. I have a flight 10 hours from now and 3 hours ago there were three available F seats, and I was checked in and top of the list as a gold. Now all three are gone at T-10. I know from experience if I had called they wouldn't have processed it. I don't think it's 75s that jumped me, as the same folks are behind me as three hours ago. How are you able to get the CSR to manually do it for you?

catmndu

It's $9.99/mo or $99.99/yr for premium. It's $4.99/mo for basic. I think the basic level will cover looking for U space. They offer a free 5 day trial.

damieniz1

Thank you! Another example of the 'broken' upgrade system...#4 on upgrade list, 2 hours before flight, re-check in via my computer, upgrades available through the check in process. I select complimentary upgrade and viola, F. The last F seat...Lesson learned, pays to check in using the full site.

flytoeat

This really bugs me. Good for those enterprising enough to steal the upgrade BUT, it stinks when there's no integrity to the system and a 75K loses out to a MVP, or worse, a partner elite.

Missy, what's going on?

Dyoungman1

Last week traveling from Denver to Seattle there were F seats available, and I didn't get an automatic t-120 upgrade. When I checked in however at t-24, the website asked me if I wanted a complimentary upgrade? First time I've seen that.

PDXPremier

And it probably won't be the last

Paging Missy on this one....any updates? Seems to happening all the time now.

treinhard

Flew LAX-SEA on flight 461. For awhile, I was 2nd on the list, and the first person had cleared for what appeared to be the last seat. Then when I checked about 2 hours before the flight, I was about 5th (out of 6 total) on the list... Which is normal as more people check in, and I'm only an MVP.

This is where the strange part comes in... I went to the kiosk at LAX to see if I could SDC to an earlier flight since I was early, and while I couldn't do that, it printed my boarding pass and told me to See GA for Seat assignment, and said I was booked in U class... Even though I was still showing as 5th on the list and nobody else had cleared besides the first one.

I went to the GA right when they got there, and he said he had no seats available in 1st to assign me, because it was full. At this point I was assuming that the processor had made a mistake, because I still showed way down the list on the screen at the gate. Then, he called somewhere, spent 15 minutes on the phone, and printed me a boarding pass that gave me 4F, with no explanation. I wasn't going to ask!
A couple more people cleared later because of missed connecting flights, BUT, through the whole process, I dont think I should have been upgraded with so many people above me originally on the list.

slopeboy40

This occurred to me on Feb 3, I posted this in the success/failure upgrade thread but maybe it belongs over here. Heads up, something is definitely messed up.

So I log into my email this morning and see from LM FlightTracker that U space is now available on a flight I have today. I say to myself, "Awesome! That means we (wife and I, both 75k) must have been upgraded if U is available for purchase." I log into my reservation and no, we are still in coach. Hmmmm. I check, and no, it's not a mileage ticket, yes, our MP numbers are in there, and yes, it says we are waitlisted.

I then go through the check-in process and up pops an "upgrades available" option. Something I've never seen before. I click it and it takes me to another screen that breaks down the cost of the upgrade. It shows us both with $0.00 next to our names to upgrade. Obviously I say yes I would like to upgrade and voila we are in F.

So what's up with this? If U space is available on the day of the flight why were we, as 75k's x 2, not upgraded? What would have happened had a I checked in last night when this option was not available (and it wasn't because I almost did check in and something told me to wait), would we then not have been able to upgrade this morning?

whimike

Not good, we are back to the "any MVP can jump the line" upgrade glitch.

PDXPremier

Yep...exactly. I just sent another note off to customer care....I know they'll probably reply with the usual "we'll look into it" response, but maybe if enough of us flood them with emails about the same thing this will get fixed...eventually. Anyone ever try contacting someone higher up? Like the CEO?

PV_Premier

you don't need EF to check U space. a dummy booking searching for an instant upgrade or MVPGG upgrade eligible fare on AS.com will return information at least about whether U is available. if you toggle the number of passengers you can deduce the level of U, eg, if U4, when you switch from 4 to 5 pax on the dummy booking, U will switch from being available to unavailable w/ the # pax change.

FWIW i have not noticed any issues with my reservations, i was upgraded on all 4 flights for today at or around the MVPG window. so it seems to be an intermittent iss"U"

PDXPremier

Yes, if there is U space available at the upgrade window, you're normally good-to-go and the upgrade should automatically process, the problems start to come into play when U space is release well after the upgrade windows while you're still on the waitlist (particularly after the MVP window).