Non-Elite Check-In Upgrade Over Plat 500-Milers
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2007
Programs: AA EXP, HH Gold, SPG Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 3,017
Non-Elite Check-In Upgrade Over Plat 500-Milers
Booked 4 tix back in May (me, wife, 6 & 3 yr old) for tonight's AA361 DFW-DEN. Split my res out to submit for 500mi upgrades to give my wife...if it came through.
Checked the three of them in last night online and it offered immediate upgrades for $90/ea, so I did it leaving an open seat next to one of my boys for me. Went to check myself in and it did not offer the same, rather just allowed me to keep myself on upgrade standby list.
My logic was that AA offered my non-elite wife and boys upgrades for $90ea. AA currently values 500mi upgrades for purchase at $40ea. I, as Plat, requested the equivalent of $80 in my upgrade (DFW-DEN requires two). Given that, surely they would not keep me on the list while offering the seats up for non-elites. Surely my loyalty is worth more than that (on-paper) $10 difference. I was wrong.
Puzzled, I called Plat Desk this morning to find out what gives:
-- First, they explained that revenue management values that paid seat @ $90 over my 500-milers. I begrudgingly get it--still like my logic better .
-- Second, they said they were not able to force my upgrade to clear, even though they confirmed 3 seats left and I was the only one on the list. I get that too--as it's usually a gate agent thing.
-- Third, the agent said I could pay the $200+ fare difference to 1st but I declined that option.
-- Fourth, I asked if they could un-check me in so I could try it again to see if I was offered the $90 upgrade. Agent said the only way to do that was to cancel my trip and rebook it, and he said "And I am just not going to do that, no, not going to do that at all"
Bottom line, yes, I am the reason I am in this predicament after upgrading them, but it is still no less frustrating. The sting of screwing this up myself only stings more after what--to me, right or wrong--feels like a lack of customer service for an elite status member on AA. Allowing Ma and Pa Kettle a discounted seat up front before me is somewhat a slap in the face.
Oh well. Lesson learned. Things are likely to get interesting later tonight. IF I get upgraded, there will be the whole begging for seat-change volunteers. IF NOT, well, I will cross that bridge when I come to it. GA & FA will have their hands full.
Checked the three of them in last night online and it offered immediate upgrades for $90/ea, so I did it leaving an open seat next to one of my boys for me. Went to check myself in and it did not offer the same, rather just allowed me to keep myself on upgrade standby list.
My logic was that AA offered my non-elite wife and boys upgrades for $90ea. AA currently values 500mi upgrades for purchase at $40ea. I, as Plat, requested the equivalent of $80 in my upgrade (DFW-DEN requires two). Given that, surely they would not keep me on the list while offering the seats up for non-elites. Surely my loyalty is worth more than that (on-paper) $10 difference. I was wrong.
Puzzled, I called Plat Desk this morning to find out what gives:
-- First, they explained that revenue management values that paid seat @ $90 over my 500-milers. I begrudgingly get it--still like my logic better .
-- Second, they said they were not able to force my upgrade to clear, even though they confirmed 3 seats left and I was the only one on the list. I get that too--as it's usually a gate agent thing.
-- Third, the agent said I could pay the $200+ fare difference to 1st but I declined that option.
-- Fourth, I asked if they could un-check me in so I could try it again to see if I was offered the $90 upgrade. Agent said the only way to do that was to cancel my trip and rebook it, and he said "And I am just not going to do that, no, not going to do that at all"
Bottom line, yes, I am the reason I am in this predicament after upgrading them, but it is still no less frustrating. The sting of screwing this up myself only stings more after what--to me, right or wrong--feels like a lack of customer service for an elite status member on AA. Allowing Ma and Pa Kettle a discounted seat up front before me is somewhat a slap in the face.
Oh well. Lesson learned. Things are likely to get interesting later tonight. IF I get upgraded, there will be the whole begging for seat-change volunteers. IF NOT, well, I will cross that bridge when I come to it. GA & FA will have their hands full.
#5
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Join Date: Mar 2001
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Posts: 27,730
The system is designed (and this is nothing new at all) to sell as many of those upgrades as it can _without_ depriving elites who are waitlisted for any particular flight of their elite upgrades, cleared at whatever time the system dictates.
Circumstances, can, of course, screw this up-- flight cancellations, unexpected last-minute purchases of F-seats, etc. But all indications are that it works as intended the vast majority of the time.
Again, has been this way since these upgrades were first introduced-- years.
Circumstances, can, of course, screw this up-- flight cancellations, unexpected last-minute purchases of F-seats, etc. But all indications are that it works as intended the vast majority of the time.
Again, has been this way since these upgrades were first introduced-- years.
#6
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: NYC, SLC, LAX
Programs: AA EXP, UA Plat
Posts: 3,951
Indeed. It seems the system worked exactly as designed.
No elites miss their upgrade (if F3 and 1 on the list), while AA gets some extra revenue in lieu of empty F seats going out. Since the computer is quite sure you will clear, it doesn't try to cheat you out of $90 to get something you are going to get for free.
No elites miss their upgrade (if F3 and 1 on the list), while AA gets some extra revenue in lieu of empty F seats going out. Since the computer is quite sure you will clear, it doesn't try to cheat you out of $90 to get something you are going to get for free.
#7
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: 6E Westbound, 4E Eastbound
Programs: AA EXP & 3MM, Priority Club Plat since 1984
Posts: 6,293
So another thread title might have read, "AA prefers cash revenue to upgrade chits".
But they were nice enough to encourage you to not spend the money.
As to canceling and rebooking, I would be afraid of that as well.
But they were nice enough to encourage you to not spend the money.
As to canceling and rebooking, I would be afraid of that as well.
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2007
Programs: AA EXP, HH Gold, SPG Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 3,017
Indeed. It seems the system worked exactly as designed.
No elites miss their upgrade (if F3 and 1 on the list), while AA gets some extra revenue in lieu of empty F seats going out. Since the computer is quite sure you will clear, it doesn't try to cheat you out of $90 to get something you are going to get for free.
No elites miss their upgrade (if F3 and 1 on the list), while AA gets some extra revenue in lieu of empty F seats going out. Since the computer is quite sure you will clear, it doesn't try to cheat you out of $90 to get something you are going to get for free.
#9
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Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: FIND ME ON TWITTER FOR THE LATEST
Posts: 27,730
It's not like the person you got on the phone is able to make RM decisions (or influence them in such a case) and RM doesn't stress about the precise timing of an upgrade clearing, so, 2 -entirely- different "ends of the building" even if common sense might make one hope for a different result.
#11
Join Date: Aug 2012
Programs: AA PLT, SPG Gold
Posts: 2,405
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2007
Programs: AA EXP, HH Gold, SPG Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 3,017
#13
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Anywhere but home
Programs: UA 1K/MM, DL GM/MM, HH Dia, PC Plat, MR Gold, ALL Sil,
Posts: 4,552
So does this imply that the cash upgrades are limited to # of F seats left minus the number of elites on the waitlist? So here, 6 F seats were available, 3 upgrades were purchased, 1 is on the upgrade waitlist, so only 2 more F seats would be available for cash upgrades?
#14
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: SFO
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 5,270
So does this imply that the cash upgrades are limited to # of F seats left minus the number of elites on the waitlist? So here, 6 F seats were available, 3 upgrades were purchased, 1 is on the upgrade waitlist, so only 2 more F seats would be available for cash upgrades?