rjw242

Just because you don't like what I said doesn't make it snarky. The agent paged you multiple times, you didn't answer, and s/he faced a choice between upgrading the next person on the list or letting the seat go out empty. They rightfully chose the latter, providing excellent customer service to another EXP.

More broadly, what exactly do you hope to get out of this thread? If your purpose was to snivel about not getting an upgrade you felt you were entitled to, you've accomplished that swimmingly. But did you have any desired outcome beyond that?

SamOF

Again, why do you think that a passenger is required to be at the gate at the point that an agent processes upgrades? Have you used mobile boarding passes before?

SAN_Finn

It's not the whole Flyertalk. BA forum for example is still a great place. The AA forum though not so much. This thread is a prime example why this place is dying. All that is missing is this thread to be moved to one of the mega threads that nobody follows...

deeruck

Just checked a boarding pass for a flight to Asia in April. It clearly states "DOORS CLOSE 10 MIN PRIOR TO DEPARTURE", so there is some "customer-unfriendly" inconsistency with the 30 minutes that is noted on the website.

The reality is that if you are waiting for an upgrade on AA, you need to be there at least 10 minutes before boarding begins in case the GA starts calling your name. I wish that AA followed the same method as DL, but until that happens we will continue to see reports that the GA "gave the upgrade to someone else."

kb9522

I suggest looking inward first. The few posts I've read of yours in this thread show a great deal of entitlement.

You flew in the class you booked. As EXP, you have the opportunity (not guarantee) to be upgraded to a higher cabin through a number of mechanisms. You missed that opportunity by arriving at the gate too late. If you wanted to fly in J so badly, you should have booked in J. I'm not sure what you expect from this thread anymore... people to coddle you?

brewdog11

I've done this plenty of times in the past. I've gotten an upgrade on a TATL/TPAC and stayed in the lounge until a few minutes past boarding. I've never lost an upgrade, ever.

However, due to what I've read on here, I'm much more conscious of being present at the gate. It's the best preventative measure to preserve an upgrade.

A few times, when I was #1 on the list, I've gone up to the AC desk to see my upgrade chances. After calling the gate and getting permission from the supervisor, the AAngel has processed my upgrade right then.

The only place I've seen this done with some regularity is at ORD. As I've personally seen (and many of us have read from anecdotal evidence on here), agents have bypassed #1 and processed #2 for upgrades. I have been the recipient of an upgrade as #2 on the list simply because I was at the gate when numero uno was not.

Always Flyin

And exactly at what point are these upgrades processed?

We are left to guess.

Don't you think AA should announce that policy if that is the case?

I complied with all rules AA has published.

Entitlement? You mean being an ExPlat whose upgrade cleared but was given to someone else despite me complying with all the rules? That kind of entitlement?

How unreasonable of me.

Since you seem to miss this fact, despite it being posted several times, I WAS AT THE GATE ON TIME. Sheesh.

arollins

Perhaps because the agent wants verbal confirmation from passenger as to which credit card to use to pay for the luxury tax (rip off fee) for such cabin. I think the last thing one wants is to provide AA full access to your credit card details and charge you blindly, what if the card used is over its limit, or closed. The agent needs verbal authorization.

The key part of this thread that has not been mentioned is if AA advised OP of the additional amount due for the upgrade, hence the need to be physically present. Was the OP aware of this? All he knew is to check at the gate for the upgrade. In all my dealings with AA regarding upgrades out of LHR & CDG, I've been told of extra fees due, however, I've already received the upgrade prior to the trip.

longtimereader firstimeposter

I think the main issue is that at CDG you need to pay the luxury tax. If you show up 5 minutes before boarding and the GAs are mid boarding everyone they don't have time to pause to process the upgrade.

If this happened domestically I would be upset. I generally just refresh my mobile boarding pass unless they clear right before boarding then I go grab my pass. At CDG getting an upgrade is a different animal and unfortunately if you're not aware you will get screwed like the OP.

Chalk this up as a lesson learned and you get to keep a SWU! International upgrades are very valuable and I would be harassing the gate agents and letting know my presence if I thought there was a chance I would clear.

SamOF

That's all taken care of by the EXP desk when you request your upgrade. They take credit card info for authorization for any waitlist request out of LHR or CDG, and it's all queued up.

aztimm

I just read through the entire thread. Based on that, here is what I think happened:

* OP thought they allowed themselves plenty of time (2 hours) prior to flight on arriving at CDG

* Check-in was a bit of a mess, and it took a while

* When the OP finally reached a check-in agent, they asked if he wanted the upgrade, and if so to check at the gate

* (not mentioned, but assumed) Lines for customs/immigration and security took the OP quite a bit, and he made it to the gate 35 min prior to departure. (the one time I went through CDG I thought I'd miss my flight too, as this was just crazy)

* By the point the OP arrived at the gate, the GA had already given the biz seat to another passenger.

Always Flyin

I was not told.

Why doesn't AA publish this information?

How is a traveler supposed to know?

The lesson I learned is that AA doesn't give a hoot about any of its passengers, regardless of status.

I didn't want to keep a systemwide. I wanted to use it.

Most of my travel is paid business class. I have a flight in business to HKG on AA next month and am waitlisted for F using a systemwide. After that, AA won't be seeing much of my business. Most of my travel is international, where there are multiple choices. I don't need to put up with these customer unfriendly actions of AA.

AA used to blow UA out of the water. UA is now looking better, but I won't go back to that ex-wife unless they are the only convenient choice to where I am flying.

Due to the lack of competition between domestic carriers and status being much less important, my loyalty will be to the route--not the carrier.

Always Flyin

I don't recall. This was a vacation trip and was booked late last year.

Correct.

869

I find this issue to be absurd. Why can't AA just process an upgrade and let pax use updated mobile app or be notified when scanning bp to board? There is no reason I need to be present at the gate to receive a golden boarding pass.

Regarding times when add'l money needs to be collected, I'd be happy to have a cc on file that these type of charges default to and processing could be done automatically. Alternatively, I should be able to pay through the app with a couple of clicks.

JDiver

[COLOR="Navy"]aztimm has provided a useful summary of what occurred, others have pointed out the unfortunate vagaries and inconsistencies of the published upgrade process applied in particular by gate agents.

Unfortunately, the OP and a few others have declined to remain on topic, have chosen to get into personal interactions, call other members out and make unwelcome and unsupported characterizations. This horse is long dead, yet continues to take a flogging.

Rather than once again make deletions and edits to individual posts, and given everything that can be said about the situation has been said, this thread will now rest.

For expectations of posting comportment required of members, please review the FlyerTalk Rules, particularly 12. Abusive Or Disruptive Behavior Or Content.

/Moderator