Be careful what you offer! A few months ago, I told my parents about US's new "upgrade any international class (except V) with miles" policy. In a fit of generosity, I even offered to upgrade them using my miles if they ever flew internationally on US Airways.

Well, they've taken me up on it. They want to fly US26 to CDG on 4/15 and return on US27 on 4/25. There are no O-class seats available on either CDG flight for the entire month of April, so we can't confirm the upgrade in advance.

Questions now that they're waitlisted:

(1) How often should I call to see if O-class inventory has become available? Has anyone ever actually gotten upgraded automatically off the waitlist?

(2) Since I'm "paying" for their upgrades with my own miles, when they check in do they get my status (Gold Preferred) or their own (no status)? [I fear they get no status.]

(3) What are their chances if they have no status? Which days have the lightest loads in Envoy? They'd prefer to fly Monday & Thursday.

Thanks a lot for your help... I love FT!

David

(1) How often should I call to see if O-class inventory has become available? Has anyone ever actually gotten upgraded automatically off the waitlist?

I have on my last trip, about 3 days after waitlisting myself I cleared the return list.

(2) Since I'm "paying" for their upgrades with my own miles, when they check in do they get my status (Gold Preferred) or their own (no status)? [I fear they get no status.]

I think no status personally.

(3) What are their chances if they have no status? Which days have the lightest loads in Envoy? They'd prefer to fly Monday & Thursday.

I would think during the week, but personally have always seen light loads upgrading on the return portion of LGW-PHL and AMS-PHL.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by IndyDavid:
(2) Since I'm "paying" for their upgrades with my own miles, when they check in do they get my status (Gold Preferred) or their own (no status)? [I fear they get no status.]
</font>

I'm unsure of what you are asking here. If they have confirmed seats in Envoy, they won't need status for they will be able to use the Envoy/FC check-in. If you are talking about them arriving at the airport having not cleared for Envoy, they are statusless and will have to use the regular lines...


edited to add: if you are talking about where they will be possitioned on the waitlist, I don't think your status will apply (the way it would if you were travelling with them...).


[This message has been edited by geo1004 (edited 03-13-2002).]

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">if you are talking about where they will be possitioned on the waitlist, I don't think your status will apply</font>

Yes, that's what I was asking. They do not currently have confirmed seats in Envoy; they're in coach and on the waitlist for Envoy.

So assuming they don't clear in advance, what odds would you give a mid-April no-status upgrade? They'd be fine if there were any empty Envoy seats, but will there be any?

Thanks again,

David

[edited for clarity]

[This message has been edited by IndyDavid (edited 03-13-2002).]

[This message has been edited by IndyDavid (edited 03-13-2002).]

Hope your parents will get upgraded before the window opens for the 2002 SWUs as everyone who can use those will have priority over them.

I'm headed out to CDG and coming back just about a week ahead of them. While there are still many J & C seats for sale, seating on US 27 on the return seems a bit tight (US 48 on the way out is still very open).

On the flights they'll be on, 18 seats are open each way right now. (does anyone know when US started blocking off one of the row 5 centre seats?)

They might be better off flying via PIT but it may be too late to change.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by terenz:
(does anyone know when US started blocking off one of the row 5 centre seats?)</font>


This seat is always blocked off for "crew rest"

i just returned on us27 yesterday (wed) from cdg-phl and it won't be easy to upgrade without status out of paris. i didn't get an o-class seat at booking: as a chairman's i was upgraded 3 days before (that's something they'll only do for chairman's) and after that, there were only 4 seats left for the golds and silvers still on the list...

now i've been told that golds and silvers can be cleared day of travel by inventory so my advice would be if nothing opens up prior you should call from the states early in the morning on their day of travel and see if the international desk will consider your parents part of the gold and silver group. airport control at cdg will certainly not.

5c is crew rest on the 330, occupied about 50% of the flight by one of the captains.

Hello all you Preferred Experts! Can you tell a newbie to the world of Dividends what are the fare classes that USAir uses for upgrades and award seats? I'm seeing that O-class has been referenced so I presume it the international biz-class inventory for coach to biz upgrades? Can you confirm?

Thanks! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/cool.gif

barzino - yes, O is the fare class that has to have space to upgrade from a coach fare with miles or SWU certs.

IndyDavid - Call back every week to see if the waitlist has cleared/O inventory is available for your upgrade. In the week(s) prior to the trip, those brainiacs in Yield Management may start moving opening seats up.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by barzino:
Hello all you Preferred Experts! Can you tell a newbie to the world of Dividends what are the fare classes that USAir uses for upgrades and award seats? I'm seeing that O-class has been referenced so I presume it the international biz-class inventory for coach to biz upgrades? Can you confirm?

Thanks! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/cool.gif</font>

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum51/HTML/002291.html

Thanks a million (miles) iTrade! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/starsmilie.gif