Flew out of EWR to PIT last Friday night. I'm a US1 and I got upgraded. My coworker who is a US2 was told at the main ticket counter there were no more FC seats available. Upon my arrival at the gate I asked if there were any FC seats left so I could upgrade my coworker. The agent asked if I was a US1 and I produced my ticket and DM card. She eventually upgraded my coworker to 1 of 2 remaining FC seats. But she didn't seem to be thrilled about doing it.

Later during the flight I was chatting with the lead F/A and asked how many US1's were in FC. Amazingly only myself and 3 others. The remaining were US3's. So now I'm wondering why my coworker, who is a US2, couldn't get upgraded. She was flying on a full fare ticket too. Is anyone else noticing the agents not upgrading qualified customers?

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by trvlr64:
US2.... was flying on a full fare ticket too. Is anyone else noticing the agents not upgrading qualified customers?
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I'm puzzled by this one, as all the GAs in my US flying experience have played by the WL rules.

US2, as with all other DM members, can upgrade anytime on a full fare, but she has to request the upgrade. It may well be that the US3s in F on that flight were full fare pax or had cleared at the 1-day window, leaving other DM members who had not requested UGs to be on the same-day WL.

Sorry this happened to your co-worker.....

My coworker asked at the ticket counter when she checked in and they told her NO. Especially when there were 2 available seats when she checked in. It doesn't seem right. But atleast I got her upgraded.


She says she's used to not getting upgraded even when there are seats available. She doesn't push the issue but I'm trying to turn her into a true cockroach....LOL

I just wonder if how often this happens. It's only going to get worse once the unlimited upgrade is available for every preferred customer.

Although I will give a BIG thanks to the male gate agent in EWR. He only let FC and anyone needing special assistance on the plane first. Then the preferreds. I wish they did this in LGA. The over abundance of preferred flyers going out of LGA is outrageous and everyone rushes the gate. I remember a time in PHL that only the FC, US1 and US2 could board the plane first. Oh those were the days!! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by trvlr64:
Although I will give a BIG thanks to the male gate agent in EWR. He only let FC and anyone needing special assistance on the plane first. Then the preferreds. I wish they did this in LGA. The over abundance of preferred flyers going out of LGA is outrageous and everyone rushes the gate. I remember a time in PHL that only the FC, US1 and US2 could board the plane first. Oh those were the days!! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

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I was in PHL a couple weeks ago for a long layover (occurred because I was standby into DCA instead of flying into BWI) and the gate next to me was a flight to FLL. When giving the boarding announcement, the agent said something along the lines of "Due to the number of preferreds on this flight, non-upgrade preferreds may not preboard. Also, due to the number of families with small children, we will not preboard them either." I looked over and saw at least 10 families with young kids. I'm glad I wasn't a preferred on that flight not in FC.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by trvlr64:
My coworker asked at the ticket counter when she checked in and they told her NO. Especially when there were 2 available seats when she checked in.........
She says she's used to not getting upgraded even when there are seats available. She doesn't push the issue but I'm trying to turn her into a true cockroach....LOL
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US will not usually upgrade at check-in when only 1 or 2 F seats remain - even for US1. They hope last-minute pax would show up and pay full fare (I scoffed at this reasoning until it happened to me Oct 2003 MAD-PHL with 6 empty Envoy seats and 5 Spanish businessmen show up last-minute, and I was just lucky to get the last seat! I sat next to one of the businessmen, and found all this out in conversation).

What seems sad, though, is that your co-worker as a Gold paying full-fare did not request an upgrade at the time of booking - it ought to have been hers for the asking. Asking for an upgrade at check-in gets caught up in another set of WL rules (status, time of check-in), when all she probably needed to do was call the Gold Preferred line beforehand.

Perhaps you could introduce her to the wonders of Flyertalk!

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">
Perhaps you could introduce her to the wonders of Flyertalk![/B]</font>

I'm trying believe me!! She doesn't pursue her cockroachness like I do. I'll have to give her a pin and luggage tag to get her in the spirit I guess.

It's mindboggling to me how many people I know who have status with various airlines (including US) either A) Don't realize they have status, or B) Are clueless as to what benefits their status entitles them.

I encourage people to educate themselves on FT and other resources, but there is a limit as to how much babysitting and nurturing one can do. At some point people have to be held accountable for their own failures to maximize their upgrade potential.

Frankly this does not surprise me. I am US2 and see this happen all the time. The TA says one thing and the GA says another. Nearly every time I get a GA saying, "Nope...nothing left in F", I always check at the gate immediately. This happened three times last year and each an every time there WERE seats and I was upgraded. It happened LAS, PHX & PHL.

Sometime I think the GA’s just don’t want to both with the key-strokes.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by MikeM6090:
Sometime I think the GA’s just don’t want to bother with the key-strokes.</font>

The easiest answer for them to give is that FC is full and to check at the gate. These are the little things that are starting to add up to an airline that will not be around in 12 months... http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

Perhaps the US3s had all used 20,000 mile upgrade awards to trump the 7-3-1 upgrade windows.

Especially, when there's a chance that there may not be any miles to use up in the not too distant future.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by SS255:
It's mindboggling to me how many people I know who have status with various airlines (including US) either A) Don't realize they have status, or B) Are clueless as to what benefits their status entitles them.

I encourage people to educate themselves on FT and other resources, but there is a limit as to how much babysitting and nurturing one can do. At some point people have to be held accountable for their own failures to maximize their upgrade potential.

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Well since she's a dear friend and a coworker I don't mind nurturing her. And some people don't worry about their status like you and I do. Hail Cockroach!! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Wow, I've never had an issue on upgrades. Every once and awhile I don't get into first, but I am really bad about the whole upgrade queue thing.

Perhaps you should call or write Consumer Affairs as this seems unusual.

One word: EWR. It's the one US station where I consistently have bad experiences.

Another possibility is that FC was actually full upon check-in at the ticket counter, yet 1-2 passengers failed to show. I'm sure we've all missed a flight here and there. One time flying out of EWR I got to the gate 10 minutes before departure. They had given my seat away, so that may be what had happened. It's hard to say without asking at the time.

Regardless if FC was full or not, if a US1 shows up at the gate and requests an upgrade then the GA should tell the US1 not to board but wait until most or all pax have boarded and do a ticket count and verify that indeed there are some available seats in F.

If the GA's are really lazy then the US1 should board and then get called up front by the FA (assuming there is coordination between the GA and FA and the FA is aware of who in coach is in-line for an upgrade when the door is closed).

What's going to happen come March? Get a coach seat near F and when the door closes and you see an empty F seat you just walk up and sit in it (if you're US1/2/3 that is). ??? Flash your DM card to the FA if necessary?

While on this topic, It's my impression or experience recently (past few weeks to a few months) that when calling US (to buy a ticket or pick a seat) that even though it's a week or 2 (or 3) before the flight that they have no problem taking my request to be put on the upgrade list (I'm US2, soon to be US3).

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by USFlyerUS:
Another possibility is that FC was actually full upon check-in at the ticket counter, yet 1-2 passengers failed to show. I'm sure we've all missed a flight here and there. One time flying out of EWR I got to the gate 10 minutes before departure. They had given my seat away, so that may be what had happened. It's hard to say without asking at the time.</font>


I know exactly what happened. I was given the option if 1A or 1F when I was upgraded. I chose 1F so that meant 1A was still available. Guess they didn't wantto give it to my coworker when she asked. Good thing I have a BIG mouth and got it for her.

Again, I would put money on it being the EWR factor. I've never had a positive experience there (with any airline).

There is still a lot of "the customer is the enemy" stuff out there.

Some stations are particularly infested with the idea that freeloading upgraders are the cause of all their problems.

There are also agents who are doing favors for their buddies.

The tip off is when they immediately reply, without looking at anything, that "First is full". If they really cared they would look at the list, tell you how many are on it, where you stand and how many are checked in. At the gate they would then advise you to either wait before boarding or board and they'll come get you (the second option always makes me nervous...)

Even if everyone is checked in miracles happen -- people misconnect at hubs or get sick and ditch the flight at the last minute. Hope isn't lost until the door closes. That's the basis for my last ditch attempt to get a harried or uncaring agent to actually do something -- ask, politely, how much of a miracle you're going to need? How many people have to get sick for you to make it? They'll have to look at your BP to see who you are and then check the WL in order to answer. Most of them won't lie to you at that point and if they really were just telling you what they knew to be the truth because you're the 43rd SP to inquire they don't seem to find the "miracle" approach offensive.