Last week a booked a ticket for a colleague and I from DCA to PHX on an HP operated US flight. We were in the same record and placed in the upgrade queue. After I didn't confirm I called US and they told me that HP doesn't upgrade companions without US status. As a result they passed me up for an upgrade filled all F seats with other US1s and now it is closed. Can you believe this nonsense. If that is their policy they could at least upgrade the US1 and make the companion standby -- i mean the chances of getting two people in on day of departure is far more difficult on a 319 than one person. This is the third flight this year that I haven't been upgraded on and they have all been HP operated flights.. What is going on?

It looks like now their are only 2 seats to sell in F on US 8016. Does anyone see the same thing?

Many airlines do this as they assume you don't want to be separated from your companion. This is really nothing new.

I have been upgraded on all 20 HP flights I've taken this year (including all of my DCA-PHX and DCA-LAS and LAS-IAD flights).

You'll need to let the CP liasion know that you're willing to be split up if you're the only one who can get the upgrade. They'll do that, and keep your companion on the waitlist. You'll need to put them on the waitlist at the airport, and then it's clear at the gate (or the Club as happened to me recently).

I am having the same problems with HP upgrades. What makes it worse, as I understand it, is that on day of departure upgrades are first-come, first-served and NOT based on status which means (no offense guys) that a US3 can be upgraded over a US1 if they check-in first. This is very irritating as it reinforces the notion that there is no rhyme or reason to the HP upgrade policy.

On US I clear 100% of the time at the 7-day window...even on the F8 757. On HP I am clearing less than 50% of the time, even at the gate. Their excuse "well sir, we have fuller flights than US." That's a bunch of horse^%$# in my opinion. :mad:

If I can't get there on US (read: non-HP) metal, I'm flying UA...at least they have E+.

Is it really true the HP doesnt upgrade based on priority?

I am having the same problems with HP upgrades. What makes it worse, as I understand it, is that on day of departure upgrades are first-come, first-served and NOT based on status which means (no offense guys) that a US3 can be upgraded over a US1 if they check-in first. This is very irritating as it reinforces the notion that there is no rhyme or reason to the HP upgrade policy.


SOBE -- I agree with you 100%. Please take the time if you haven't already and send a letter to US/HP. I specifically mentioned that in a letter I wrote and sent last month. It took over 1 month to get a response, but the letter indicated that they were hearing from lots of elites about the new DM program. Perhaps if they hear about this one over and over..... My biggest gripes were this system on day of departure and companion upgrades at the respective preferred window. So far management has at least made a few rights out of wrongs... empower ports comes to mind.

Is it really true the HP doesnt upgrade based on priority?

They do and they don't.

They run an upgrade sweep of reservations at the designated number of days out: 7 for CP/Plat, 3 for Gold, 2 for Silver. Those are prioritized by status, so a CP will always be upgraded ahead of a gold, etc. Within each elite tier they say they base priority on the number of EQM's flown in the prior 12 months.

If you aren't upgraded at your upgrade window and you call in, they'll upgrade you if space is available in the upgrade pool.

Every night they run the upgrade sweep again, upgrading based upon status
to fill whatever seats are available in the upgrade pool.

Where this comes an issue is this: Since they changed the top-tier (formerly Platinum, now CP) upgrade window to 7 days they seem to have at least doubled the number of seats they hold back on a given flight, usually from 2 to 4. At some point prior to departure, often a day or two ahead of the flight (sometimes day of), they release those seats, BUT they don't time that to coincide with the upgrade sweep. So, if you are a silver member and you happen to call in at just the right time and a seat has been opened up to the upgrade pool, or released because another first class passenger or elite changed or cancelled his flight, you can nab the seat, regardless of how many higher-level elites are on the list before you. You hit the lottery and get the seat.

Same thing at the airport. Let's say it's day-of-departure and the flight is showing full in F and someone changes flights, opening up a seat. If you happen to be the next person to check-in, or check with an agent about upgrading, if there's a seat, you'll get it, again, no matter how many higher-level elite might be on the list ahead of you.

I am having the same problems with HP upgrades. What makes it worse, as I understand it, is that on day of departure upgrades are first-come, first-served and NOT based on status which means (no offense guys) that a US3 can be upgraded over a US1 if they check-in first. This is very irritating as it reinforces the notion that there is no rhyme or reason to the HP upgrade policy.

Yesterday late afternoon I did IAD-PHX. It was a US ticket on HP metal. I couldn't check in online as the system doesn't allow this so I didn't check in till 1 hour before the flight. I am a CP & was like 4th or 5th on the upgrade list after 1st checked in full. I sat in coach in 4F. I have no idea if all the other people were Plats or CPs (and CPs are called Plats in the system on HP metal flights) but I doubt it.

AZ- This seems like the most backward way of upgrading people ever. I know that there are pros and cons to either company but US does do this right. The idea of calling in at the right time is maddening. The only thing about this that makes it better than US if what you say is true is that if you are a US1 and you change a ticket after the 7 day window you may get upgraded in advance.

Regarding earlier comments about the companion upgrade. Apparently with US you can tell them that you wish to be upgraded even if space isnt available for your companion but with HP or at least US HP operated flights you can give that distinction.

It ain't so. Not the first time during the New USAir regime - I am flying international - this time as all other times - I am on A330 - the Envoy class has 41 seat - and only 20 of them sold. There are 3 CP and 2 GP in the queue.
They refused to upgrade any of them and the flight is tomorrow.
This is why I think they are idiots - no need to do this - but they do it anyway.

This is what makes customer relations an art whichi they do not have.




They do and they don't.

They run an upgrade sweep of reservations at the designated number of days out: 7 for CP/Plat, 3 for Gold, 2 for Silver. Those are prioritized by status, so a CP will always be upgraded ahead of a gold, etc. Within each elite tier they say they base priority on the number of EQM's flown in the prior 12 months.

If you aren't upgraded at your upgrade window and you call in, they'll upgrade you if space is available in the upgrade pool.

Every night they run the upgrade sweep again, upgrading based upon status
to fill whatever seats are available in the upgrade pool.

Where this comes an issue is this: Since they changed the top-tier (formerly Platinum, now CP) upgrade window to 7 days they seem to have at least doubled the number of seats they hold back on a given flight, usually from 2 to 4. At some point prior to departure, often a day or two ahead of the flight (sometimes day of), they release those seats, BUT they don't time that to coincide with the upgrade sweep. So, if you are a silver member and you happen to call in at just the right time and a seat has been opened up to the upgrade pool, or released because another first class passenger or elite changed or cancelled his flight, you can nab the seat, regardless of how many higher-level elites are on the list before you. You hit the lottery and get the seat.

Same thing at the airport. Let's say it's day-of-departure and the flight is showing full in F and someone changes flights, opening up a seat. If you happen to be the next person to check-in, or check with an agent about upgrading, if there's a seat, you'll get it, again, no matter how many higher-level elite might be on the list ahead of you.

It ain't so. Not the first time during the New USAir regime - I am flying international - this time as all other times - I am on A330 - the Envoy class has 41 seat - and only 20 of them sold. There are 3 CP and 2 GP in the queue.
They refused to upgrade any of them and the flight is tomorrow.
This is why I think they are idiots - no need to do this - but they do it anyway.

This is what makes customer relations an art whichi they do not have.


Yeah, and we all believe that US Airways will tell you how many people are on the waitlist a day before departure. Stop complaining, at least on
US Airways, upgrades come through, even if they are at the very last minute. I dare you to try to upgrade an international flight on Continental, Delta, or Northwest.

It ain't so. . .I am flying international - this time as all other times - I am on A330. . .

Keep in mind that the question I was answering specifically referred to how HP has historically processed upgrades -- not US.

Keep in mind that the question I was answering specifically referred to how HP has historically processed upgrades -- not US.


Ok I am scared now.. on US tomorrow.. checked in at 1pm a day before my 1pm flight tomorrow (Monday).. Boarding pass states Chairman Preferred (and HP Platinum)... So we will see tomorrow how this works out. I am assuming I am near the top of the list as checking in early and being a HP1???

WE shall see.. (At least the Airbus 321 has empower in coach too)

I am having the same problems with HP upgrades. What makes it worse, as I understand it, is that on day of departure upgrades are first-come, first-served and NOT based on status which means (no offense guys) that a US3 can be upgraded over a US1 if they check-in first. This is very irritating as it reinforces the notion that there is no rhyme or reason to the HP upgrade policy.

On US I clear 100% of the time at the 7-day window...even on the F8 757. On HP I am clearing less than 50% of the time, even at the gate. Their excuse "well sir, we have fuller flights than US." That's a bunch of horse^%$# in my opinion. :mad:

If I can't get there on US (read: non-HP) metal, I'm flying UA...at least they have E+.

This is exactly what I've been talking about since my first experience as an HP Plat last summer. They don't get their top tier fliers in the F cabin nearly as often as US does. I know that the new US will continue this tradition in the east markets very soon. Seeing the writing on the wall, I have no choice but to move my share of the revenue stream elsewhere. If enough of us follow this strategy, I hope they'll get the hint. I'll keep following this board in 2006 to see if things get any better. If they do, I'll come back, but I'm not very hopeful. I see the gate and ticket agents becoming salespeople who want to upgrade anyone who wants to pay $50 - $150 over the loyal elite. Fine. I'll take my $20K revenue per year elsewhere while they get the additional revenue stream from the occasional flyer.