US Airways Dividend Miles (Pre-FlightFund Merger) - Chances of upgrading?

My boyfriend was diagnosed with IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) on Monday. He had an ultrasound yesterday just to double check but we don't have the results yet and we are supposed to take an over night flight from LAX to Buffalo tonight.

I don't care about me, but I would really feel better if he were able to relax in first. (For anyone familiar with IBS you know how painful it is). If he were to bring a note from his doctor, would they let him sit in first (if there are empty seats of course)? He was in tears last night and I'm so afraid of taking this trip but he insists on going.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Can I just pay an ugrade fee? I don't think they allow that but I thought I'd ask anyway.

If he is not allowed to upgrade, is there a certain seat in coach that I should try to get for him? We are on a 757 Jet and then a 737-300 Jet.

Thank you in advance

Prncs http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

If you are not preferred the odds are slim but it doesn't hurt to ask at the ticket counter and the gate.

Right now there are 4 open seats in FC and coach is full (1 seat left to sell).

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by mileshound:
If you are not preferred the odds are slim but it doesn't hurt to ask at the ticket counter and the gate.

Right now there are 4 open seats in FC and coach is full (1 seat left to sell). </font>


Yikes! Full coach...now *my* stomach is freaking out! lol

thanks for the reply...we are not prefered but I will try anything to help him.

Sometimes if coach is oversold the gate agents will do an "operational upgrade" to put a few people from coach in first, and E-Upgrades and preferred status aren't necessary. Or if coach is oversold you can get bumped to the next flight, possibly in first class.

Or ask somebody who's in First to upgrade you along with them, since Preferred people can upgrade companions. The LAX-BUF trip probably takes a lot of E-Upgrades, though. Each E-Upgrade upgrades 500 miles of a flight and can be exchanged for 500 miles-- so that's what it would cost somebody who upgraded you.

Or just upgrade with miles.

[This message has been edited by NYCommuter (edited 07-03-2003).]

I quoted the PIT flight.

The PHL flight has 7 coach and 7 FC left.
Two of the FC seats are "G" seats meaning that there are no preferreds waiting for an upgrade at this time. The chances are much better (although still slim) for this flight.

np mileshound we are actually on the PIT flight

Or ask somebody who's in First to upgrade you along with them, since Preferred people can upgrade companions. The LAX-BUF trip probably takes a lot of E-Upgrades, though. Each E-Upgrade upgrades 500 miles of a flight and can be exchanged for 500 miles-- so that's what it would cost somebody who upgraded you.

[/B][/QUOTE]
See if the Gate Agent can identify a CP on the flight and ask for complimentary upgrade against the CP's account. It won't cost the CP anything. I have used this tactic when travelling with a large group and I am only able to upgrade one companion.

G

Some exit row and bulkhead seats will probably open up as Preferred's clear their upgrades at the gate. It probably pays to arrive at the airport as early as possible (and wear your cockroach pin, if you have one) to try to at least secure exit row or bulkhead if you do get stuck in coach. Also, if you have a DM Visa Platinum card, now would be a good time to use your free US Airways club pass, so you can at least pass the time before boarding in relative comfort. If you don't have a club pass, maybe a club member will let you and your bf in as their guests, or you can spend $35 each for a one-time visit. The desk agent(s) at the club may be helpful, as well. Good luck.

I think that I’ve heard every entreaty to the G/A while waiting in line: bad back, bum leg, recent surgery, etc. The only accommodation that I’ve seen is the suggestion from the above poster: bulkhead seating; exit row (so long as the claimed disability does not compromise working the emergency exit); or a seat near the lav, if that’s the issue. If the health issue warrants, you should contact reservations and ask for a seat that’s appropriate and state that you’re making your request as an American with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) accommodation.

While I’m disabled too, I don’t think that I would ever use that status as a reason to ask a stranger in First (i.e. a CP) to gratuitously upgrade me.

I believe that you’ll find the rez people to be very helpful with the seating under your circumstances but don’t count on a free upgrade. Best wishes for a safe and comfortable trip.

No offense, and I'm sorry your boyfriend isn't feeling great, but IBS isn't exactly a reason to get "bumped" to F.

Tampa ff, IBS certainly doesn't make anyone "handicapped", and as a matter of fact, one in five Americans has IBS, making it one of the most common disorders diagnosed by doctors.

Should everyone with IBS get complimentary F upgrades? I think not.

Now, if your boyfriend had something else, like Crohn's disease or Ulcerative Colitis, I may have more sympathy. But IBS? Come on now.

Again, it's not that I don't sympathize. It's just that we can't have 20% of all passengers saying they "need" to sit in F. That's all. I hope he gets an aisle exit row.

[This message has been edited by nawlinsdoc (edited 07-04-2003).]

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Prncs:
My boyfriend was diagnosed with IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) on Monday. He had an ultrasound yesterday just to double check but we don't have the results yet and we are supposed to take an over night flight from LAX to Buffalo tonight.

I don't care about me, but I would really feel better if he were able to relax in first. (For anyone familiar with IBS you know how painful it is). If he were to bring a note from his doctor, would they let him sit in first (if there are empty seats of course)? He was in tears last night and I'm so afraid of taking this trip but he insists on going.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Can I just pay an ugrade fee? I don't think they allow that but I thought I'd ask anyway.

If he is not allowed to upgrade, is there a certain seat in coach that I should try to get for him? We are on a 757 Jet and then a 737-300 Jet.

Thank you in advance

Prncs http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif</font>

It's probably too late but... if you have 20,000 miles in your account your could upgrade him with those. A complimentary upgrade seems rather unlikely though.

You could use paid upgrade certs under certain conditions -- if you're at least silver preferred then any fare, if not you need to have a full Y fare (which seems like a ridiculously counter-productive policy but that's another thread...)

upgrade rules (http://www.usairways.com/dividendmiles/programinfo/eupgrades.htm)


[This message has been edited by TomBascom (edited 07-05-2003).]

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by nawlinsdoc:
No offense, and I'm sorry your boyfriend isn't feeling great, but IBS isn't exactly a reason to get "bumped" to F.

Tampa ff, IBS certainly doesn't make anyone "handicapped", and as a matter of fact, one in five Americans has IBS, making it one of the most common disorders diagnosed by doctors.

Should everyone with IBS get complimentary F upgrades? I think not.

Now, if your boyfriend had something else, like Crohn's disease or Ulcerative Colitis, I may have more sympathy. But IBS? Come on now.

Again, it's not that I don't sympathize. It's just that we can't have 20% of all passengers saying they "need" to sit in F. That's all. I hope he gets an aisle exit row.

[This message has been edited by nawlinsdoc (edited 07-04-2003).]</font>

Plenty of offense taken. Do you have IBS? Does a loved one of yours have it? Then you have no room to speak.

I never EXPECTED them to upgrade him bc of it...I just thought that since I have been upgraded plenty of times for no reason other than there being seats open and the fact that I asked, that they might be kind. I have a back injnury but I have never asked to be upgraded bc of it. I was trying to help a loved one. What is your problem? I never said he "needed" to be in first, only that I felt it would put him at ease. He never asked me about it, it was my idea. When you love someone you want them to be comfortable. And considering he was only diagnosed with it days before a huge trtip, I think we had every right to worry about how things would go down. I"m sure experiencecd IBS sufferers know how to "deal with it".,

You seem to be a prime example of what his doctor warned him of: "People who don't have it just will never understand what it is like to live with it." As it stands, he will most likely be losing his job this week bc of this bc requires constant immediate bathroom availability and has trouble sitting most of the time. He's tried 8 different medications and NOTHING works. He was in bed 85% of the time on our vacation.

Try walking in someone else's shoes before you judge them and their problems.

Thank you to everyone else who was so kind as to reply without the offensive comments. Going out was rough but coming back we were able to get club passes for the both of us for 35.00 total and we were in first bc we volunteered to be bumped.

see post below.

[This message has been edited by J-H (edited 07-15-2003).]

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Prncs:
Plenty of offense taken. Do you have IBS? Does a loved one of yours have it? Then you have no room to speak.

I never EXPECTED them to upgrade him bc of it...I just thought that since I have been upgraded plenty of times for no reason other than there being seats open and the fact that I asked, that they might be kind. I have a back injnury but I have never asked to be upgraded bc of it. I was trying to help a loved one. What is your problem? I never said he "needed" to be in first, only that I felt it would put him at ease. He never asked me about it, it was my idea. When you love someone you want them to be comfortable. And considering he was only diagnosed with it days before a huge trtip, I think we had every right to worry about how things would go down. I"m sure experiencecd IBS sufferers know how to "deal with it".,

You seem to be a prime example of what his doctor warned him of: "People who don't have it just will never understand what it is like to live with it." As it stands, he will most likely be losing his job this week bc of this bc requires constant immediate bathroom availability and has trouble sitting most of the time. He's tried 8 different medications and NOTHING works. He was in bed 85% of the time on our vacation.
</font>

Frankly, the way you wrote your post, it reads as if that upgrading is for the taking - just ask. Well, THIS IS CERTAINLY NOT THE CASE AND IS RIDICULOUS.

Simply put, FIRST CLASS is for THOSE WHO PAY or for those FREQUENT TRAVELLERS WITH STATUS and are being rewarded for their LOYALTY to a particular airline.

If you want to BUY upgrades from US AIRWAYS that's fine, or if you want to spend MILES to pay for the upgrade that works as well.

But asking them to upgrade you because of bowel movement is like asking a clerk for extra change when you buy something. Plain and simple.

And really, does sitting in First make you that much more comfortable bowel movement wise? I think not.

What you are saying is that physical discomfort/illness gives people a right to sit in premium class - the best I can say for this kind of thinking is NAIVE!

[This message has been edited by J-H (edited 07-15-2003).]

J-H-

you obvously didn't bother reading my original post. If you had, you would have seen the part where I asked:

"Does anyone have any suggestions? Can I just pay an ugrade fee? I don't think they allow that but I thought I'd ask anyway."

I was fully prepared to pay for the upgrade. I was just looking for an answer to the question of if it was allowed or not.

The trip is done an over. I no longer need any more advice. I myself threw up last night bc I am so stressed out over his condition. Please do not reply to this thread if the only thing you can do is attempt to make me feel like a "pauper". I have better things to worry about.