US Airways Dividend Miles (Pre-FlightFund Merger) - Help with Envoy upgrade and web check-in, please

If this has been asked and answered, I apologize (I searched and couldn't find anything)...

I'm flying BOS-PHL-AMS in a few days (haven't flown US internationally in a while). I'm US2, and was queued for the upgrade since the ticket purchase date, but the upgrade didn't clear at the 3-day window.

www.itn.com (http://www.itn.com) suggests there's likely to be upgrades clearing at the gate, and I would really like one of them http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif (http://www.seatmap.com never works for me.)

Lessons learned on this board (Thanks http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/cool.gif )suggest I should:
Use web check-in 22:59 before BOS-PHL to get the earliest check-in time stamp When I arrive at BOS, ask to be put on the waitlist Hope the supply of CP's runs out before the supply of Envoy seats http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif


However, since web check-in won't provide boarding passes for the PHL-AMS leg, can I use it at all?

Is there an alternative to
Web check-in, or Prayer

to improve my chances of securing that upgrade?

As a US2 ticketed in a fare class that didn't allow immediate upgrade for 10K miles (the 767 isn't worth 30K/segment, I don't think), and who didn't clear at 3 days, what are my options?

Thanks!

[This message has been edited by US_Usually (edited 09-25-2003).]

[This message has been edited by US_Usually (edited 09-25-2003).]

[This message has been edited by US_Usually (edited 09-25-2003).]

You MAY NOT want to use webcheck-in for any of your flights. I assume that with international flights it will only check you in for your BOS-PHL segment. Then your check-in time for PHL-AMS would be determined by the actual time you got to PHL and got a boarding pass.

You probably should check-in as early as possible in BOS and get your PHL-AMS boarding pass.

But with one caveat--I am not an expert on US International

From http://www.usairways.com/travel/flightcheckin/help.htm

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Note: Flight Check-In at usairways.com is only available to Microsoft Internet Explorer users and is not yet available to passengers traveling internationally or passengers with paper tickets.
...
Available to e-ticketed passengers for travel in the U.S., San Juan, St. Thomas and St. Croix
</font>

I don't think the system would even bring up your itinerary and let you check-in the domestic portion...

Call the Gold desk and have them transfer you to International Reservations and see if they will release an Envoy seat for you. If by the three day mark a CP hasn't cleared, we can call and most times inventory will be released for us. Maybe they do the same for Golds. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/thumbsup.gif

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by planeluvr:
Call the Gold desk and have them transfer you to International Reservations and see if they will release an Envoy seat for you. If by the three day mark a CP hasn't cleared, we can call and most times inventory will be released for us. Maybe they do the same for Golds. &lt;IMG SRC="http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/thumbsup.gif"&gt;</font>

That's a CP-only, non-published benefit. Sorry!

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by lt1GM:
That's a CP-only, non-published benefit. Sorry!

</font>

A combination of the silver desk and the CTO near me did it for me once.

Twice last year as gold they open a seat for me. If they cannot do it the first call try again an hour later. The agent sometimes makes the difference.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by MikeM6090:
Twice last year as gold they open a seat for me.</font>

MikeM6090, thanks for this. SO I just called the Gold desk. While pleasant enough (ok, civil), the agent made it clear that he/she didn't have the "reservations training" to look at availability or take any action toward opening up a seat. Mentioned that "for revenue reasons" a number of seats are held back until the waitlist is worked on the departure day, etc. Agent suggested calling international reservations (offered to transfer me). Agent wasn't aware of the Gold desk having made exceptions when a US2 called for a favor.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by MikeM6090:
If they cannot do it the first call try again an hour later. The agent sometimes makes the difference.</font>

Hmmmm....