Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan - Upgrades - it used to be so simple

MVP, less than 72 hours out, Expert Flyer show U7. Called the Gold line and was told they are not clearing upgrades yet and when the do it is by fare level and priority. If the is U available why are they not processing upgrades??

If you are, per your post, MVP and it's between T-72 and T-48, then try waiting until T-48 when the upgrades for MVP's clear, and check back then.

If you are actually MVPG then I would echo your concern.

One of the possibilities is that, regardless of what EF is showing, they are still holding out hope to sell some of those seats.

I am MVPG. If they show U availablilty (both Expert flyer and on AS site) are they not suppose to be available. How can they be "held back".

If U is available inside of T-72, then it should clear right away. Is your ticket issued on AS 027 ticket stock or is it a code-share?

Purchased online at AS.

How far past the 72 hour mark is it? Were you gold when you made the reservation?

Been gold for about 6 years.....

Just cleared, about 69 hours. The disconncerting thing was my call to the call center after the 72 hour deadline based. U showing, but only got some story about priorites based on fare paid and status. I thought this was an automated system. If U was available it just worked through the progression at 120, 72 or 48 hours.

Been gold for about 6 years.....

Just cleared, about 69 hours. The disconncerting thing was my call to the call center after the 72 hour deadline based. U showing, but only got some story about priorites based on fare paid and status. I thought this was an automated system. If U was available it just worked through the progression at 120, 72 or 48 hours.

Well, I'm glad you had a happy outcome. Does make you wonder about what happened, though.

While the upgrade system is (purported to be) automatic, as you can see it's far from perfect. Although refinements are in the process of being made. There are tons of postings on this board about "line-jumping" once the T-24 barrier is breached and other, similar outrages.

How far past the 72 hour mark is it? Were you gold when you made the reservation?

Not to hijack the thread but I have a question on this point. What if the OP was MVP when he made the reservation but became MVP Gold by T-72 hrs AND there was "U" availability? Would the OP have been upgraded automatically (in a perfect world)? Or does the OP need to call AS reservations prior to T-72 hrs. and confirm that the MVP Gold status is reflected in the reservation in lieu of MVP?

Thanks.
Koopas

Not to hijack the thread but I have a question on this point. What if the OP was MVP when he made the reservation but became MVP Gold by T-72 hrs AND there was "U" availability? Would the OP have been upgraded automatically (in a perfect world)? Or does the OP need to call AS reservations prior to T-72 hrs. and confirm that the MVP Gold status is reflected in the reservation in lieu of MVP?

Thanks.
Koopas

I don't know if this is still the case but last year when I made Gold for the first time I had to call multiple times to get my existing reservations updated to reflect Gold status on the upgrade screen. At that time some phone reps would tell you that the system would take care of everything all by itself but that wasn' correct. The reservations did update automatically to show Gold on My Trips pages so that, for example, the boarding pass would say Gold. But this did not take care of upgrade status.

Bottom line, I'd call to make sure.

I don't know if this is still the case but last year when I made Gold for the first time I had to call multiple times to get my existing reservations updated to reflect Gold status on the upgrade screen. At that time some phone reps would tell you that the system would take care of everything all by itself but that wasn' correct. The reservations did update automatically to show Gold on My Trips pages so that, for example, the boarding pass would say Gold. But this did not take care of upgrade status.

Bottom line, I'd call to make sure.

Reaffirming that this was my experience, too, and I do not believe it has changed.

There is absolutely no way for you or any CSR to see if you have been moved to the higher-priority waitlist. The only way to ensure you are on the correct waitlist is to wait until you are sure your status has been updated in SABRE (there's another thread somewhere discussing that timeline) and have the agent remove and re-add you to the upgrade waitlist.

Reaffirming that this was my experience, too, and I do not believe it has changed.

There is absolutely no way for you or any CSR to see if you have been moved to the higher-priority waitlist. The only way to ensure you are on the correct waitlist is to wait until you are sure your status has been updated in SABRE (there's another thread somewhere discussing that timeline) and have the agent remove and re-add you to the upgrade waitlist.

I guess I can always call reservations to get manually upgraded if I see "U" availability after T-72 hrs, right?

I guess I can always call reservations to get manually upgraded if I see "U" availability after T-72 hrs, right?

Yes, and that is what one FTer I was traveling with a couple of years ago did when I got the upgrade at the 75K window and he, who had booked the ticket while he was still Gold, did not. :)