United MileagePlus (Consolidated) - Intl companion upgrades?

I flew SFO-LHR last week with my Dad. We are both GS, he was booked in F, I was in Y+ on an S fare. At check in, we asked about upgrade possibility since the flght was oversold in Y, and the agent happily accommodated us and said "We can just use one of your companion upgrades." since then, no GPUs have been debited from either account. Did this agent simply not know what he was talking about, is this a new type of GS-only upgrade, or was it just a lucky one time exception?

I flew SFO-LHR last week with my Dad. We are both GS, he was booked in F, I was in Y+ on an S fare. At check in, we asked about upgrade possibility since the flght was oversold in Y, and the agent happily accommodated us and said "We can just use one of your companion upgrades." since then, no GPUs have been debited from either account. Did this agent simply not know what he was talking about, is this a new type of GS-only upgrade, or was it just a lucky one time exception?If the flight was oversold, it might have simply been an op-up but I would keep tabs on both your mp a/c and that of your dad and if nothing (miles and/or GPU's) gets back-debited in say 2-3 weeks, I would say it was an op-up :)

If the flight was oversold, it might have simply been an op-up but I would keep tabs on both your mp a/c and that of your dad and if nothing (miles and/or GPU's) gets back-debited in say 2-3 weeks, I would say it was an op-up :)

I was under the impression that with the new system that op-ups don't exist anymore. I have been told by GAs that they don't have that much control over the new system anymore.

I was under the impression that with the new system that op-ups don't exist anymore. I have been told by GAs that they don't have that much control over the new system anymore.

Maybe the GA didn't understand what you were talking about. As long as UA oversells flights op-ups will always be necessary...and GA's will be the ones who do them the vast majority of the time.

OP..no such thing as a companion upgrade..they gave you a free upgrade just for the heck of it..even if they thought somehow you were supporting it. Congrats!..but, did you get upgraded to business or to first?

He tried to get me in F, but it was booked solid and so ended up in C. I'm hardly complaining, though. Service was great and I slept 6 hours

I was under the impression that with the new system that op-ups don't exist anymore. I have been told by GAs that they don't have that much control over the new system anymore.

Maybe the GA didn't understand what you were talking about. As long as UA oversells flights op-ups will always be necessary...and GA's will be the ones who do them the vast majority of the time.

OP..no such thing as a companion upgrade..they gave you a free upgrade just for the heck of it..even if they thought somehow you were supporting it. Congrats!..but, did you get upgraded to business or to first?Yup to oversells and op-ups with the g/a "having the power" as it all comes down to if they need your seat, they will op-up (and this also for domestic flights as well as my last one was this past May on a PS flight from upgraded C to F) [tho in the OP's situation, being GS didn't hurt matters and imho, I think it helped ;)]

This was maybe a year and a half ago, but husband and I were already upgraded to biz on flight from ZRH to ORD (via IAD). A family member was travelling with us, a rather last-minute decision for him to join us in Europe on this trip.

On the flight home, our family member was given a seat in business class and it was an op-up. No miles or GPUs were taken from any account.

So it DOES happen sometimes... :p