MilesBuzz! - Thanksgiving uprades -- thankful?

For those who flew during Thanksgiving -- how did you fare with upgrades?

The Beloved and I flew to Houston with connections in Denver; here's how we fared. I'm Premier Exec on United, Jim is zip but will make Premier with these flights.

SFO-DEN, 25 Nov Thurs: 8am departure on 767 two-class. Both of us upgraded.

DEN-IAH, 25 Nov Thurs: 12:30pm departure on 737. Both of us upgraded.

IAH-DEN, 28 Nov Sun: 9:20am departure on 737. Both of us upgraded.

DEN-SFO, 28 Nov Sun: 11:40am departure on DC-10. Neither of us upgraded but seated in 9H & 9J which was just fine.

Final score: upgraded succesfully three flights out of four during busy period. Pretty good, I'd say.

All cabins totally packed on all four flights.

[This message has been edited by KatW (edited 11-29-1999).]

I'm Chairman's Preferred on USAirways, travelling with my wife of no status on US (but she hit Preferred after this trip).

Thu Nov 25 CMH-PIT
In first class, 3D,3F. It's full.

Thu Nov 25 PIT-IAH
In first class, 2D,2F. Only two other people in first class and one F/A.

Sat Nov 27 IAH-CLT
In first class, 3A,3C. One seat open.
I sat next to Ric Flair from the WCW! You know you almost expect them to be rude but he was quite the gentleman.. He was probably going home since I read CLT is his hometown. He boarded last; I bet that's so people don't bug him.

Sat Nov 27 CLT-CMH
In first class, 3D,3F. First class half
full, with an old codger who must have been senile sitting next to me. He talked to himself throughout the flight, got up when we were about to take off looking for his briefcase which he put underneath his seat and then forgot, got up to bug the flight attendants *seven* times in a one hour flight, complained about the quality of the snack service to everyone and anyone, and completely monopolized the time of the first class F/A. Luckily I was able to avoid eye contact and not have to talk to him http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

So 100% upgrade success. In fact, out of 20 flights since I've been Chairman's Preferred I've been upgraded on 19 of them. On the 60 since I've been Preferred Plus, I've been upgraded on 55/56 I've requested. I didn't request any while I was Preferred.

Nov 24 United FLT #2 HKG-LAX Complimentary Operational Upgrade (due to Coach being oversold) successful! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Nov. 28 - Toronto-Seattle - only two passengers (including me) could be upgraded. All FC and coach seats were taken. The FC cabin (24 FC seats in total) was filled with government officials going to the WTO conference in Seattle.

CDG-AMS on KLM- My husband was offered an operational upgrade (without me!) - he doesn't even have status, just has a KLM FF card!

Well, as it turned out, they decided to "move the curtain" and shrink the business section of the 737. After an ordeal, they managed to at least put us together again, though not even in the wide formerly business seats!

Second leg (AMS-JFK), neither of us with KLM/NW status...so not a chance. But I'm smart enough to know what's realistic NOT to expect!

I'm a newly minted Premex . . .

11/24 PDX-DEN-ABQ -- confirmed F both legs. Both were about 3/4 full.

11/28 ABQ-PDX-DEN -- first to clear waitlist on the first leg, confirmed on the second. Sections were full on both legs.

US Airways, Preferred:

Wednesday, 24 November
US 93 (B757) BOS-PIT Confirmed in advance, successful.
US 583 (B737-300)PIT-ERI Standby, unsuccessful (oddly, I rarely do get this leg upgraded).

Monday, 29 November
US 812 (B737-300) PIT-BOS Confirmed in advance, successful. Although, we left PIT about 30 mins late, had a long taxi to the gate in BOS, and had to wait probably about 20 mins to deplane 'cause the jetway broke.

1K traveling to visit the folks...

Wednesday
UA1583 BUF-ORD: Did not request (no operational either)
UA881 ORD-NRT: nope, and I got screwed out of my exit row window seat due to an equipment change too)
Thursday
UA837 NRT-PVG: operational upgrade

Monday
UA838 PVG-NRT: operational upgrade
UA882 NRT-ORD: nada
UA380 ORD-BUF: last minute request granted

[This message has been edited by jet (edited 11-29-1999).]

Nov 25- TWA 155 STL-SJC. Elite upgrade- F/C on the MD-80 not full, with several passengers upgraded after missing their flights the night before.

Nov 28- TWA 360 SJC-STL. Elite upgrade- got the last seat via a phone call. F/C cabin packed.

My dad, also an Elite, was also 2/2 flying Tuesday/Monday STL-SJC

26NOV CO1637 MSY-IAH 48-hour advance upgrade - seat 3F
26NOV CO1721 IAH-AUS 48-hour advance upgrade - seat 4A

27NOV CO1704 AUS-IAH 48-hour advance upgrade - seat 3F
27NOV CO0035 IAH-MSY 48-hour advance upgrade - seat 3F