America West FlightFund (Discontinued Program) - HP needs better software?

Here's the dealio. Say I'm traveling with someone, I get upgraded, the other doesn't, and assuming complimentary companion day of travel upgrades are certainly a thing of the past now since it's so much harder to get an F seat, let alone the same day, the outcome is clear: you and your traveling companion are in two different seats/cabins.

Knowing this, I call HP and ask them to "block out" their auto upgrade so I can keep my two side by side seats in coach. "sorry sir, we can't do that. You'll need to removed your flight fund account number from the reservation to avoid auto space available upgrades. When your travel has concluded, you'll need to call/email us with the flight info, retain your boarding passes, and request missing mileage credit from flight fund".

Wow--a lot of wasted time. I wonder what others do in this situation? At other airlines?

Worst case scenario:

Keep your number in your profile. Get upgraded. Can't upgrade companion. Instead you go back into coach and offer the person sitting next to your travelling companion a trade -- you take their coach seat and they take your F seat. I have a hunch they'd accept. :)

Worst case scenario:

Keep your number in your profile. Get upgraded. Can't upgrade companion. Instead you go back into coach and offer the person sitting next to your travelling companion a trade -- you take their coach seat and they take your F seat. I have a hunch they'd accept. :)


Tried it last week. I didn't work. :eek:

. . .Knowing this, I call HP and ask them to "block out" their auto upgrade so I can keep my two side by side seats in coach. "sorry sir, we can't do that. You'll need to removed your flight fund account number from the reservation to avoid auto space available upgrades. . .


I find this hard to believe, given that there have been situations in the past where I've not been upgraded automatically and when I called in I was told that the reservation wasn't coded properly to automatically upgrade, even though my FF Plat number was in there correctly. I've also been told by agents when reviewing some aspect of a reservation that they've confirmed that it is set up to automatically upgrade at the time window.

If these situations are true, what would prevent them from reversing things and taking out that code so that it didn't upgrade?

I'd call back a time or two, especially during the work day, and ask the question again. You're likely to get one or more different answers. When someone gives you one that works, ask specifically what they did and note it so that you can explain it to future agents.

This may or not be possible in your situation, but another possible way around this, though, is to book both of your tickets in the same reservation. It automatically takes you out of the auto upgrade process.

I have to say, though, I like dmfriedman's answer, especially given the increasing number of upgrades that seem to clear at the airport just prior to departure. If your friend doesn't get upgraded, just go back and offer to switch with the person sitting next to them. Once you get the person to actually believe you, it would probably be an unusual situation that they wouldn't take you up on it.

Tried it last week. I didn't work. :eek:

I find it hard to believe that someone wouldn't give up their seat to move to F unless they were a couple. If it was me, all you would have seen was my dust. :D

I find it hard to believe that someone wouldn't give up their seat to move to F unless they were a couple

Bingo--it was. At least I get an A for effort :p