US Airways Dividend Miles (Pre-FlightFund Merger) - companion upgrades--what's the scoop?

All:

I'm a CP trying to upgrade a companion from PHL to SJU on a 757. My upgrade was cleared 7 days out but she is still on the waitlist 3 days out. What's up with this? I thought companions cleared with the person they were traveling with. That's always how it's been for me in the past. Just curious if anyone else has encountered this lately.....

KIM

You both would have cleared if you had your status linked to them. Same PNR's shouldnt have been ANY issue, different PNRs should be as simple as saying I have a companion on a different PNR.

Give US a call and check em.

You both would have cleared if you had your status linked to them. Same PNR's shouldnt have been ANY issue, different PNRs should be as simple as saying I have a companion on a different PNR.

Give US a call and check em.

Yeah, my thoughts exactly but I've called 3 times this week and they keep telling me they can't clear her yet. Since it's the Caribbean I have to call the International desk. Do you think the CP desk can do anything?

KIM

I've never had a problem after making a call to the CP desk. I've used my companion upgrades to upgrade SPs and GPs before just so they could use the CP window. The CP desk just links the PNRs and everything is fine.

It's frustrating that you cannot even request upgrades online if 2 people are on the same PNR.

Yeah, my thoughts exactly but I've called 3 times this week and they keep telling me they can't clear her yet. Since it's the Caribbean I have to call the International desk. Do you think the CP desk can do anything?

KIM

SJU is part of the US.

I assumed that you're flying on the 13th (since you said it's three days out) and checked the 3 NSs PHL-SJU. All show upgrade availability now, so just ask for the PNRs to be linked and you should be fine.

I also assume that you are on the 8:15 am flight since that's the only 757. That begs the question, why are you not on the 330 that leaves at 9:30 am? Envoy seating to SJU is very nice.

SJU is part of the US.

Yes I realize that but all Caribbean routes are considered "International" by US.

Anyway, an update. Just called CP desk and they are telling me the same thing. They won't upgrade her and she is still on the waitlist. I have just never encountered this before.

I assumed that you're flying on the 13th (since you said it's three days out) and checked the 3 NSs PHL-SJU. All show upgrade availability now, so just ask for the PNRs to be linked and you should be fine.

I also assume that you are on the 8:15 am flight since that's the only 757. That begs the question, why are you not on the 330 that leaves at 9:30 am? Envoy seating to SJU is very nice.

Ha!!! Good question.....I usually always fly the 9:30 333.....the reason I'm not flying it this time is so my companion can make her 2:00 p.m. connection in SJU!!!! (Don't even ask.....we're meeting up with 4 other women in SJU, all going to the same final destination on 3 different airlines so everyone can save $20 and get miles on the airline of their choice. Meanwhile, I'm on the 757 instead of the 333.)

OK, stupid question.....can we link PNRs if we're not on the same return flight? Seem to recall doing this once with my husband and was on the phone for an hour..... Yes, we are flying on the 13th.

Yes I realize that but all Caribbean routes are considered "International" by US.

Anyway, an update. Just called CP desk and they are telling me the same thing. They won't upgrade her and she is still on the waitlist. I have just never encountered this before.

Since the flight is showing F5, and there are only 8 seats up front, it's likely that you won't have any problem upgrading your friend and finding 2 seats together when you check in at the airport. However, this is still very annoying because there's no reason for this not to work now.

I'd call back one more time and ask for a detailed explaination of why they can't process the upgrade now. If they say that you need to talk with the international desk, ask if the international desk will be able to process the upgrade. If the answer is yes, then get transferred. If that doesn't solve the problem, it looks like a call to customer affairs is in order.

Good luck.

kim's correct, anything not in the 50 US states has to go to Intl Res for booking and handling, although Caribbean flights can use E-Upgrades.

You may want to try to unlink your companion (if they're on a different PNR), and then have them re-link and try the upgrade again.

-JC

OK, stupid question.....can we link PNRs if we're not on the same return flight? Seem to recall doing this once with my husband and was on the phone for an hour..... Yes, we are flying on the 13th.

This may be a stupid question, but I have no idea what the answer is. I've upgraded companions on different PNRs at my window even when the companion does not have the same itinerary as I do. However, I have no idea if the PNRs are linked (assume they are somehow since they "pull" the upgrades from my account).

I would have made my friend sweat out the 34 minute connection and taken the 330. I'm using a small sample size, but my caribbean flights usually land quite a few minutes early.

I would have made my friend sweat out the 34 minute connection and taken the 330. I'm using a small sample size, but my caribbean flights usually land quite a few minutes early.

Believe me, I was tempted.....but I fly this route often and coming out of PHL on Monday morning I've had it be up to an hour late. It's usually not, but enough to make me worry. Her options on Caribbean Sun if she misses the connection are reallly awful......

I'd call back one more time and ask for a detailed explaination of why they can't process the upgrade now. Good luck.

I have asked and they just keep telling me "seats are not available now."

I've only used the companion upgrades about 3 times, and my companion has always been on the same PNR as me.

Now, I am trying to upgrade my dad who is on the same flight as me, but a different PNR... the catch is that I am already upgraded (used miles) and I want to list him as my companion so he will clear at my window (he has no status on US). They told me that they can't link our PNRs, and the only way to get him listed is to downgrade me, and then re-list me on the queue to clear at the window, with him as my companion.

Is this correct, and if so, whats the best approach? I don't want to lose my F seat, so should we wait until we get to the airport? Or should I call back and get another agent?

Thanks.

Now, I am trying to upgrade my dad who is on the same flight as me, but a different PNR... the catch is that I am already upgraded (used miles) and I want to list him as my companion so he will clear at my window (he has no status on US). They told me that they can't link our PNRs, and the only way to get him listed is to downgrade me, and then re-list me on the queue to clear at the window, with him as my companion.

Is this correct, and if so, whats the best approach? I don't want to lose my F seat, so should we wait until we get to the airport? Or should I call back and get another agent?

Thanks.

I would call back and talk to another agent. I have added companions after my upgrade has cleared at the 7 day window and it was not a problem.

What is your status and route?

What is your status and route?
I'm silver, and the flight is PIT-LAX on Monday (I wasn't going to even try, but the flight is F6, 3 days out, so maybe I have a chance :)).

I'm assuming you purchased the tickets then used miles to upgrade. If that's the case then the agent is correct in stating they would have to downgrade you from first, then request both together at the same time. Since your the preferred member using the comp upgrades for your Dad, you both have to be in coach. Since your already in first, there's no way to add the request on your Dads pnr. Just ask the agent to manually look for first before they cancel your first class out and make sure you can at least, get yours back if there happens only to be one seat left.

Now if you used miles to purchase the ticket, res can't do anything. Has to be done at ATO only.

Looking

Kimharp,

There are probably no more E seats left. Have her do online check in 24 hours in advance and when you get to the airport ask for her to be put on the upgrade list. Make sure they list her as a US1.

[QUOTE=planeluvr]I would call back and talk to another agent. I have added companions after my upgrade has cleared at the 7 day window and it was not a problem.

My boss has had similar experiences. He is Gold and I am Silver but he has added me as his companion at the 3-day window.

I, too, had a problem upgrading my wife last Friday. Reservation was booked a couple of months earlier online at US : CLT-MCO on a 75. Our records were linked. My upgrade did not clear at the 7 day window and the CP desk told me that there were 2 seats that were being held for possible sale. That was still the case when I checked in on-line at the 24-hour mark.

Proceeded to the ticket counter about 2 hours before departure (it was just after London's subway attack and I thought security would be tighter than usual but I couldn't tell any difference) and the TA confirmed that there were still 2 seats available and placed both of us on the wait list; I was told that we were #1 and #2. Anticipating no further trouble, we proceeded to grab a bite to eat before our 5:30pm departure, then stopped in at the Club.

Got to the gate at 5pm to board and the GA tells me that only I am on the list, my wife isn't, and that there is now only one seat left if F. I give it to my wife and proceed to row 8 with more legroom than F and a vacant seat next to me. Once in MCO, my wife tells me that her seatmate was a woman who said she works for the DOD. Unlikely that, as a government employee, she was on a first class fare, but she certainly could have been on a full coach, purchased the upgrade at the gate for cash, or even been a marshall.

I am still uncertain how linked records could have become unlinked between the ticket counter and the gate. In the big scheme of things, for a 1-hour flight, this wasn't a big deal. The return for Sunday evening had long cleared for both us. I am more concerned when we have to travel to SJO for her neice's wedding next April. Certainly want to be up front for that longer flight. Any thoughts?

fltsrgn - welcome to FT posting!

"Ouch" is the first thought that comes to mind in the situation you describe. Only a rare few gov't employees fly paid FC, and usually with an entourage, and I agree that the only possible explanation is that she was on a Y/B fare and UGed at gate using Miles or even cash.

When doing the gate dance at CLT, I usually check again with the nice Club ladies 15 min before pre-board - if someone else has trumped me and/or my companion on the Waitlist, I'd like to know how! Win some, lose some, it's a fun game playing Upgrades......

With your travel plans to SJO so far out and already in the UG queue, I'm certain that you both would be lucky! SJO during April is just past the peak travel season there (I think), and my two off-season flights to SJO last year were virtually empty in FC!

I called the GP desk last week to upgrade a companion who had no status after I had already cleared as a GP. The agent said groaned and said "it's really hard" to link the companion after the original person has upgraded. Took at least 15 minutes on the phone to make it happen.

When I got to the airport I could not use the kiosk to check-in, either. I have upgraded companions many other times, and they can never use the kiosk, but I can.

Remember there are 2 upgrade buckets, P and E. If the flight is P1 E0 and you are on the waiting list because you do not have a Y/B ticket to get into the P bucket, anyone who qualifies for the P can instantly jump over you. Status doesn't matter.

Only a rare few gov't employees fly paid FC, and usually with an entourage, and I agree that the only possible explanation is that she was on a Y/B fare and UGed at gate using Miles or even cash.

Unless she was someone REALLY special in DoD she's not allowed to fly in paid F. Another possible answer is that the ticket was purchased at the last minute and US no longer had the usual XCA low price government fare available (how full was coach?). Once that happens the government puts us on YCA fares. CLT to MCO is about 65% more on YCA than on XCA. In my experience a YCA fare gets upgraded as soon as it's ticketed and the request is made. The upgrade effectively "jumps" in front of everyone else on the list.