jadenus

While we're on the topic of shenanigans, let me run a situation by you all to gauge opinion on whether it was true shenanigans or not, and whether or not I should pursue it further.

On Saturday, 6/5/10, I took flight 622 IAH-YEG. I was upgraded to F. We arrived at the airport early and had the PC add my companion to the UG list. I checked on the PDA site and he was listed. There were two seats (per the seat map) up front. The other screen showed 1 seat available. I figured that this was because a paid F had not yet checked in. The two seats open were 1B and 1F. Sometime later 1F was occupied (most likely the paid F person). My companion was the only person on the list and 1B was still open. We boarded the aircraft and he took his seat in Y and I in F. I kept checking the PDA site. At 5:45 pm, I saw that he had been assigned 1B. The plane was still boarding, so I figured they were waiting for all of that to finish before bringing him up. I refreshed the PDA site again at 5:51 and another person was upgraded to 1B and he was no longer on the list.

Could there be a reasonable explanation for this? Was it shenanigans with a quick, subsequent coverup? Should I PM Scott with more details? Thanks in advance for the advice.

Awtas

I wouldn't agree with this. If GA upgraded the pax and deducted the miles from the account, how can one expect that pax will not notice that miles were deducted and pax still rode in Y?

As for the PDAs yes, not all are checking the site (I don't even have the data plan on my phone )
Once upgrade is processed at the gate, does it send the email with the notification? It would be great if upgrades were still displayed on the co site even after the flight and every single time upgrade is processed email and/or sms is sent to the pax.

JFKSFOLAX_friend

1) Yes
2) Don't know without access to CO's IT systems
3) Yes
4) You're welcome.

glcarter

But, if as you may be suggesting, the GA found an error, you would be egregiously wrong. The issue here is not did an error/mistake/screw-job take place, the GA's and the Red Coat did admit that my daughter was incorrectly denied her upgrade.

Let's be clear - my daughter was due that upgrade and it was taken away from her. CO admits that on many levels.

All I want to know is WHY. A manual intervention occurred, this particular GA was FAR from wise.

sfogate

NO, you are reading my post incorrectly.
As a GA I always looking into why a non-status person is on the upgrade list just incase someone else is playing shenanigans with "my" flight. I also want to know if I am going to have a situation that I might have to take care of, such as someone's booking getting messed up and being upset if their upgrade doesn't come thru. I like being aware of what is constantly going on with the flight I am working.

Your daughter was clearly due the upgrade. Why the GA failed to give her the upgrade is beyond me. Not very wise.

I have always allowed (before it was a policy) those customers that used miles to upgrade and failed to clear, to be added to the standby list.

controller1

Remember, when your name first appears as upgraded on the PDA site, save the page as you do (or should) for your mobile boarding pass. That way, even when the PDA site changes, and for some mysterious reason your name disappears, you have proof to provide that the site indicated you were upgraded. You can easily email a saved page.

From NYC

Just adding my voice to those expecting/hoping/demanding CO look into this and discipline the GA's severely if shenanigans took place here.

Also believe OP should get miles back despite getting family UG's on the return flight.

ijgordon

A similar issue happened to my parents a couple of months ago, however the last FC seat was left empty after the door was closed. My mother was upgraded per the PDA (Silver elite, but mileage upgrade) but never notified. My father knew she had been #1 on the list (but didn't know to refresh the list right when they closed the door). So he asked the flight attendant about it, and after a little back-and-forth, she saw on some list that my mother was in fact supposed to be in FC, and she let her up.

Sounds like more laziness than shenanigans. This thread reminded me to pass along the appropriate info to CO Insider.

jjgollum

This thread reminds me of the time that I was flying from ANC-SEA in 2008 and I received the upgrade per the PDA but was left in the back.

I came to find out later that Harry Smith from the Early Show on CBS took my seat.

i was peeved but was left with no recourse when I contacted customer care. I was told that they upgraded the wrong "Smith"

glcarter

Scott responded to me last night. Said he will look into it and get back to me in a few days. I will let you know what he finds out. Thanks.

channa

I wonder if Scott confronts the GAs as part of the investigation. Just the email from him with his big title at the end of it asking for their version(s) of the story might be enough to scare them from doing it in the future.

JetAway

If this story is true it will likely become an HR matter and I doubt that Scott would be speaking directly with the GA.

ironmanjt

Maybe I just don't understand how upgrades work at CO, but how is it a non-status passenger would be at the top of the list, above elites, simply by checking in at 24 hrs?

Gate upgrades don't go by status THEN fare at CO?

channa

Mileage upgrades trump Elite upgrades.

tvetter01

If you use miles for the upgrade, you are put in line ahead of all of the elites waiting for a free upgrade.