Full Fare Economy Y and Discount Full Fare Economy B fare classes or Northwest Airlines -26/-27 fare: Allows all Elite members to upgrade at the time of ticketing when a seat is available. If a member is already ticketed and wants to request the upgrade, they can visit Manage Reservations or call their Elite Priority Line and provide their confirmation number.
__________________ My FlightMemory
CO EUA: 13/21 = 62% l NW EUA: 1/1 = 100%
Full Fare Economy Y and Discount Full Fare Economy B fare classes or Northwest Airlines -26/-27 fare: Allows all Elite members to upgrade at the time of ticketing when a seat is available. If a member is already ticketed and wants to request the upgrade, they can visit Manage Reservations or call their Elite Priority Line and provide their confirmation number.
I wish they'd do something similar to DL where they offer B-UP's to everyone.
I have a B fare on two segments of a multi segment trip for this week. After reading this thread, I clicked the link on this thread and called the elite line and was told that I could not upgrade a B fare segment. The rep first said she could not give me the upgrade. I read to her the language from the link and she still insisted on telling me no, it could not be done.
She then put me on hold for a while, said she contacted a supervisor and the supervisor verified what I told her. They ended up giving me an upgrade, but no seat assignment for the B segments. The agent said that the web people had gotten ahead of the seat assignment software, but they would honor what I had found on the webpage. The change is supposed to be implemented fully by Tuesday.
Programs: CO Plat, Hilton Gold, Hertz 5*, Emerald Exec
Posts: 199
Quote:
Originally Posted by MIA-SAT
I have a B fare on two segments of a multi segment trip for this week. After reading this thread, I clicked the link on this thread and called the elite line and was told that I could not upgrade a B fare segment. The rep first said she could not give me the upgrade. I read to her the language from the link and she still insisted on telling me no, it could not be done.
She then put me on hold for a while, said she contacted a supervisor and the supervisor verified what I told her. They ended up giving me an upgrade, but no seat assignment for the B segments. The agent said that the web people had gotten ahead of the seat assignment software, but they would honor what I had found on the webpage. The change is supposed to be implemented fully by Tuesday.
Old B or "new B"?? Old B converts to K(?) and is not eligble. If you just booked the flights, and booked them in the new B, then is shouldnt be a problem.
It is new B, the ticket is for segments on Thursday of this week, purchased last Friday. The agent recognized the entitlement to the first class seat, after consulting with the supervisor. I just tried to go to the seat maps for this reservation and all seat maps (even for the non-B segments) for this reservation are unavailable, the site says they are upgrading their system. The reservation does show me booked into R for these segments, the upgrade bucket for CO.
The post is just to warn others to not expect to be able to get seats in the F cabin on a B fare as of today.
Full Fare Economy Y and Discount Full Fare Economy B fare classes or Northwest Airlines -26/-27 fare: Allows all Elite members to upgrade at the time of ticketing when a seat is available. If a member is already ticketed and wants to request the upgrade, they can visit Manage Reservations or call their Elite Priority Line and provide their confirmation number.
Wow! If I am reading this correctly, this really dilutes the benefits of Platinum status. I know there were many, many times that I did not receive an upgrade even as a Platinum on an H fare (equal to new B). Now a silver can buy a B fare and upgrade just like the Y fares could before??? There will be many fewer seats for upgrades on the lower ticket classes.
Programs: CO Plat, Hilton Gold, Hertz 5*, Emerald Exec
Posts: 199
Quote:
Originally Posted by MIA-SAT
It is new B, the ticket is for segments on Thursday of this week, purchased last Friday. The agent recognized the entitlement to the first class seat, after consulting with the supervisor. I just tried to go to the seat maps for this reservation and all seat maps (even for the non-B segments) for this reservation are unavailable, the site says they are upgrading their system. The reservation does show me booked into R for these segments, the upgrade bucket for CO.
The post is just to warn others to not expect to be able to get seats in the F cabin on a B fare as of today.
Cool. Thanks for the heads up. I have a feeling there will be lots of confusion re: this over the next few months. I am contemplating holding off on a few ticket purchases until I hear that this system upgrade is complete and everything is working the way it should be....
There will be many fewer seats for upgrades on the lower ticket classes.
You are assuming that 'new B' will be priced like 'old H,' and not like 'old Y.' There is nothing to stop CO putting Y into the stratosphere and keeping the new B fares about the same as where the old Y fares were. That would leave things basically at the status quo. I would not rush to conclusions until things have worked their way through the system in a day or two.
Full Fare Economy Y and Discount Full Fare Economy B fare classes or Northwest Airlines -26/-27 fare: Allows all Elite members to upgrade at the time of ticketing when a seat is available. If a member is already ticketed and wants to request the upgrade, they can visit Manage Reservations or call their Elite Priority Line and provide their confirmation number.
Nice catch, OPFlyer. It's not effective yet, but starting Jan. 21, our new B class (formerly H class) will become eligible for instant Elite upgrades in markets eligible for complimentary Elite upgrades. Sorry we jumped the gun on the online content.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flyer737
If I am reading this correctly, this really dilutes the benefits of Platinum status. I know there were many, many times that I did not receive an upgrade even as a Platinum on an H fare (equal to new B). Now a silver can buy a B fare and upgrade just like the Y fares could before??? There will be many fewer seats for upgrades on the lower ticket classes.
On the surface it might seem that way, Flyer737, but we don't expect it to materially affect Platinum upgrade rates. Here's why. Earlier this year, we made some changes to our walk-up fares, making H fares a far more common booking class for last-minute fares compared to Y class. One unintended result of this change was a dramatic drop in Y fare purchases and the resulting instant Elite (Y-up) upgrades. By allowing B fares (the former H fare) to be instantly upgradeable for our Elite members, we will be upgrading roughly the same number of Elite members as we did when Y fares were the most common walk-up fare.
__________________
Scott O'Leary
Managing Director, Customer Experience | Continental Airlines
Programs: CO Platinum, Hyatt Platinum, Marriott Silver
Posts: 3,729
Quote:
Originally Posted by CO Insider
Nice catch, OPFlyer. It's not effective yet, but starting Jan. 21, our new B class (formerly H class) will become eligible for instant Elite upgrades in markets eligible for complimentary Elite upgrades. Sorry we jumped the gun on the online content.
If we have already upgraded some new reservations from B class will the upgrade be taken away from us until Jan. 21?
__________________ My FlightMemory
CO EUA: 13/21 = 62% l NW EUA: 1/1 = 100%
If we have already upgraded some new reservations from B class will the upgrade be taken away from us until Jan. 21?
Hi OPFlyer, if you've been upgraded we won't take that away from you. To be safe, I'd recommend waiting until Jan. 21 to process any further B instant upgrades. Like the Y-Up, you'll be able to self-serve your instant Elite upgrades for B class at continental.com for both new and existing reservations.
__________________
Scott O'Leary
Managing Director, Customer Experience | Continental Airlines
Thanks Mr. O'Leary, I don't know what we would do without you.
sbm12, time to update the FAQ to reflect these changes.
I'll have nothing but time in the BRU airport waiting for the 5 hour delayed CO 61 today, assuming I ever get there as the trains are delayed, too.
There are a whole bunch of FAQ updates to be made.
And I like this change. Then again, I didn't mind YUps for Silvers before, so maybe I'm in the minority. It does take away the incentive to buy full Y in many cases, so I do wonder what the overall revenue impact will be over time. I know that once or twice I did splurge the extra $50 for a YUp over H given the option.
