Frustrated by the CPU sweeps -- UA should upgrade everyone at the gate
Sep 6, 2017, 1:14 pm
#46
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I think UA's currently handling of the situation you described is correct and fair. You rebooked an entirely new ticket and fell back into the process - and you weren't upgraded.
This happens a lot - ever SDC'd? Ever been in upgraded F on a flight that was cancelled and rebooked in Y? It's just a downside of a rebook - customer or UA initiated. Wouldn't want to see it change because the benefits of the upgrade windows/instruments/TOD offers etc outweigh these exception scenarios.
This happens a lot - ever SDC'd? Ever been in upgraded F on a flight that was cancelled and rebooked in Y? It's just a downside of a rebook - customer or UA initiated. Wouldn't want to see it change because the benefits of the upgrade windows/instruments/TOD offers etc outweigh these exception scenarios.
My issue really has nothing to do with the rebooking. It's simply that UA does not keep enough F seats for upgrades at the gate. There's a class of flyers, in which I fit, that almost always end up in Y because we tend to book very close to departure, or SDC in last minute, etc. While much lower status elites get upgraded for having firmed plans.
Sep 6, 2017, 1:17 pm
#47
Join Date: Aug 2004
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If the airline is not to your liking then yes, switch carriers. But if the FFP sucks, switch FFP, not necessarily the carrier.
UA's food and crews suck ways more than MP.
Sep 6, 2017, 1:30 pm
#48
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I'll be honest with you, whenever someone who flies over 100,000 miles per year starts going on about how "unfair" he or she is being treated by not riding in First Class all the time, I just form a mental picture of starving African children and shake my head.
Have a pleasant day.
Have a pleasant day.
Sep 6, 2017, 2:05 pm
#49
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By that logic, they should hold all E+ seat assignments til the gate too so an elite never sits in the back unless there are more elites than e+ seats. Infact, they should hold seat assignments til they can clear any elite standbys. I've flown in the last row as a standby too. This is a good idea for UA. More time to sell E+ and F seats. I'm sure there are some instances where last minute paid F can't buy an F seat because of upgrades.
Sep 6, 2017, 3:13 pm
#50
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Sure, granted. I SDC a ton too, and tend to end up back in Y then too.
My issue really has nothing to do with the rebooking. It's simply that UA does not keep enough F seats for upgrades at the gate. There's a class of flyers, in which I fit, that almost always end up in Y because we tend to book very close to departure, or SDC in last minute, etc. While much lower status elites get upgraded for having firmed plans.
My issue really has nothing to do with the rebooking. It's simply that UA does not keep enough F seats for upgrades at the gate. There's a class of flyers, in which I fit, that almost always end up in Y because we tend to book very close to departure, or SDC in last minute, etc. While much lower status elites get upgraded for having firmed plans.
Sep 6, 2017, 3:41 pm
#51
Join Date: Sep 2006
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And the CPU program is, in part, intended to incentive those flyers into flying on the flights they originally booked. What you describe is a feature, not a bug.
Sep 6, 2017, 5:25 pm
#52
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Just booked tomorrow's flight, at just under 24h out. 12 F seats. 7 CPUs. 2 available. The entire remaining list is only 4 people long (including me), so I'm sure a good chunk of the upgrades are lower level, perhaps even down to Silver.
If upgrades were processed at the gate, there's zero percent chance I don't clear. But with all but 2 seats filled, my chances on this once are a toss-up.
If upgrades were processed at the gate, there's zero percent chance I don't clear. But with all but 2 seats filled, my chances on this once are a toss-up.
Sep 6, 2017, 5:29 pm
#53
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Huh? This makes no sense. Only checked-in passengers will appear on the upgrade standby list. The list could have 40 people on it by departure time.
Sep 6, 2017, 5:36 pm
#54
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Ah, yes, you're right, of course. We'll see how it plays out in the next 22h… in that case, my chances are looking even lower.
Sep 6, 2017, 9:24 pm
#55
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Sep 6, 2017, 9:34 pm
#56
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Not even remotely. People who pay for F (or more accurately have the shareholders pay for their F seats) never allocate or free any E+ inventory.
Sep 6, 2017, 9:56 pm
#57
Join Date: Nov 2016
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I fly paid F for the most part but I did somewhat agree. It's a pain when I can't SDC and I look and 80% of the F cabin is upgraded. I'm forced to standby and can get stuck in the back in a middle seat. First world problems!
Last edited by mike2003242; Sep 7, 2017 at 2:47 pm
Sep 6, 2017, 10:12 pm
#58
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On many routes I fly there are 1-2 F seats available close-in. However, at a hub, those go quickly to missed connections. And there are rarely 2 seats if you have a companion.
On the flip side, I've seen F=0 to many vacation destinations weeks/months in advance. That is simply bad revenue management.
Sep 6, 2017, 10:38 pm
#59
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UA doesn't hold any seats for upgrades, ever. They hold seats in hopes of selling the F cabin fare. On certain routes they have historical data that says they can pre clear a certain number of upgrades. Others they clear fewer ahead of time as they know from history that there will be late buyers of tickets into the premium cabins. So if you think UA holds even 1 seat for an upgrade you are delusional. Upgrades are for unsold seats. This is why there are posts of low level elites getting lots of upgrades and other posts of high level elites saying they never get upgraded. If you want F, buy a ticket into that cabin. That is the only way to guarantee you you will be up there.
Sep 6, 2017, 11:13 pm
#60
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We could have some instruments in the mix, but I doubt a lot of people are throwing RPUs at SFO-BUR, unless it's a connection. Just about the only scenario I could imagine is if they're flying from Asia somewhere not served by LAX and used a GPU.