gk725

I called the 1k desk this morning to check on an itinerary I have tomorrow.

The rep told me the following: The upgrade policy has now changed. CO Platinums and UA 1k are no longer differentiated. So UDU now lumps all plats and 1ks together and then runs according to fare class.

This contravenes everything that has been publicly communicated so far.

However, I have two flight segments tomorrow on UA metal as a 1k. SAN-ORD (476) at 6:18 AM and ORD-DCA (614). Both segments are in S and neither of these off-off-peak flights have cleared.

My outbound flight (open jaw) EWR to SAN on CO (using OP number) in V cleared 5 days out.

My guess is that the 1k rep was misinformed/confused. But I'm a little concerned that he might know something we don't. I've only missed one upgrade on UA metal this year--and that was DEN to IAD on Friday afternoon. Seems odd to me that I'd miss two Saturday flights, even in a low fare class as a 1k. Just curious.

Was he wrong or did I miss something?

LASUA1K

For all the happy 1K's with the new "benefits" here it comes! Put the Kool-Aid down..

mahasamatman

Go with your gut. Never depend on a phone rep to have the correct information.

United757

Well that sucks if it's true. Any 100K+ CO Plats could easily match to 1K and clear accordingly.

demkr

Even as a CO Plat, I have had notoriously terrible luck for clearing on CO flights-especially when it involves EWR. I was actually #23 on the list on a W fare EWR-SFO a few weeks back. Frankly, when I was an AA gold, I was never that far down a list!

And now UA is switching to that priority hierarchy seemingly next year.

Who even knows what the priority is anymore, because there are regularly 30-40+ people on the upgrade list these days on both airlines

drummingcraig

Furthermore the list cannot be trusted anyhow. Just this past Monday flying UA732 ORD-JAX there was weirdness with it. My UDU (as a 1P at the time) cleared at the window however my buddy on a separate PNR waitlisted. We were connecting from a FRA flight and had a couple hours in the RCC at ORD. I pulled up the waitlist for the JAX flight on the UA app on my iPhone to see where he was on the list...he was #7 with one seat open.

Got to the gate and he got the seat in F. Go figure!

bwicoplat

i spoke with an agent at EWR the other day to get a companion listed for an upgrade. She wasn't sure of the rules. while she was on hold looking for the code to use, I asked her to swap out my CO number for my UA number for my return flight on UA metal. She said she could do it, but that they were told that now GS/Pres Plat, 1K/Plat, PremEx/Gold and Prem/Silver were all running in the same buckets and that it wouldn't matter. She saw the look on my face and said she would do it anyway.

demkr

Well, I almost wonder, if for the heck of it, I should uncheck in with my 1P info and re-enter my CO Plat info for tomorrow's flight and see if I go up or down the list. But afraid I'd lose my priority if I did that.

It's very confusing on UA to figure out the upgrade priority if one is a 1P and a CO Plat. http://www.mileageplusmergerupdates....EliteUpgrades? -- Looking at this, it would appear CO Plats clear before 1Ps or they are all in the same window? It's extremely confusing and no one seems to ever clarify this on here. We were told when the reciprocal upgrades were first announced that 1Ps would trump CO Plats on UA Metal, but this list seems to suggest otherwise?

gk725

This is what I feared. If the gate agent has the same info as the 1k desk--which said this was a newly instituted policy--it sounds like something is afoot.

It's definitely the first time I've not upgraded two flights on a Saturday as a 1k in advance. Including a 6 AM flight from a non-hub. Bizarre.

If a 1k can't rely on a 6:00 AM Saturday upgrade when R has been available days out while traveling on a low-fare bucket, I'm starting to believe my worst fears are coming true: Loyalty is superfluous to the new UA except in name. Forget about firing MRunners, UA is now firing mixed-fare customers, many of whom are high-revenue too.

Bad business: And no notice on this front either. Breach of the notification provisions of both programs, if this information is true.

nova08

An easy way to find out should be to switch the FF on the PNR and see if you move on the Upgrade waitlist (assuming one hasn't received an upgrade at T-24). I could have done this the other day. I was on a UA PNR using my 1P #, I could have switched to my Plat # and observe where I ended up on the list.

Thumbs up to that. UA/CO is one big elite party. I flew IAD-ATL, ATL-ORD, and ORD-PHL this week, all had 25+ paxs on the upgrade waitlist and I didn't clear any of them.

demkr

Switched it both times and remained in the same spot -- I *could* uncheck in and then do it, but not willing to risk it as I still have a good shot of the UG. Thankfully I'll be 1K next week and not have to worry about this any further. lol

United757

Since I had to call UA for a client, I asked the UA rep about the upgrade hierarchy changes. Apparently on 1/1/2012, GS/PP, 1K/Plat, 1P/Gold, and 2P/Silver will all be lumped together at their windows only sorted by fare class and time added to the list as a temporary measure before the new MP tiers are rolled out.

pviri

^ Good advice

TomA

On a UA plane, they clear IN THIS ORDER, I am CERTAIN:
UA GS, UA 1K, CO Presidential Platinum, CO Platinum, UA Premier Executive, CO Gold, UA Premier, CO Silver.

Has not been true for quite a while.

gk725

Interesting. The agent I spoke with said it was already in effect. He seemed to suggest this is why neither segment had cleared. I guess we will all figure out soon enough which agent is correct.

This sounds like the CO EUA system in effect.

COdbaUA is spot on.

As a former COol-aider awakened by my vastly superior experience as a 1k, I predict beyond disgruntled UA loyalists in the coming months--including high-status mixed fare flyers who erroneously thought they escaped unscathed.

Very rude awakening tsunami on the horizon.