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Consolidated "Can I Upgrade an Award Ticket?" Discussion Thread [Merged]

Consolidated "Can I Upgrade an Award Ticket?" Discussion Thread [Merged]

 
Old Jul 11, 2007, 4:33 pm
  #61  
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Originally Posted by John26
This will be interesting when an uninformed CSR (or IFL CSR) tries to downgrade a UGS because they "got away with upgrading an XY/XC ticket."
Ha! I dare a GS to try and get into the SFO IFL after upgrading an XC ticket. At best they will be booted back to C and denied entry to the lounge. I hate to think of their worst.
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Old Jul 11, 2007, 4:33 pm
  #62  
 
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Originally Posted by stevenshev
more interested in how it gets processed (i.e. GS desk only, what class it books into, etc) than having an argument with anyone
That makes (2) of us. Looking forward to seeing what you all post. We all have our own ideas of what it will be, and what we would like it to be. Most of us can anticipate loopholes and bugs that we think may happen. I wonder what the cost to UG is...is it 500 milers, miles from MP account, SWU's, or any of the above. One would think that a NY/XY plus the mileage cost to UG should be at least the cost on an NC/NF, maybe more to give UA some addl cost reduction. If it was more than standard award costs, it would be foolish, as you would book the C/F completely instead of using miles then.

What about on DBC free tickets? Will this give them some additional value to some now? It isn't often that someone on a GS type fare (unrestricted, right?) VDB's so not sure how often the application of this scenario would play out, and when it does, is it covered?

So many questions, so few solid answers
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Old Jul 11, 2007, 4:44 pm
  #63  
 
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Originally Posted by lucky9876coins
Exactly! So is mahasamatman saying that if 1K's received 8 500'ers per 10K miles flown that wouldn't be a devaluation for the lower level elites?
As long as there are finite benefits, making it easier for one group to use more of that benefit (and assuming they do) means there is less remaining for everybody else. Is that bad for the program as a whole? Not necessarily (at least from UA's perspective)...differentiation might spur others to strive for that next level or prevent some from falling back to a lower level...

Does it suck a little bit more for us non-UGS'es (who might never be) as there is potentially less premium cabin space? Sure, but there are probably other factors reducing these benefits faster than UGSes (fewer planes, less F space, paid upgrades, MP visas, Theodore, etc... etc...)
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Old Jul 13, 2007, 8:53 pm
  #64  
 
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Just got a few more details from a GS agent...

(1) Upgrade currency can only be electronic certs (SWU for int'l travel, and 500 milers and CR-1's for domestic travel). So, paper sales certs cannot be used.

(2) You can upgrade a travel companion if and only if the travel companion is on the same PNR. You cannot upgrade other persons on other flights.

(3) There are no waitlists for upgraded space - neither before travel nor day of travel. All upgrades have to be processed via the GS line. Check-in and gate agents will not know how to process these upgrades.

(4) Tickets are XF. The GS agent has to do multiple steps to get the XF. So, your XC ticket is first converted to NF, and then the NF is converted to XF ... or something like that. Because of these multiple steps, only GS agents have the authority and know-how of the transactions.

(5) This is a test program only. This perk only lasts until the end of the year.

I think this is an excellent perk ^. Now, if only I can find flights that actually have upgrade space!
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Old Jul 14, 2007, 7:09 am
  #65  
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Originally Posted by tealeaf99
(4) Tickets are XF. The GS agent has to do multiple steps to get the XF. So, your XC ticket is first converted to NF, and then the NF is converted to XF ... or something like that. Because of these multiple steps, only GS agents have the authority and know-how of the transactions.
This seems illogical. So you need BOTH NF and XF space in order to confirm this upgrade?
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Old Jul 14, 2007, 9:24 am
  #66  
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Originally Posted by BenjaminNYC
This seems illogical. So you need BOTH NF and XF space in order to confirm this upgrade?
I would assume that they book into NF, but then are converted to XF (whether or not there is space) so that a non-GS agent doesn't downgrade you?
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Old Jul 14, 2007, 8:48 pm
  #67  
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Air NZ has had similar for all elites (not just top tier) for a year or two. There are indeed some situations where it comes in very handy - eg confirm with points in economy/premium economy cabin and waitlist for an status upgrade to the business/premium economy. With NZ it is also possible to confirm 1-class upgrade and standby for the double upgrade if confirmed upgrades are not available.
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Old Jul 14, 2007, 10:40 pm
  #68  
 
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Originally Posted by staren937
This would be a great value. My biggest historical complaint was that I never had a use for any of the upgrade certificates that UA distributes b/c I was always booked where I wanted to sit...
You do have a legitimate complaint although like many of us, you are able to give your upgrade instruments to family and friends.

I've posted in FTover the years why UA doesn't allow anyone on an award tkt to upgrade using SWUs, CR-1s and 500 mile certs. In my case, I travel quite a bit on a paid tkt with my wife on an award tkt. We end up sitting in E+ since her tkt can't be upgraded.

As far as "taking" away upgrade inventory, I don't see all that much difference between me upgrading two trips using four CR-1s, or me upgrading my wife and I using . . . tada! . .. four CR-1s.

The only reason I can see why this has not been permitted is that UA counts on a certain percentage of upgrade instruments simply expiring and going unused. I mean, what percentage of MP members know about Coupon Connection?
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Old Jul 15, 2007, 9:40 am
  #69  
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Originally Posted by BenjaminNYC
This seems illogical. So you need BOTH NF and XF space in order to confirm this upgrade?
More likely Revenue Management will force open both an NF and an XF seat, which is why only GS agents can do it because a Gate Agent can't call RM from the podium.

And booking the customer to XF inventory negates any worries about IFL or Star Alliance F lounge issues because the ticket will be a full First Class award.

Since the only way I'd be in UA F or C is on a paid ticket, this new perk doesn't affect me so I have no dog in this hunt, so to speak...
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Old Jul 15, 2007, 11:02 pm
  #70  
 
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[QUOTE=honmani2;8058043]I've posted in FTover the years why UA doesn't allow anyone on an award tkt to upgrade using SWUs, CR-1s and 500 mile certs. In my case, I travel quite a bit on a paid tkt with my wife on an award tkt. We end up sitting in E+ since her tkt can't be upgraded.

[QUOTE]

Not sure, given the steps above that this will work for you then. Revenue booking codes and XY/XC/XF are never on the same PNR. Always same booking classes on 1 PNR for each sgement.
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Old Jul 16, 2007, 1:28 am
  #71  
 
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Originally Posted by kb1992
Why would anyone book award C then use 2 SWUs to upgrade to F?

2 SWU should be valued more than 30K miles, IMHO.
If you're a GS because your company pays for C and F (so you don't need SWUs for business travel), and you're using award tickets for personal travel, allowing award upgrades sounds like a valuable perk.

Also, if award ticket inventory in C or F isn't available, but upgrade inventory is, it might be a way for a GS to get up front.

I assume the same factors work for domestic tickets, only a GS would be able to use e500s or CR-1s to upgrade a Y or C award.

And I hope they don't roll this out to the 1K/1P/2P crowd. Competition for upgrades is high enough already.
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Old Jul 16, 2007, 1:42 am
  #72  
 
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Originally Posted by qasr
Ha! I dare a GS to try and get into the SFO IFL after upgrading an XC ticket. At best they will be booted back to C and denied entry to the lounge. I hate to think of their worst.
Where do you people get these comments from?!! When you get a C class ticket using miles, i.e "XC" I then can call us UGS and say, "I'd like to use xyz instrument to upgrade to first." It now becomes "NF"

Why would an agent anywhere 1st) Know the history unless going into the fields of the PNR and 2nd) Do that to someone at the lounge 3) when they see NF on the PNR, they are going to pull the upgrades and issue the boarding pass.

If this was done to me, which other things have been done as I put my boarding pass through the machine, I open my mouth and nicely say call UGS (or I would) do you think a UGS will just stand there and put up with that nonesense?

UG
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Old Jul 16, 2007, 1:47 am
  #73  
 
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Originally Posted by tealeaf99

(4) Tickets are XF. The GS agent has to do multiple steps to get the XF. So, your XC ticket is first converted to NF, and then the NF is converted to XF ... or something like that. Because of these multiple steps, only GS agents have the authority and know-how of the transaction.
My ticket ANY boarding pass had "NF" on it - I didn't see an XF anywhere. The NF was in tiny letters on the bp part that UA keeps, so I know where to look.

UG
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Old Jul 16, 2007, 1:53 am
  #74  
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Originally Posted by UrbaneGent
Where do you people get these comments from?!! When you get a C class ticket using miles, i.e "XC" I then can call us UGS and say, "I'd like to use xyz instrument to upgrade to first." It now becomes "NF"
Well, here's an experience RichardInSF had at the SFO IFL.

I forgot who it was, but there was someone that was flying F on PS, went to the IFL, and was denied because they said he wasn't supposed to get through security. He called the GS desk, they told the agent at the IFL the correct info, and they still denied him. I believe he refunded the ticket then. Anyone remember who that was? Axey maybe?

The ladies at the SFO IFL are *%($*&^!
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Old Jul 16, 2007, 3:09 am
  #75  
 
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Originally Posted by lucky9876coins
Well, here's an experience RichardInSF had at the SFO IFL.

I forgot who it was, but there was someone that was flying F on PS, went to the IFL, and was denied because they said he wasn't supposed to get through security. He called the GS desk, they told the agent at the IFL the correct info, and they still denied him. I believe he refunded the ticket then. Anyone remember who that was? Axey maybe?

The ladies at the SFO IFL are *%($*&^!
That was me. "You can take that profile and carry it around as your mantra" was another choice quote by the lovely dragon. Another exchange:

Her: "We only let people in here who pay A LOT of money for their ticket."
Me: "Good, because I did." (GS on an F ticket, mind you.)
Her: "Did you pay $13,000?? Because that's what people who are 'permitted' to come in here pay"

I also got the usual "calling the police" threat as well.

That exchange alone has cost UA about $48k this year, and counting.
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