If one is traveling A-B-C and at the time of purchase they waitlist for an upgrade with an RPU (or a GPU), what happens if only the A-B or the B-C segment clears in advance of the departure day? Will they be informed that they aren't getting the upgrade for both segments, but they can have it for one of them, and if that happens? It isn't an all-or-none proposition, is it? If they are confirmed before flight time on the short hop part of the travel but remain waitlisted on the long haul part, can they wait until flight time to see what unfolds rather than accept or reject the short hop upgrade when they are first advised of it?
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Domestic its considered used if any segments are upgraded. For international if the BusinessFirst or GlobalFirst cabin upgrade clears its considered used.
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Domestic its considered used if any segments are upgraded. For international if the BusinessFirst or GlobalFirst cabin upgrade clears its considered used.
Clarification for rookies: If you are international, but the route is not BusFirst or GlobalFirst, then the domestic rules apply. For example, this year I used an RPU for DCA-IAH-BOG. IAH-BOG is international, but not BusFirst. Only the DCA-IAH leg cleared, and the RPU was consumed.
Domestic its considered used if any segments are upgraded. For international if the BusinessFirst or GlobalFirst cabin upgrade clears its considered used.
ALL segments marketed as BF/GF must clear for it to be considered used. If you have multiple BF segments and one or more do not clear then the instrument is refunded.
Domestic its considered used if any segments are upgraded. For international if the BusinessFirst or GlobalFirst cabin upgrade clears its considered used.
But if the long haul segment doesn't get confirmed and only the short hop one is, can one decline the "partial" upgrade up until the door closes on the first segment and get their RPU redeposited to their account?
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Quote:
Originally Posted by itsme
But if the long haul segment doesn't get confirmed and only the short hop one is, can one decline the "partial" upgrade up until the door closes on the first segment and get their RPU redeposited to their account?
For domestic itineraries using an RPU? You would have to get the RPU removed before you check-in. They could probably do it for you at the airport but that becomes a pain for them and it's easier for the phone agents to do it.
-RM
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ALL segments marketed as BF/GF must clear for it to be considered used. If you have multiple BF segments and one or more do not clear then the instrument is refunded.
Sorry, I didn't see your post before I just posted in response to the other FTer. (And I'm not sure what "BF/GF" stands for.)
Are you saying that it is an all-or-none thing, that the customer will be be allowed to take a "half loaf," that is upgrade one fewer than all the segments, though the inventory is there? I have been confirmed on just one of two segments, but that was a "complimentary" UG, not one I was using an RPU for. (Does it matter whether the flight is a "direct" or "connecting" one?)
Sorry, I didn't see your post before I just posted in response to the other FTer. (And I'm not sure what "BF/GF" stands for.)
Are you saying that it is an all-or-none thing, that the customer will be be allowed to take a "half loaf," that is upgrade one fewer than all the segments, though the inventory is there? I have been confirmed on just one of two segments, but that was a "complimentary" UG, not one I was using an RPU for. (Does it matter whether the flight is a "direct" or "connecting" one?)
Thanks.
BF=BusinessFirst; GF=GlobalFirst (at least in this context)
If you have an RPU applied to an itinerary then ANY segment clearing will consume the instrument. If only the shorter segment clears you can try having the agent downgrade you and get the instrument back but there have been several reports of the original booking inventory needing to be available and that making things more challenging.
If you have a GPU applied things get a bit more complicated. If the route could be upgraded with an RPU then the same rules as above apply; any segment upgraded consumes the instrument. If the route includes segments marketed with a BusinessFirst or GlobalFirst cabin then ALL the segments on the trip must clear into those cabin in order to be considered consumed.
Here are a few examples:
JFK-SFO-LAX - RPU applied - SFO-LAX upgraded: RPU is consumed
JFK-SFO-LAX-SYD - GPU applied - JFK-SFO upgraded: GPU is NOT consumed
EWR-NRT-SIN - GPU applied - NRT-SIN upgraded: GPU is NOT consumed
BOS-ORD-HKG - GPU applied - BOS-ORD upgraded: GPU is NOT consumed
BOS-ORD-HKG - GPU applied - ORD-HKG upgraded: GPU is consumed (even though BOS-ORD was in coach)
Make sense?
Or, if you have a more concrete example than A-B-C ask. The systems are reasonably complex and there are many scenarios which can pay out. When you have a specific situation you're considering it is easier to answer that directly than to explain the entire MileagePlus program.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sbm12
ALL segments marketed as BF/GF must clear for it to be considered used. If you have multiple BF segments and one or more do not clear then the instrument is refunded.
that explains why I got one back recently which I could not figure out since 1/2 segment had cleared.
sbm12, thanks for the detailed answer. I'll come back to it later to figure out the fine points. Since what I am contemplating is not international travel (looking at NYC-HNL via IAD), I don't think it will be quite so complicated for my purposes.
Now, if I elect to go via SFO, then there will be a much greater likelihood of getting only upgraded on one of the two segments. Going through IAD, though, I don't think that is something to worry about, since one of the two legs would be on one of those less than wonderful regional jets, which have only one class of service.
Quote:
Originally Posted by cfischer
that explains why I got one back recently which I could not figure out since 1/2 segment had cleared.
You got back the upgrade instrument (a GPU?) because you flew neither of the segments in the forward cabin? They didn't give you back your upgrade instrument and fly one leg in the forward cabin, did they?
If I understood smb12 correctly, if a traveler trying to use a GPU to go BOS-ORD-HKG could only get upgraded on the transpac ORD-HKG segment, he/she might get a "free" (GPU not "consumed") BOS-ORD flight as a small consolation prize. But I'm not sure I understood him correctly.
Last edited by iluv2fly; Dec 25, 12 at 6:33 am..
Reason: merge
sbm12, thanks for the detailed answer. I'll come back to it later to figure out the fine points. Since what I am contemplating is not international travel (looking at NYC-HNL via IAD), I don't think it will be quite so complicated for my purposes.
Indeed, it is not at all complicated in your scenario. ANY segment clearing will consume whatever instrument you redeem for NYC-HNL, regardless of what type of instrument is redeemed. That would apply whether connecting in IAD, IAH, ORD, SFO, LAX or DEN.
Quote:
Originally Posted by itsme
You got back the upgrade instrument (a GPU?) because you flew neither of the segments in the forward cabin? They didn't give you back your upgrade instrument and fly one leg in the forward cabin, did they?
It depends on WHICH segments are flown in the back.
In my examples above if BOS-ORD is upgraded and ORD-HKG is not then you get the freebie on BOS-ORD; at least one of the BF segments did not clear so the GPU is not consumed.
On EWR-NRT-SIN both segments are BF so both have to clear for the upgrade to be consumed. If only one clears - either one, but only one - then the GPU is not consumed because, just like ORD-HKG, at least one of the BF segments did not clear.
You understood incorrectly. Only the ORD-HKG segment is a BF/GF flight. Thus the only segment required for the GPU to be considered used. If this is the only segment upgraded, the GPU will be used and not returned.
[*]BOS-ORD-HKG - GPU applied - ORD-HKG upgraded: GPU is consumed (even though BOS-ORD was in coach)[/list]
Quote:
Originally Posted by itsme
You got back the upgrade instrument (a GPU?) because you flew neither of the segments in the forward cabin? They didn't give you back your upgrade instrument and fly one leg in the forward cabin, did they?
If I understood smb12 correctly, if a traveler trying to use a GPU to go BOS-ORD-HKG could only get upgraded on the transpac ORD-HKG segment, he/she might get a "free" (GPU not "consumed") BOS-ORD flight as a small consolation prize. But I'm not sure I understood him correctly.
EWR to SFO - is one of the hardest upgrades in the fleet - with RPUS as well - if you are JFK - that's a little different
So should I same day change from SFO/EWR to SFO/JFK in case my upgrade with RPU is not confirmed until the day of departure?
Do I have more chance to get upgrade on SFO/JFK more than SFO/EWR route?
