Originally Posted by
FLYDCA
I really think UA is underestimating the number of corporate travelers who all things being equal no longer have a reason to be loyal to UA. Prior to the change many of us could get our employers to approve higher fare classes which generated revenue for UA. If we can't now upgrade by shifting the cost to our employer and it needs to come out of our own pocket will we still pony up the cash?
Quite frankly, I'm not sure that discouraging business travelers from "buying up" to higher coach fares to get an upgrade is such a bad thing, given that any airline's goal to get paid traffic in its premium cabins. However, I do realize that some companies just won't pay for premium cabins and that self-upgrading is the only way to make it happen.
That said, I'm not sure the average corporate customer has knowledge of "upgradeable" booking classes or the flexibility to instruct their agency to ticket a specific booking class.
Remember, FTers are savvier than the average traveler and this policy makes the upgrading process far easier for most.