I checked in online for a recent flight and got the prompt "would you like to be added to the Airport Upgrade Waitlist?" When I said yes, I get a nastygram that it's "Unable to perform this function, insufficient upgrades in your account." That's fine. As a lowly Plat, I'm used to buying my way up front, so I purchased 1 upgrade, waited 2 hours for the TDS confirmation to appear in email, and decided to re-checkin to get on the list. It's still morning and the flight is late afternoon.

No dice. AA.com will not allow you to re-checkin. OK, I search AA.com for someplace to put myself on the airport upgrade standby list. No dice. Hmmm. Call Plat line, "there are certain things that you MUST do at the airport, since that is under 'airport control.'" I quipped back, "well I was about 60 miles from ANY airport this morning when I selected the option on the internet to add me to the airport-controlled waitlist!"

No problem, I simply asked to be connected to the AAdmirals Club in that airport so I could quickly make the request to them directly. I mean, after all, I paid the $300+ to join this club and rarely go--I'll make some use of it! NOPE, no outside calls into AAdmirals Clubs allowed.

So, FT gurus out there, what is the trick in that situation? Obviously I will double-check next time to see if I have a sufficient balance before online check-in, but it seems that getting on the airport waitlist soon is the trick for Plats to get upgraded in high-Plat load flights.

I lamented in my middle seat the whole flight, peeved at technology!