Originally Posted by lighthouse206

I'm a CO Gold and my spouse is a CO Silver. Based in Seattle we've had pretty good success in securing upgrades this year back and forth to Houston. Last flight some odds things happened and I'm wondering if proper CO policy was followed...

We attempted to fly standby on Sept 2 - SEA-IAH 7AM. When I arrived at the airport counter I asked to be put on the Standby List AND the Upgrade list. The agent (the most surly I've encountered at CO who insisted I use the kiosk and change to an 8AM flight THEN talk to him about the 7AM flight even though he was standing there doing nothing...but I digress..) told me he listed us on both lists.

Yet when I checked the PDA site, I saw us listed ONLY on the Standby and NOT the upgrade list. This seemed odd because I knew in the past I had seen people on both simultaneously. I asked him, and he said we were "on both lists".

First question. Since the flight wasn't full and there were 6 open FC seats (no standby list for FC), should this counter agent have confirmed us on the flight and upgraded us on the spot, or at least blocked 2 FC seats for us?

When we go out to the gate there are roughly 6 FC open, not booked. Still neither of us showing on the PDA list for FC.

Flight isn't oversold - plenty of room and no doubt we'll get on.

I confirm with gate agents and ask why we aren't on the FC list - they say we are - still nothing on the PDA site.

Then - I watch them give away all the FC seats except one and give that one to me - my spouse stays in coach. I suspect they are giving them to nonrevs...

Ticketed Non-Revenue Passengers will be on the Upgrade Standby List if they are listed for First Class regardless, if you saw the list empty which means there were no Non-Revenue Passengers listed for First, however if there were Non-Revs listed for Y who got upgraded to F, this would be an irregularity ONLY if Elites were skipped over.

When I question the situation they tell me people bought the FC seats at the counter and they gave one seat to a uniformed service member (all this while we are sitting in the departure area..)

CO has been known to sell First Class to any passenger willing to pay for it however, YOU stated that the Upgrade Standby List was empty so CO was within their right to sell off the remaining First Class seats to Non-Elites.

So here's my question:
1. Can you be on the standby list and the FC standby list simultaneously?

Nope...You were a Y STANDBY who cleared then would be added to the Upgrade List after receiving a Y seat. So by this time you might have hit a snag with the amount of F seats open.

Should this show up on the PDA site? If so, does CO still try to sell the FC upgrades at the counter?

Yes, CO sells either Y/B/Ms to Elites as a "shortcut" or a segment upgrade fee to Non-Elites.

2. Since it didn't show me on the PDA site as being on the upgrade list, is this a sign of shenanigans on the part of the co staff?

Nope...

3. Are uniformed service members a higher priority than elites waiting for upgrades on a standby basis? Note I don't object to service members recieving perks, I'm just wondering what the policy really is...

This is definitely shenanigans on the Gate Agent's part. They are NOT allowed to upgrade anyone complimentary in normal situations, even with elites waiting for an upgrade. I would send a PM to CoInsider (Scott) with the appropriate information.

4. Are CO gate agents allowed to basically "sit" on an elite standby passenger (not give them a seat in coach) and fill FC with whomever they want THEN put the standby passenger into coach? It seems like this happened to us...

A wise airline pilot once told me this, that to remember Gate Agents are God-like until the door is closed and the aircraft is pushed, then they're mere mortals. So to answer your question no they are not allowed to do anything outside of scope.

Something smelled bad during this whole experience and I'm just wondering if procedures were followed.

Thanks for any help.