FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Why do waitlisted instrument/miles-supported upgrade requests expire at 24 hrs?
Old Jun 7, 2012 | 12:33 pm
  #16  
DLPhoenix
15 Years on Site
 
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Up in the Air
Programs: DL MM; UA MM/1K
Posts: 613
Originally Posted by channa
At the gate, yes.

The EUA system is still running, though, and that does not use a waitlist. Whether or not EUA has visibility into your RPU status or not, I'm not sure. I don't think it does, as it's a separate system.
It does work as long as you are on a single segment. If you are flying point to point with no connections and you applied an RPU/GPU you will find yourself just below the insta-upgrades on the gate WL.

And I had two RPU upgrades clear between T-24 and T-6.

Originally Posted by LilAbner
I think there is some mix up on actually still being on a waitlist and where one is placed on that waitlist using an RPU or a GPU, w/i T-24. Anyway, I'm confused?

For example, twice this year on 2 different itins, I had one of these (RPU & GPU) applied for months, and 24 hours prior to each flight I was #13 and #12 on the list with these supposedly still attached. Somehow I don't think that these gave me any more priority, and in fact I lost both of them because I was upgraded on the shorter segments which were upgraded months prior on both itins.. I honestly don't believe that 12 & 11 others, respectively, with higher than 1K status had these attached also.

...

My theory is pure conjecture, as there doesn't seem to be anything printed and/or confirmed from UA on how the system is set up, and how it really works.
The current reservation system fails miserable when dealing with segment with more than a single leg. If one of the segments was upgraded using an instrument, the second will end up in a black hole. The only way to get the upgrade to clear is human intervention

Several recent examples:
  • Applied GPU to TPE->NRT->EWR. TPE->NRT clears at booking, NRT->EWR not cleared when RN becomes available a few days before departure. Had to call to get the upgrade to clear.
  • Upgraded CCU->BOM->EWR using GPU. CCU->BOM on jet not eligible for upgrade. DEL->EWR not cleared until T-24. Not showing on the upgrade list after check in at CCU. The ticketing agent at BOM manged to get me on the list and I was upgraded after boarding.
  • Upgraded SLC->DEN->EWR using RPU. SLC->DEN cleared at booking. never made it to the WL at T-24.Had to call to get on the WL. Nobody cleared.

Bottom line:
  • No need to worry if you are not connecting.
  • Be prepared for some stress and give yourself some time to override the IT failures if you are trying to apply an RPU/GPU on a flight with connections.
  • Channa is too generous with UA/CO's IT. My rating of their performance would have banned me from this forum.

Happy Travels
DLP
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