Originally Posted by
chromeez
Anyone have any experience crediting to A3 after check in with US Airways? I wanted to obtain my first class upgrade as a preferred member before I changed to A3. However, after I checked in at the kiosk, I was unable to change FFN to A3 (both at kiosk and online under flight reservations). Is there some window period that you have before you get shut out of making any additional changes to your reservation? Few days prior to my flight I was still able to change my traveler's information regarding FF#. Although, I did notice that when I changed the FF#, my reservation disappeared from US Airways online account.
Everything I've read and experienced indicates that US doesn't allow you to change FF# after you have checked in, if you have exercised any 'benefits' from your status. I was recently told this by 3 different agents (including a lounge agent) on a US trip (a total of 5 agents refused to change FF# on that trip, but only 3 gave that reason.) See the following threads:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/us-ai...itinerary.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/us-ai...de-clears.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/star-...embership.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/us-ai...itinerary.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/us-ai...-co-miles.html
Specifically this post (I am the OP referred to in the quote):
Originally Posted by
Mykle
US had a policy change earlier this year. They will not change FF numbers after departure from origin. They will also not change FF numbers before departure if any Preferred benefits (i.e. upgrade) were received. This is why the OP was told "no" five times in a row.
It seems pretty clear that while US probably has the technical capacity to change the FFP, their policy is against it (after you have started a trip, or if you have used a benefit). It seems especially clear that it is against US policy to change the FF# after an upgrade, going so far as to downgrade if you do (not the case with AC or UA, evidently).
I have searched exhaustively and cannot find a single recent (ie. past ~2 years) report on FT of someone successfully making a FFP change while flying a US itinerary.
The only recommendation seems to be to try to aggressively prevent a FF# from ever being attached to the reservations, make sure the BPs are blank, and then submit for retro-credit after your trip, trying to use your *A card from another carrier to obtain benefits on US during your trip. I intend on trying this the next trip I take on US, but honestly, I expect to have the FF# of the FFP I'm trying to use to obtain a benefit be forced onto the record by some US agent at some point in the trip. If it happens while I try to access a lounge, I may try and fight it because that seems to be abuse of *A specific lounge access rules, but if I lost the fight, I'd just not enter the lounge, rather than have my FF# changed (or try to enter a lounge mid-itinerary after it would be 'against US' policy' to change the FF#).
If you have any success in changing your FF# with US, please post your experience.