Academic is right.... An operational upgrade is a complimentary upgrade, usually given out at the gate, sometimes at check-in, to passengers who would not otherwise qualify for an upgrade. They're mostly given out when the Y cabin is oversold and there is room in J. Occasionally, but very rarely these days, they're given out at the discretion of the agent for some other reason. (Kindness, mostly).

I had bought fun fare tickets for a flight from YVR-YOW this past week. Was given an op ug at the gate just as I was boarding the plane to fly back to YVR yesterday. BTW, was on a new plane, with J half empty.

Y was not oversold, think it was just the kindness of a very nice check-in girl in YOW who wrote something on my file.

What is going on at YOW check-in though.. it was a mess yesterday, with only one check-in agent at Executive check-in and a HUGE line up of customers waiting. Then, the girl closed down and left us waiting for 15 mins before another check-in girl arrived.

The reg line had two agents and snaked around several bends.