Originally Posted by
Robertsonland
I've been told several times by everyone at AA we can't be added to their Standby List for Upgrades. Only of the seats are in the upgrade bucket can we get access to them and I've seen them holding back seats right up to departure and then giving them to the ExPlat that is able to be on the list. This has happened on all but 1 of my flights on AA after June 11 (8 in total). I had been told by CP line and AA line that we could be put on the list but only at the airport. The Club lady called someone and he said we cannot be added. We only get to select a seat if they are out in the upgrade bucket when you happen to check in or log back in to change a seat after checking in.
The AA standby (or airport) upgrade list is often referred to as the PALL list. It categorizes upgrades, standby passengers, non-revs, unassigned seats, etc. This is the list where T-24 and sooner 'X' upgrades are usually distributed (unless the flight is wide open in F, and upgrade 'X' inventory remains available after T-24). Why? Because in AA world, 'X' inventory is usually many fewer than 'F'. 'A' inventory, which is copay/ mileage upgrades, is often F-1. That's the upgrade class which is easier to get. The remaining unsold F or A inventory does not become 'X' upgrades until the end: whatever doesn't sell right before boarding, and is given out according to PALL priority. The e500-sticker program fills (and this is how it's supposed to be) the First seats that AA cannot sell through any other channel. That is the situation for T-24 upgraders. There just aren't that many 'X' seats available, especially last minute. However, this is not the problem for US interim upgraders.
US interim upgraders Problem: it appears that legacy AA chose an unusual option for interim, post-June-11 US upgrades. Possibly because this was the easier IT fix. It appears that AA chose to extend to US elites the LFBU system, which is the T-24 space available buy-up program, but for US elites the price is zero. This program, which does use the more lenient 'A' inventory, has a secondary inventory restriction. That restriction keeps the available 'A' inventory at several seats lower than regular 'A' inventory. So only in a wide-open F cabin would LFBU work.