Originally Posted by
sdsearch
The airlines I'm referring (major domestic legacies) seem to have no problem filling the front cabin at the last minute with elite members who get upgraded per the normal elite upgrade rules. In most cases, they'd rather not annoy their most frequent flyers (those elite members) by selling upgrades to "kettles" before upgrading (at least the higher level) elite members.
You might have been right twenty, ten or five years ago. Now? Not so much.
http://viewfromthewing.boardingarea....5/12/17/42581/
When it comes to loyalty, Hauenstein explained that “we do a Medallion Pulse survey, and we just got out November results yesterday. The pulse has been the highest it has been in 2.5 years. We have increased paid upgrades from 13% to 54%, and we have not disturbed the happiness of the medallions, and there is a trick. We look at who is purchasing the seat which appears to be the [Medallion fliers] who are being rewarded with more loyalty points.
Keep in mind that UA is notorious for "tens of dollars" upgrades, and AA uses stickers for everyone under EXP on routes > 500 miles.
Also... the
one thing the legacies have held prices on through the years? The 25,000 mile domestic round trip in Y. Europe, Asia, etc., all got jacked up. Premium classes, jacked up. Coach domestic... no. Obviously the legacies think that value means something special.