Originally Posted by
pitz
1) The "mixed economy AP ticket", for AC segments, entitles one to go on the waitlist for J space. This is not an 'upgrade', it is 'waitlisting'. It has priority over most other non-confirmed passengers for J.
2) Unless your upgrade is confirmed in R space, the wife, on the Aeroplan ticket, has a much higher chance of her waitlisted seat going through.
3) Avoid using the terminology "upgrade" for the Aeroplan mixed reward ticket when dealing with AC personnel. Use the term "waitlist". "waitlist" > "upgrade list". She 'paid' J fare, she's entitled to AC's best efforts to find her space. An 'upgrade', OTOH, is a courtesy.
Regardless of how you
think it should be handled, AC treats these examples as an upgrade request. This was changed 5+ years ago. AC reps have confirmed how these are treated in the upgrade priority, and I've been on the upgrade list myself in this situation. Not sure why you keep saying that these are prioritized above upgrades even after the AC rep confirmed that's not the case.
In this situation, if OP's wife has no status, she would be on the upgrade list, but below other status pax. However, with the co-pays this year, upgrade lists on overseas segments are much shorter, so chances are better than prior years.