Forget about to upgrade flights with Star Alliance miles on Air Canada
Air Canada has been greedy with their revenue that despite they said that they are not “Blackout” periods they have some “behind scenes” that foolish customers around… how that is called: Misleading Costumers.
Also, since now you can bid for an upgrade your narrower seat from Economy to Premium Economy (which is a joke because is more an economy plus service than Premium Economy) the availability in certain flights to upgrade with miles is ZERO… and they argue that is not truth… but I tried booking the entire Business Class as a group for AC188 for April 1, 2017 and it was possible to book it… and it was possible to see that NONE of the seats were taken.. but I have tried to make a Star Alliance Upgrade using my miles and keep telling me NO AVAILABLE… and start looking suspicious why AC is applying the rules to just few flights?
Here are my theories of possibilities but at the end only one will rule… REVENUE.
1. No seats available – No true because they are available but AC decide not giving up any cent of their revenue in one of the two daily flights between YVR-YOW that always are full and Business class people would pay for the upgrade.
2. No Miles but you can BID for that seat. If I want to bid on the business Class seat for AC188 on April 1 it will ask me for minimum CAD$510 from my B class ticket… however, there are no seats for upgrading with miles.
3. Black out period as AEROPLAN is saying… well.. The promise of AEROPLAN and Air Canada is that there are “No Blackout Periods”… but people from AEROPLAN said in their response to my claim that “airlines have Blackout Period”… well no AC or UA have blackout periods accordingly to their advertising… Misleading advertising?? If that is true…is a serious offense to misleading advertising… the law should protect this.
4. My reservation has the long haul flights in Premium Economy N class which is not up-gradable… but the AC Domestic flights are in B class that is 100% up-gradable… but they decide to have the “entire” reservation as No Up-gradable in Air Canada benefit. – I thought they cannot be so mean… and friend of mine returning on the same flight AC188 YVR-YOW tried to upgrade from AEROPLAN miles and it wasn’t possible either…
At the end the theory that matches more the actual situation is that AC is not giving any seat (at least in this flight) for upgrade with miles because is looking revenue!!! They can get more money with the Bid… and they know some customers will pay more for that seat on a 5 hours flight that only serves soft drinks… and narrower seats.
I think you really don't understand how AC or *A FF programs work, plus I'm guessing you have also never flown AC PY? There is a big difference between AC PY and UA economy plus. AC PY have upgraded meals and larger seats. AC PY is closer to Dom J, than UA economy plus. You should know, it is very hard upgrading with *A points. First, you need a high fare base class.
You are wrong, thinking you can upgrade to AC Y to PY without any points. First, AC PY is only on international flights. Dom/US departures do not have a PY section. PY seats on dom/US departures are sold as reg Y class on these flights. Also, your friend can't upgrade a AC flight with aeroplan points. He must use his ecredits. I'm guessing he had no status, therefor no ecredits?