Originally Posted by
landrew
She didn't have info as to whether our upgrade had cleared.
This makes no sense at all. All she should have had to do is to look at the PNR and see whether or not the business class segments were confirmed.
Originally Posted by
landrew
and another agent said that time of check in makes absolutely no difference (and it hasn't for as long as she has worked at UA--24 yrs---though I clearly recall that it DID make a difference previously at least in some situations) She checked with her supervisor who confirmed what she had said.
Time of check-in is the third tiebreaker on the visible upgrade list, used at the gate, after status and fare class. However, in your particular case, I don't think it will matter, because they don't sell a lot of B fare tickets.
Originally Posted by
landrew
And yes, the B fare was VERY expensive. And as a result, I don't believe there was a co-pay (it's hard to tease this out), so I won't be refunded even if we are stuck in steerage. I'll just be disgusted.
It's not uncommon for B fares to be more expensive than discount business class fares. On the other hand, most B fares will be refundable, so if you have flexibility in your travel plans, and your upgrade isn't going to clear, there's a good chance that you can cancel and find another flight. (Alternatively -- you may be able to use same-day confirmed change if there is an alternative flight available with R space).
Good luck!