Originally Posted by
StuckinITH
There's only one passenger in the upgrade list and that passenger is also on the standby list. It seems that the friend has not checked in yet.
Now that I think about it maybe the friend needs the visa for entry to China verified by check-in agents at the airport.
Updating just for DPs because I appreciated the comments. Friend's initial domestic connection was delayed enough to get him rerouted EWR-PEK direct. He was planning to buy miles, then pay the miles + cash copay for the upgrade, which would not have been a good use of money. He ended up doing E+ for $100. The new aircraft was 2-4-2 in business according to a seat map I found, so an E+ aisle seat with an empty middle wasn't much of a downgrade in my opinion.
He ended up buying up to biz on the way home (I think those are called TODs?) for $2k, but at least that was a 2-2-2 cabin configuration, also direct PEK-EWR.