FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - What time should the battlefield upgrade list be cleared?
Old Apr 29, 2019, 9:49 am
  #12  
drewguy
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, AA, DL
Posts: 7,402
Originally Posted by Often1
It makes little sense to clear the list significantly before boarding begins and clearing misconnects really should not occur before T-15 (domestic). But, I'm not aware of a policy.

Whether your UG clears at T-35 or T-45 does not affect much if anything for the upgraded passenger. But, disappointing a last minute change or SDC for a paid F passenger who wants to make a change hurts the brand. Playing games with likely misconnects who make it to the gate is also a problem for those misconnects and, in the case of inbound connections from the EU, creates all kinds of compensation and duty of care issues.
I think "open" seats and seats that open because of misconnects should be different. Open seats should be cleared shortly before boarding, although IME that's almost always when I have seen them done. Not great to wait until after boarding has begun because it requires people to move. Misconnects should be offloaded only at the last possible moment for the reasons you state - not sure from operational standpoint when that is, but any upgrades into those seats obviously require a move. I suppose there's a slight challenge that the misconnect could show up in the couple of minutes between when the GA says "seat open" and the person actually hauls up from Y to J/F.
drewguy is offline