Originally Posted by jsloan

Don't search for an upgrade. Do a regular search, as if you were going to buy a new ticket. If this is a connecting flight, only search the overwater leg (e.g., if you're flying AUS-SFO-HKG, search SFO-HKG). Expert Mode will give you a set of inventory information (it looks something like J9 JN9 C9 D6 Z0 ... etc). Look for the value for PZ; if that's non-zero, there should be confirmable space available, and you can ask your friend to call to push the upgrade through.

Note that we're seeing increasingly more reports of agents refusing to cooperate, on the belief that they're combating line-jumping. That would be admirable -- if it weren't for the fact that someone who isn't on the waitlist could waltz in and grab that space by applying a new instrument, which would clear immediately, bypassing the waitlist entirely.