Originally Posted by
beckoa
Several agents have mentioned that when performing a SDC, *DO NOT* checkin for your flight immediately afterwards. This is a recipe for some reason to not get waitlisted. In fact, one should wait 15+ minutes. I'd give it at least a half hour, and then try checking in. And make sure your name appears on the app; I've lost out on upgrades this year due to this bug.
Excellent advice.
I recently (accidentally) tested this. Here are my findings:
1. I SDCed a flight and then proceeded with the check-in process (the app makes you check in before selecting a seat less than T24, so I bet a lot of people do this after an SDC). Immediately after hitting the check-in button, I remembered that this could break the upgrader. Sure enough, I was missing from the waitlist.
2. I called in and asked an agent to get me on the waitlist. After 15 min of attempts, I still wasn't showing up, despite the agent assuring me I was on there. I've learned from multiple previous lost upgrades that when you're not showing in the app, the upgrader won't work--even if the phone agent says you are on the waitlist. I thank the agent for trying and hang up.
3. I decide to run my own "ticket reset" in the app by SDCing back to the original flight and then again SDCing to the flight I want. This time, I wait 15 min after SDCing.
Result: I was showing as #3 on the waitlist, and upgraded at the gate.
Conclusion: if you do check in immediately after SDCing and are missing from the waitlist, run your own ticket reset in the app, then wait 15 min, and check-in. All should be fixed.