Originally Posted by
vistaril
I wonder if it's been implemented yet?
Quite the bold assumption thinking AS is going to implement something months early given that it's taken literal YEARS to do thing like add partner award availability for partners like SQ, or add 2FA.
Originally Posted by
PDXPremier
My guess is that the upgrade success rate will be pretty good for Titaniums at least this first year because:
1. We're talking about a grand total of two routes (SEA-LHR and SEA-FCO)... maybe SEA-KEF as a third?
2. These are new routes and AS doesn't have the name recognition (at least not yet) for trans-Atlantic flying.... cabins are likely going to be far from full for awhile.
3. Many travel overseas with at least one companion which means those Titaniums will get skipped over if their companion is on the same PNR.
4. The cash or mileage cost to upgrade isn't really competitive right now...my parents got a main cabin ticket for SEA-LHR in September and would probably cough up some $$ for an upgrade but not $3000.
AS will be able to fill cabins TATL during peak season. It's the rest of the year that will be a problem.
It would be pretty crazy brain dead on the bean counter side of things to give Titaniums upgrades on $500 r/t LHR tickets in the middle of winter but not to offer cash upgrades at reasonable prices (read: they will be setting money on fire in very empty cabins during the offseason by not doing some simple optimizations, like "sell some upgrades for those empty seats").
Given that AS already knows how to sell an upgrade on SEA-LAS (and HA has upgrade bidding) I don't see why they wouldn't figure it out at some point on SEA-LHR.