Quoting from NJDAVID above...
"In the past, again if I'm that higher than average platinum, I might have full fare tickets for three cities on any given day. I would never bother to call the Elite line to upgrade these tickets when there's only a 10 or so percent chance I might use any of them. EUA however gives me three upgrades automatically, effectively blocking out gold elite and silver elite in the 2 and 1 day windows. [... copied below...} Now that they are closed out by the not intending to fly platinum, the seat will only become available 20 minutes before the flight, where it will go to...again the platinum standing by for an upgrade" [END]

The problem with your point is that Platinum number 2 could have been locked out on day 3 as well, in which case you a silver calling day 1 would have still been locked out anywho with/without EUA. If a Platinum is waiting to upgrade at the gate, then on day 3 all FC seats were taken, or he booked last minute and paid full fare, in either case it seems to me fair that he should be ahead of you for the upgrade. WHat am I missing?

Quoting the excerpted part now ... "These are travelers who are loyal and travel extensively on the specific tickets they reserved. They usually planned well in advance to be loyal to CO and take that specific flight..." [end quote]. So in other words these are people buying cheap discounted economy fares. Is CO so out of line by giving elites that have the right to upgrade their upgrade? Aren't you under the exact same condition you would be if all people in fact made the call in the tirs above you? Then the only difference is the yet unknown heirarchy within a tier, and it seems that time of reservation is being used, which means those plan aheaders have an advantage to those non-plan aheaders. I love cheap discounted economy fares. I fly them when I can, and I know the risks of that, actually having to fly in the economy seat I paid for. Of course I am a bad example, since every trip I make is international with only 1 segment each way being a domestic US flight (and I am NW Platinum, but by definition I could bo CO Plat just by changing the program crediting the miles). I have to believe that there are plenty of CO Plats who are exactly like me, never competing for the upgrades. I would also think that most CO Domestic platinums would have called under the old system if they intended to fly, I mean that many miles on all domestic flights would be a pain in Economy so they should use their benefits. Also, it seems that in all likelyhood over 50% of CO domestic flights take off without a CO Platinum on board (well ignoring those comped Platinums which I absolutely agree with you on that point, that should never have happened) the rest of the flights would have 1 to many, depending on route and time, something you can perhaps strategize around over time.

I have to agree that the system should not be changed without notice, but I dont think this actually is a change of the program, but simply making sure everyone gets the perks they are entitled to. As an alternative I would propose, what if CO made the EUA kick in at 1am, and people had the right to call in from 12am to 12:59 for the manual upgrades? Then each person has the ability to race ahead of others in their Tier, while those not interested in staying awake til midnight would get their upgrades without having to call in and waste CO's employee time requesting their upgrades. How about that? Well, then, silvers still aren't happy because they cant race ahead of a Platinum or even a gold.

Bottom line, not happy with chances as a silver under EUA, which is not with you like it or not, you have 30+ days to make a quick trip to asia to rack up the miles for gold and the 24 hour headstart and extra 50% (total 100%) elite bonus... definately a worthwhile mileage run. The drive to watch CO on how they are distinguishing within a Tier is definately worthwhile and I wish you all luck in determining that and making sure that it is a fair system.

Wishing everyone the best of luck under EUA and I hope nobody's upgrade percentages falls as much as you fear.

[This message has been edited by tummyg (edited 11-25-2000).]