Originally Posted by daslax
Day of departure this all changes to Departure Management priority, which is organized by status first, then fare class, then other tie-breakers. In any case, nobody gets a free operational upgrade until all people willing to "pay" for their upgrade are cleared and then only if they have to take people out of coach because it is oversold. There are many, many threads on this topic in FT if you want to do a search.
ummm... no. 'Nobody' and 'only if' are pretty extreme words.
Free op-ups happen in the most random of moments. Not too long ago, I was checking my mother-in-law into a (full all around) flight. We were there a few hours in advance, as she wanted it, and long before the DM was being worked. And right there at the front counter, we were told that she's going to sit up front because "her connection is tight". She was a MP member and I was 1P. She was elated.
Never never never think you won't get op-upgraded. Good people want to help good people. Good people get op-up-ed.
(total aside, and note to end of story, her father retired from a 35+year career with UA in accounting / controlling. She told me of stories of how she used to get college summer jobs where they would sit in a conference room, review/audit tickets and see if customers *overpaid*. Then they would issue apology letters and refunds. This was probably in the late 50's/early 60's. Anyone remember
regulation? I figure this itself was a good reason for the free -up.)