Was flying back TPA-ATL-HSV after Thanksgiving. I was originally booked with a 35 minute connection in ATL late in the day
, so I used SDC to move up to an earlier TPA-ATL flight. (I don't like short connections in ATL.)
Anyway, upgrades were showing available until right at the three hour mark. I guess that is when the flight goes to gate control. So when I called to SDC, I lost my upgrade and was put on the list.
At the gate, the cleared screen ended up showing 15 or 16 folks cleared into FC, including me. (I didn't get there in time to see the upgrade screen.) This number was very surprising, as any medallion who was on the flight at least prior to the 3 hour cutoff should have already cleared.
So I'm puzzled as to whether a whole bunch of medallions SDCed onto this flight, or whether most of them were NRs who were cleared into the open seats. If anybody has a clue, I'd be interested in knowing.
In any case, FC went out full. And my originally booked flight out of TPA was delayed, so once again I appreciate the power of SDC and of course that it is free for PMs. ^
David