I was quite well settled with the paper certs and had developed a nice system and now I get the emails for "exciting changes" and "e-upgrades". Now I am really worried--this is spelling disaster--and am wondering what is left to cut--surely AP's excitement is the FF's nightmare!!!. Let's see!!

"I support the eCert move. .....

This can only mean more upgrades for those who play the game nice."

Not necessarily--although I support the move to e-upgrades for timing and other issues, the above will not necessarily come without a price:

What about a YYC-YVR-HKG routing where your SSWU type fare gets upgraded for YYC-YVR portion (making you poorer by one high value certificate for a super low value flight) and your upgrade does not clear for the YVR-HKG (waiting for gate upgrade). In other schemes like UA's where you have electronic upgrades, if there is a business seat available and you have the applicable upgrade, you get your upgrade. In my experience, the concierge (with paper upgrades) will note your file to get the upgrade in YVR and let you fly the first upgrade "free" if there is a reasonable (but not certain) chance of getting your upgrade in YVR. To be fair, this is an issue with paper certs but seems to be easier to have some flexibility around. With e-upgrades there will be no flexibility I would think. I would prefer a UA style upgrade where everything clears at 24 hours at a minimum even if they don't want to do it at time of booking. Then you can make your decision on a reasonable assumption that you likely won't get upgraded rather than guessing the way we do now.

Next we have the other implementation. AC has had its share of technology issues and this likely won't escape (although I hope we do).

Using the above example, I decide not to chance the YYC-YVR loss of upgrade so I cancel that upgrade request keeping the YVR-HKG request intact (or is it--does this change on file change the time of request and your pecking order). Do you get your e-upgrade recredited? Seems UA had a problem with recrediting when they started in this brave new world but I think those bugs have been largely worked out? why fly comment?

I hope they have listened to our comments and make the upgrades good for ONE YEAR from date of issue rather than the stupidity that we have now at year end.

The announcement was decidedly lacking details so I look forward to AC/Aeroplan clarifying.

Lastly, I reiterate my support for going this route--no more waiting for certificates.

No more physical wallpaper, just virtual piles of unused SWUs that vaporize every February 28th/29th.

I share BB's concerns about certain segments clearing and others not in advance on multi-segment flights having just had this experience over the past two weeks. Given the inability to use OLCI until all flights hit the 24-hour will create issues no doubt, and AC's IT is so notoriously bad can we really trust it to get this right?

UA's system works because all upgrades can be cleared at time of booking using SWUs or miles if inventory permits. While this is the case with AC's SWUs, most tenuous upgrading occurs on AC with SSWUs and that's where it gets complicated.

It would be nice to see a single SWU (or NAU for NAmerica use) credit system where one applies one credit for Latitude fares, two credits for T+ fares.

I'm not sure that what we have is broken. Unless they provide some new value in the move to electronic, I only see this as a move backward.

What we will definitely lose:

• Discretion for first leg of connecting flights
• Discretion on oversold flights
• When traveling together, discretion to decide whose cert to use at the last minute
• Opportunity for agent error

For this change to have any value, I'd like to see some or all of the following:

• 12/13 months validity from date of issue
• Flexible credits towards NAV (1 credit), SWU (1.5 credit), SSWU (2 credit)
• Fewer credits in the summer and holiday period
• Transfer between family
• Some free upgrades (although not holding my breath)

they can always set the program to only deduct the credit if the entire journey (with multi legs) has been upgraded to R, otherwise refund upgrade credit.....

right now its based on the agent manually inputting the message (if cert has been collected).

yyzgigi - i dont know how this is backwards...... the rule on AC has mostly been....u request for U/G we will still pull cert if there was the opportunity to op-up due to overselling...... those ecerts as per AC are transferable, so if you want to decide who to use just go online and change user... there are opportunities for agents to make mistakes at any time.......

Kind of worried about that!

Other than saving a few trees and postage, I don't see the improvement. They certainly could do things to make it better with electronic, but we don't have any details on this. All we know at this time is that there will be no more paper certs and we will lose most of the benefits that I've stated that come with paper.

I'll celebrate when the details are published.

The only clear loss to you (from your list) is the elimination of the possibility of GA error in cert removal. The others in your list you are assuming will change -- but as you say, we don't know the details yet.

From my point of view, eUpgrades are at a minimum going to be a substantial increase in convenience. No mailing delays (or costs, or wasted paper), no lost certs, no need to carry an assortment of paper certs. It may not be a huge improvement to you, but it's still an improvement to me.

Upgrade experience
 

I am hoping the planned new "e" process will avert a problem I encountered earlier this year. I upgraded in the 4 day window for YVR/YEG/LHR. The cert was lifted at YVR. I had www check in for the entire trip but when showing the J boarding card at YEG for the LHR leg I was called on to provide a cert (whoa - it was taken at YVR !). I was told I was being denied boarding and, that's not all, since my original seat in Y had already been reallocated and indeed Y was full I was off the flight entirely - a major blow as I was travelling to a funeral. I left the gate to consider my position. Along came one of the gate agents presumably seeing the light and said OK "in the circumstances" I could board - what circumstences I had not done anything wrong to my knowledge. For at least 5 minutes this situation was very uncomfortable and there appeared no resolve or appeal. I later learned that the gate agent at YVR should have somhow marked my file but thats AC business not mine. I remain very cautious in the use of upgrade certificates ever since.

with eupgrades, i hope we dont have to request standby twice, once with the booking and then a second time at the airport

No matter what happens, I'm sure Lise will still get her $ bonus. I just hope some bean counter at AC is smart enough to produce paper certs as a back up right now instead of waiting for Lise's new system to crash around her and leaving everyone in a messy situation.

I've had a couple situations at UA where e-certs weren't pulled.
Maybe the same can happen at AC!

I'm guessing printing and mailing paper certs costs AC close to $1,000,000/yr.

UA electronic upgrades work AMAZING! however it was BUGGY first year... Also UA has a POLICY of making it RIGHT for the customer... RIGHT AWAY on the spot!
With AC history of HORRID Tech issues... I am VERY worried! also because the ground staff CANT fix the problem.. [ just say write customer solutions.]

PS going from the press releases I also think AC is going to FIX the upgrade issues... to compete with the USA airlines and the upgrades... so even though I gave up on SE, I don't really expect more cutbacks...

also massive abuse.. people ordering 2 kits and printing certs.
However the ability of Lise to make "e" certs work is limited. So the Printing and mailing nightmare continued. :mad:

If you're only E, doesn't that go without saying?