Here is an explanation about the waitlist process for nominees from ac customer support. It explains somewhat better about the process which Andrew previously classified as an Ac trade secret: my original complaint is below the reply from Ac:

Dear Mr. Allvest

Thank you for your email. We appreciate the time you have taken to contact us and are pleased to address your concerns.

Please accept our sincere apologies for any mis-information you may have received from our agents regarding the eUpgrade waitlist. .I can understand your frustration given that the information online does not specifically address this issue. .I have read the paragraph that you are referring to, (where it states that the Nominee will follow the same eligibility criteria) and I can see how it may be misleading as this does not actually apply to the waitlist at all.

The way it works is that if you are booked on a separate file, then you and your Nominee would be cleared from the waitlist based on your own status (ie: you as Super Elite and your wife as Elite). .If you are booked on the same file, and the waitlist clears in the reservations system before departure, then your wife would maintain your status and you would be cleared together.

If you are .standing by at the gate for the upgrade, the system will prioritize based on the individual's status, even if you are booked on the same file. .So basically the ONLY time that you would be cleared together at the same time is if you are both booked on the same file and the waitlist clears in the reservation system before departure.

Respectfully, we must decline your request for a refund of the 6 eUpgrade credits that were used, however as a gesture of goodwill we will give you 3 eUpgrade credits as compensation.

Once again, Mr. Allvest we sincerely regret the issues you have encountered and assure you we are working hard to earn your continued loyalty. We hope you will allow us a future opportunity to provide you with a more pleasant travel experience.

Sincerely,

Customer Relations



------ ..Original Message ..------

From: allvest
Sent: 04/06/2011 04:38 PM
Subject: eUPGRADE confusion on waitlist


My wife and I were flying from Ottawa to Bangkok via YYZ and HKG.

I had an upgrade confirmed on Latitude fare on my own reservation, and also sponsored my wife's reservation as my eUpgrade nominee.

The eupgrade conditions on the website specifically mention that for nominees, the same conditions and booking windows apply as for the eUpgrade account holder. .I was also assured by AC reservations when requesting the upgrade that her waitlist would carry through under my SE priority.

However, at the airport in Toronto, her waitlist was trumped by several Elites. .Had she been given the SE priority she would have received her upgrade.

Now, I understand that these rules are new, and everyone is entitled to be confused. .But HAD I REALIZED THAT SHE WOULD NOT RECEIVE SUPER ELITE PRIORITY ON THE LIST, I would not have wasted 6 eupgrades from YOW to YYZ.

This was a mistake which was re-inforced by the information on your website as well as TWO reservation agents who both reassured me that she would be prioritized as per my SE status.

I would very kindly ask that a) you explain what the actual waitlist and status benefits are for my nominee and b) that you would really kindly reinstate the 6 wasted eUpgrades into my account.

Allvest

Yikes! 6 credits to upgrade YOW-YYZ!!
Thanks for the explanation.

Thanks for posting that!

Very interesting indeed, not only knowing the exact waitlist procedure but the fact that CS is able to credit goodwill upgrade credits.

Now it became 3 credits. Still sucks!

Thanks for sharing.... Now we know.

So let me see if I get this right, if you and your wife were on the same PNR, then you two will share the same 'SE' priority and will clear both (or nothing?)....

It sucks your wife get trumped by Es at the gate.

Kudos to you Allvest for taking on the "Puzzle Palace"!
First time I ever see and hear of someone getting ANY E-Credits back!

Thanks for the update^

I used to get status mile compensation on mismatched tango+ TG operated code shares (for instance sold to me as s or k or l and posted as v or w) but they now fixed their translation tables so AC advised me to avoid TG! Some alliance they have.

We should collectively attack the practice of fuel and admin barges especially on reward tickets. What a racket that is. Isn't there a lawyer on here who would like to do a class action?

I think you�d need more than a "regular" lawyer to tackle fuel surcharges successfully. And to be honest, I�d be surprised if fuel surcharges were to disappear as a result of a law suit.

Being an optimist I guess the best that would come out of a class action lawsuit would be

a) airlines being forced to advertise all-in pricing
b) airlines/FFPs not being allowed to charge a fuel surcharge which exceeds the actual cost of fuel per person

Isn't this pretty much the same explanation that Andrew had given?

Still with with no detailed information on how gate upgrades are prioritized.

That's what I thought as well - Andrew's explanation seemed clear.

I have asked about the waitlist prioritizing at the gate as well. No answer on that yet.

yes i believe this is the same as Andrew had mentioned, from all the info that he posted it was clear that once the waitlist gets transferred over, everyone gets sorted individually

aren't gate upgrades based on INDIVIDUAL status, followed by fare class, however AY did point out that if a passenger is on a paid J flight on a latter leg they get moved to the top

based on the OP's post i guess connecting passengers no longer trump SEs since it seems like upgrades are all split up by segment

i thought he gave u an answer.....its proprietary

================================================== =============

Followup from Ac Customer Service:

Dear Mr. Allvest

Thank you for your follow-up email.

To answer your question, yes the elites would be grouped together (whether or not they were using their own credits or traveling as a nominee). .If all criteria is equal (ie: Aeroplan status, fare paid, etc) .then it will go by whoever checked in first for the flight, so it's always best to check-in online at exactly 24 hours prior to the departure time.

Regards,

Customer Relations


------ .

Yes that was stupid and arrogant answer.