UA seems to have solved the problem -- so why can't AC use it?
Nov 18, 2011, 1:26 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 379
UA seems to have solved the problem -- so why can't AC use it?
Last week, I found a very interesting solution that I had never seen before but applaud.
I was in UA F and there were 4 empty seats in F and many in C.
Once ALL had boarded and the doors shut. UA FA made an announcement that F and C class were available for a fee as all UG passengers had been processed and there were still seats to be had. Payable by credit card. Please contact a FA.
How brilliant! F filled the 4 seats and I am sure some took C class seats and at least there was no LMU line jumping like at AC where LMU trump e-UG.
People can say there must be some issues involved or difficulties but I say if UA is doing it, there is no reason why AC with its credit card/duty-free readers can't do the same.
I was in UA F and there were 4 empty seats in F and many in C.
Once ALL had boarded and the doors shut. UA FA made an announcement that F and C class were available for a fee as all UG passengers had been processed and there were still seats to be had. Payable by credit card. Please contact a FA.
How brilliant! F filled the 4 seats and I am sure some took C class seats and at least there was no LMU line jumping like at AC where LMU trump e-UG.
People can say there must be some issues involved or difficulties but I say if UA is doing it, there is no reason why AC with its credit card/duty-free readers can't do the same.
Last edited by travelblond; Nov 18, 2011 at 1:28 am Reason: additional wording
Nov 18, 2011, 2:43 pm
#4
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 417
Nov 18, 2011, 3:00 pm
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Anywhere I need to be.
Programs: OW Emerald, *A Gold, NEXUS, GE, ABTC/APEC, South Korea SES, eIACS, PP, Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 16,046
Would the buy ups receive F/J mileage, or just Y?
The other thing, is, it be deductible thru AMEX airline credit, as it doesn't have a ticket number, right?
The other thing, is, it be deductible thru AMEX airline credit, as it doesn't have a ticket number, right?
Nov 18, 2011, 4:06 pm
#6
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: YVR - Vancouver, with most winter weekends in Whistler.
Programs: Aeroplan 35K, Alaska MVP, Marriott Titanium / Lifetime Platinum, Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 4,613
UA, despite their old aircraft, are years ahead of AC with respect to IT.
- Monitors that show where you sit on the upgrade list
- Mobile websites that acually load on a smartphone
- Kiosks that allow you rebook ITIN's.
- and transparancy with the whole process (upgrades)
Sadly, I fear this and the OP's great idea will be a way's off from AC
- Monitors that show where you sit on the upgrade list
- Mobile websites that acually load on a smartphone
- Kiosks that allow you rebook ITIN's.
- and transparancy with the whole process (upgrades)
Sadly, I fear this and the OP's great idea will be a way's off from AC
Nov 18, 2011, 4:50 pm
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Programs: OWEmerald; STARGold; BonvoyPlat; IHGPlat/Amb; HiltonGold; A|ClubPat; AirMilesPlat
Posts: 38,187
What route were you flying? Was this domestic or international? What was the cost to upgrade? Imagine if you'd paid $3K to fly in C and someone who paid $500 to fly coach bought an upgrade for $500 more sat down in the once empty seat beside you? I'd feel ripped off by UA.
Nov 18, 2011, 4:58 pm
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 379
What route were you flying? Was this domestic or international? What was the cost to upgrade? Imagine if you'd paid $3K to fly in C and someone who paid $500 to fly coach bought an upgrade for $500 more sat down in the once empty seat beside you? I'd feel ripped off by UA.
Quick, easy and used her credit card. I don't mind. As confirmed by in-flight announcement that ALL UG passengers had been processed and now they were starting selling LMU -- you know, OPPOSITE of what AC does.
AC will screw loyalty by selling LMU FIRST and then whatever is left can go to UG passengers.
I didn't feel ripped off at all. I am happy those after FF and their UG were dealt with first and then they had a chance to purchase.
The system works for fliers and the airline.
I guess Canada and AC is a third world country that just can't figure it all out so go for the big screw to SE, E, P members to ho themselves for a few more bucks. Pathetic.
Nov 18, 2011, 5:28 pm
#10
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Whitehorse, Yukon
Programs: Aeroplan Elite, Intercontinental Royal Ambassador & Priority Club Plat, Hhonors Gold, Air Miles Gold
Posts: 312
NRT-ORD. I was already in F class. I asked a lady who was in C and bought-up to F how much she paid and it was $300USD and change.
Quick, easy and used her credit card. I don't mind. As confirmed by in-flight announcement that ALL UG passengers had been processed and now they were starting selling LMU -- you know, OPPOSITE of what AC does.
AC will screw loyalty by selling LMU FIRST and then whatever is left can go to UG passengers.
I didn't feel ripped off at all. I am happy those after FF and their UG were dealt with first and then they had a chance to purchase.
The system works for fliers and the airline...
Quick, easy and used her credit card. I don't mind. As confirmed by in-flight announcement that ALL UG passengers had been processed and now they were starting selling LMU -- you know, OPPOSITE of what AC does.
AC will screw loyalty by selling LMU FIRST and then whatever is left can go to UG passengers.
I didn't feel ripped off at all. I am happy those after FF and their UG were dealt with first and then they had a chance to purchase.
The system works for fliers and the airline...
Nov 18, 2011, 8:53 pm
#11
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Vancouver, Canada
Posts: 6,222
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (BlackBerry; U; BlackBerry 9780; en-US) AppleWebKit/534.8+ (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/6.0.0.448 Mobile Safari/534.8+)
The problem is that AC is encumbered by a massive bureuacracy who's mantra is "we will spend any amount of money to insure that no customer receives an undeserved benefit." This middle-mass believes with an evangelical fervour that would put most cults to shame that if a customer thinks something is a good deal then that thing must immediately and completely be obliterated for evermore.
If the concept ever reaches senior management look for a continuous stream of sound bites explaining why it is impossible, unworkable, inadvisable, unseemly, immoral, and too costly in today's economic reality.
People can say there must be some issues involved or difficulties but I say if UA is doing it, there is no reason why AC with its credit card/duty-free readers can't do the same.
If the concept ever reaches senior management look for a continuous stream of sound bites explaining why it is impossible, unworkable, inadvisable, unseemly, immoral, and too costly in today's economic reality.
Nov 18, 2011, 9:32 pm
#12
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Toronto, NYC, somewhere on planet Earth
Programs: UA 1K, AA ExPlat, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Plat, Marriott Gold
Posts: 8,289
$300 seems a bit cheap to go from C-->F considering the upgrade at ticketing price is around the $779 price o/w for Y-->C or C-->F for LAX-NRT and $600+ at gate for E+-->C.
Personally I have never seen this on board a UA flight.
As for AC being third-world, not sure what other 'first-world' airlines do this type of thing (BA, Lufthansa, Air France, AA, JAL, CX...).
Personally I have never seen this on board a UA flight.
As for AC being third-world, not sure what other 'first-world' airlines do this type of thing (BA, Lufthansa, Air France, AA, JAL, CX...).
NRT-ORD. I was already in F class. I asked a lady who was in C and bought-up to F how much she paid and it was $300USD and change.
Quick, easy and used her credit card. I don't mind. As confirmed by in-flight announcement that ALL UG passengers had been processed and now they were starting selling LMU -- you know, OPPOSITE of what AC does.
AC will screw loyalty by selling LMU FIRST and then whatever is left can go to UG passengers.
I didn't feel ripped off at all. I am happy those after FF and their UG were dealt with first and then they had a chance to purchase.
The system works for fliers and the airline.
I guess Canada and AC is a third world country that just can't figure it all out so go for the big screw to SE, E, P members to ho themselves for a few more bucks. Pathetic.
Quick, easy and used her credit card. I don't mind. As confirmed by in-flight announcement that ALL UG passengers had been processed and now they were starting selling LMU -- you know, OPPOSITE of what AC does.
AC will screw loyalty by selling LMU FIRST and then whatever is left can go to UG passengers.
I didn't feel ripped off at all. I am happy those after FF and their UG were dealt with first and then they had a chance to purchase.
The system works for fliers and the airline.
I guess Canada and AC is a third world country that just can't figure it all out so go for the big screw to SE, E, P members to ho themselves for a few more bucks. Pathetic.
Nov 19, 2011, 5:38 am
#13
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: CHI
Programs: UA 1K, AZ Exec, MR Titanium, IHG Gold, National Exec
Posts: 3,848
Never seen it on UA either but CX does sell upgrades on-board by request. It's very expensive though.
Nov 19, 2011, 6:07 am
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 379
$300 seems a bit cheap to go from C-->F considering the upgrade at ticketing price is around the $779 price o/w for Y-->C or C-->F for LAX-NRT and $600+ at gate for E+-->C.
Personally I have never seen this on board a UA flight.
As for AC being third-world, not sure what other 'first-world' airlines do this type of thing (BA, Lufthansa, Air France, AA, JAL, CX...).
Personally I have never seen this on board a UA flight.
As for AC being third-world, not sure what other 'first-world' airlines do this type of thing (BA, Lufthansa, Air France, AA, JAL, CX...).
I don't know how they figure out their rates but that is what the lady paid.
It's a system that clearly works and AC's system fails. I would pay $3-5-700 for an LMU but I would hope it would be AFTER ALL UG e-mile customers are taken care of first. AC keeps taking steps back.
UA has it right! Maybe they calculate per passenger on load factors. It was a light load in C (no idea about Y) -- hey, all were happy from what I can see. Hopefully AC will get it's head out of its butt and start acting like a real loyal company and not some half-aXX airline that is falling apart day by day. Learn from others' success if you keep failing, AC!
Nov 19, 2011, 6:15 am
#15
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Programs: OWEmerald; STARGold; BonvoyPlat; IHGPlat/Amb; HiltonGold; A|ClubPat; AirMilesPlat
Posts: 38,187
Given UA's crap new C seat (next to no privacy, stupid front and back facing arrangement, 7-across) $300 is certainly a bargain to get out of them. Maybe OP didn't feel cheated by the discounting but it's a slippery slope to what happened on domestic US carriers who can't sell F any more because they've been giving it away for so long. (Was OP on an award or did he pay for the F ticket out of his own pocket, or his company's?)
Perhaps OP should post this on the UA/CO site as it's not been reported there yet as a new policy.
Perhaps OP should post this on the UA/CO site as it's not been reported there yet as a new policy.