NordsFan

Ride was fine. Flight was OT for arrival and I had time for two glasses of ginger ale (not 7UP ! ) on the short flight down the Hudson River Valley.

huntk

Look, as a SE I have also benefitted from a SD approaching me prior to take off and inviting me into the J cabin when I have been seated in Y. I will never forget that gesture of good will and my loyalty to AC remains because of it. Of course, this was on the YYZ to LHR route which lately has been largely empty in J.

YYCYYZ

I also recently encountered an issue somewhat similar to this.

I was arriving in YVR from HKG and was connecting on my flight to YYC. I was on a full paid J ticket. I was travelling with only carry on. The HKG flight got in early and I hustled to try and move up to an earlier flight.

When I arrived at the desk of the YVR-YYC flight before mine (1 hr earlier) which wasn't quite boarding yet, I inquired about moving up to the earlier flight in J, while at exactly the same time two uniformed (non-pilot) AC staff were requesting their upgrade to J (which I heard). The two AC staff at the desk counter went back and forth for a while but then said I couldn't get onto the flight because it had "checked in full" while handing the new BPs to the two AC staff beside me. Offered me a seat in economy then.

I just looked at the guy, looked at the two staff who beat a hasty retreat, and walked 20 feet to the lounge (it was that gate right across from the lounge in YVR) to cool my feet for an hour. I wasn't up for a fight and it was only an hour, but still. Made me feel like AC would rather take care of staffers.

Was I asking for a favour? Yeah sure. What is the rule about moving up one flight? I can't remember exactly. But after HKG-YVR as a full fare J and an E at the time, I just wanted to see if I could get home an hour early...

Optics.

Stranger

I suspect these things happened a lot in the past when gate agents were in full control. But nowadays the upgrade process is done by the computer, so it normally goes by policy.

This said, I have seen cases at US stations where some seat in J went empty even though there were more people who had requested upgrades. Saw this at DFW in january, victim was a friend of mine, who was eventually moved up by the SD.

I_Can_Fly_US_Airways

I have found there are only TWO ways to guarantee F or J Class...

1. Buy it ($)
2. Use miles &/or copay.

ANYTHING other than this, and you too can be an Upgrade Lottery Loser* )-:

*As a an FYI, played the game for some 20 years & WON EVERY TIME until 2 years an I did not catch an UG from Y>C on a flight from IAD>FCO. Figured my "luck" had ran, so started using the above strategy. Yes, it's not cheap, but the peace of mind usually isn't (-;

tyberius

About Thai: I fly a fair amount with them and I received one op-up from J to F on a short haul. Other than that happening (which happened during checkin because I think the girls thought it was funny), they don't even recognize your status on board the plane.

Oneworld though, as an Emerald, every flight I go on with any partner the service director comes and greets me. I got a bottle of water once too. But, that's all it got me, never an op-up, even on Cathay (where I hold my status).

This was my experience as an SE on Air Canada, but only limited to AC, SD always greeted me but other star alliance partners ignored it and at times have even dinged me for extra luggage (Lufthansa and LOT) ignoring the *G terms. I never received an op-up or anything special other than the hello.

Delta as Gold has upgraded me 100% on their flights.

Of course my love is now given to Delta.

tyberius

Also I'll say that I've enjoyed my AC flying, just that I prefer getting upgraded 100% of the time while paying half the economy fare of AC.

Vagus

I was on a flight from YVR to YYC (paid a business fare and was not upgraded), there was an AC captain who was seated with us in J (in his official uniform). they only loaded 8 meals on the plane (9 total J seats, all occupied). So everybody got a meal but me (I was seated in last row and I had an E status at that time). F/A gave me extra crackers. I asked how come she said sorry but we ran out (the captain was enjoying my meal I assumed).

bottom line: AC employees >>>>>> passengers.

margarita girl

And there was also the time when you sat in Y from YVR-YYZ (while on an onward connection from Asia where you upgraded with ecredits) because J had supposedly checked in full, and then watched the SD move an AC employee up to an empty J seat.

Stranger

The captain very likely qualified for being in J as per contract. But that's not the issue; he is not the one who got your meal.

But if they did load only 8 meals for nine passengers, some people who were upgraded were supposed to not get one before you. So the crew messed this up.

margarita girl

And if you filed a complaint, you'd probably get a $50 voucher.

The Lev

I agree.

As per Margarita girl, you should bring the issue to AC's attention because this stuff should not happen.

acysb87

Did AC pick you for weight OR balance?

NordsFan

Probably the former.....

WhiteYUL

Yup, same here. Twice. Same route. Back when I was (still) a lowly *E (back when that still existed!). Refused LMUs, didn't want to use eUpgrades for such a short flight but got to sit in J nevertheless. Can't complain about SOPs in this case.