ywgckp

Hi,

I was travelling yesterday from YYZ - YWG with my wife (no status, same PNR). I had submitted an upgrade request at day -5 for both of us and was waitlisted.

We arrived at the gate around 45 minutes prior to departure and I inquired with the gate agent on the status of my request. They had processed the upgrade, but only for myself, and not my wife. I would have actually preferred to sit with her in the back (preferred Y seats on the E90 aren't bad IMHO, and I didn't need the meal given the timing of the flight), but they had given away my seat already to a standby passenger.

Aren't they supposed to ask you if they only can upgrade part of your party? I was told by the gate agent she had no control over it. Seems wrong to split groups/families apart without at least asking.

Anybody else with a similar experience?

stinger

Had a similar situation in YVR this year travelling to YEG, put us both on upgrade list, mine cleared but my son's didn't. I went up to the counter quickly so was able to keep my seat in Y. Not sure why they would have left a 9 year old in the back by himself. The ckin agent did seemed annoyed I didn't take the upgrade though.

lcohen999

It is all automated now. The GA does not process the upgrades.

Hit 45 minutes, it works through the upgrades, standby's etc.

The nuances are no longer there in the case of only one person getting the upgrade.

BlueMilk

I think everything here happened as designed and according to AC's upgrade priorities.

Worth taking up with the Bens, as there are clearly some circumstances where human interactions and judgement will provide better results.

nave888

AC used to be really good about this. I remember traveling with family on separate PNRs and if as an Elite or Super Elite I got an op up, my family member got it too. Now, even being on the same PNR doesn't guarantee anything. I recently got an op up between Edmonton and Vancouver, and ended up giving it to my companion. Its not always a perk when it means a couple ends up separated, with one enjoying J and the other stuck in Y....

On the bright side, the agents had no problem with me giving that op up to my companion.

ywgckp

I got a bit of attitude from the gate agent when I told her I wanted to move back to Y with my wife so it wasn't handled all that smoothly in my case either.

Thanks for the feedback. I'll post it in the Ben's thread and see what the response is. I don't think it's reasonable to split up families without at least asking.

t_rex

I had a similar experience this summer...was flying with my family from YOW-YVR...I get a call from AC in the morning of the day of flight asking if I'd like a free U/G (due to oversell/equipment change)...I say yes only if they can U/G the whole family (5 of us)...only 4 seats available so no deal. When we get to the gate I am given a J boarding pass...I say no thank you and had to argue to get my seat back with my family.

CdnFlier

I've had something similar happen and they wouldn't/couldn't fix it at the gate so on board the person in the seat I wanted/needed got an upgrade. Luckily, it worked out because they were traveling alone.

BlueMilk

I think it's an issue for anytime fulfilment of an upgrade splits up passengers on the same PNR--not just families.

Travelling with colleagues can be equally awkward when only one upgrade clears.

Ben Lipsey

The process occurred as it should have, in that each pax on the waitlist is processed according to his or her own status, irrespective of the nominee's status or whether or not they're on the same PNR. I believe you should still have been able to request your original seat in Y, so I'm a little surprised they didn't offer to offload the standby pax (or at least give them your J seat). Let me follow up to be sure.

EDIT: Yes this indeed the case. If you request to give up your J seat the GA should be able to accommodate.

mikeyyz

Uhhhhhh what's with all of you giving up great J seats? Don't you spend enough time with your SOs? The right move is giving it to them and enjoying some quiet time and bonus points from all involved!

ywgckp

Thanks! I have no issues with my wife's upgrade not clearing - I can understand why Air Canada prioritizes passengers for upgrade.

I just think that when multiple passengers are on the same PNR and are sitting together (families, coworkers, etc), they should be asked before they are separated. I think this used to be the process (I can remember being asked at least once).

Ben Lipsey

It was formerly part of the process when the upgrades were processed manually. With the new automated system, if you are waitlisted for an upgrade and there is an open seat when the flight closes, you will clear based on the published upgrade priority irrespective of any companions travelling with you. My only suggestion to avoid this would be to ask the GA for your original seat in Y (especially helpful if you are paged before the standby pax), or even to ask before the flight closes if it looks like all members of your travelling party will be upgraded, and if not then to have yourselves removed from the upgrade list.

BlueMilk

An elegant and practical solution that works well for my wife, somewhat for my coworkers and poorly for my young children.

On the otherhand, I'd really love to read the thread resulting from one of us abandoning a juiced-up 5 year old in J.

BlueMilk

Ben,

Finding your place on the upgrade list through talking with your staff requires considerable charm and subtlety because they're trained to not provide the information.

It's one of those areas where excellence in customer service means deviating from corporate policy.

A memo for lounge and check-in staff encouraging discussion with your customers would go a long way.