Since you can not request any upgrades during the check-in window during the migration phase, this sounds like it will no longer be a possibility.

As for the "defined benefit of being an Altitude member"...

Altitude Terms & Conditions:

Eupgrade Change
 

Now realise this is all in the thread on migration. It is a bit buried though. But feel free to lock/delete


https://www.aircanada.com/ca/en/aco/...eupgrades.html

Air Canada is in the process of changing its reservation system, a project we’re undertaking to improve your travel experience. The first phase takes place on the evening of November 18 and will conclude the following morning. However, it will take a few months to complete the new system rollout across all of our airports worldwide, and during this transition period, there will be some temporary changes to how Air Canada Altitude members use their eUpgrade credits during this time.

eUpgrades must be requested at least 24 hours prior to departure

Like today, Air Canada Altitude members can continue to request an upgrade within their eligible booking window on aircanada.com, but during this transition period, upgrades must be requested no later than 24 hours prior to flight departure. Note that we have expanded all eUpgrade booking windows to at least 72 hours in order to ensure your upgrade request can be processed.

eUpgrades will not be available at the airport

You will not be able to request upgrades at the airport, and unfortunately we cannot guarantee that upgrades which were not cleared prior to check-in will be processed at the gate, even if a seat is available. In light of this, rest assured that we will work diligently to confirm more upgrades ahead of check-in. Additionally, by the end of the month, we’ll be providing Air Canada Altitude members with additional eUpgrade Credits which can be used through February 2021.

Nice find.

The website isn't that clear. Will the eups be limited for a few months, or just on the 18th and 19th?

For a few months. :eek:

My reading of the e-mail I just received is that this could go on for a while: "However, it will take a few months to complete the new system rollout across all of our airports worldwide, and during this transition period, there will be some temporary changes to your Air Canada Altitude privileges:"

So no gate upgrades for months. Cool. No eupgrade requests within 24 hours. Cool. Hopefully latitude pass complimentary upgrades will be unaffected.

This is concerning... I have a couple of flights in December that I was planning to SDC, but if I SDC I lose the ability to e-upgrade. That's going to suck! Some of those other flights I'd consider have R>0 available today. I wonder if I can get AC to waive change fees and move me to those flights today so that I can confirm my upgrade? Unlikely... but might be worth calling in...

The works "no longer" sound quite permanent. The notice from AC sounds quite transitional it also sounds quite non-definitive. I don't think they deliberately wanted to make any of these changes this is just the artifact of how various computer systems work with each other during transition. .

I think it will become apparent fairly quickly into this. If this is just the new central system and the old airport dispatch system not playing nice with each other as each airport gets converted we may discover things go back to normal airport by airport over the coming months.

Just as an observation about Amadeus. Not many if not none of the other airlines it hosts have a North American “upgrade culture”. As such, it is quite possible Amadeus does not have the ability to handle North American style upgrades as part of its predefined business rules.

Sometimes when implementing a new system, to be on the safe side, it may be decided that the predefined business rules should not be altered until the system is up and running. Also, customizations are frowned upon during this phase.

Once everything is up and running, then they would start changing around some of the business rules and perhaps adding custom modules to support carrier specific nuances such as North American style upgrades.

Given that they are tossing around a March 2020 date for completion, it's going to be a three way race between Amadeus, the Max and stay flat seats to see which one(s) get resolved first.

A race between tortoises that is. In the snow.

I wonder if they are suspending airport upgrades because they can't automatically reconcile credits back into Amadeus from DCS. They say you can standby early but if you clear into Y, your credits might not automatically be refunded. Makes me think they can process an onload list but not reconcile credits. So requesting at the airport, they can't deduct credits. Or a waitlisted upgrade wouldn't automatically get refunded if it doesn't clear.

Evidently the present notice from AC seems to indicate the opposite. That there will be varying degrees of borkage as they slowly get Amadeus operational and functioning with the various AC systems. So while they may flip the switch next week it will hardly be a smooth one. There is clearly more than a booking engine and DCS that’s involved here.

QUOTE:

" I foresee some very dirty looks from status fliers walking past empty business class seats on their way to economy."

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...56d9f58417.png


Full article https://onemileatatime.com/air-canad...eus-migration/