ffsim

Oh man that's infuriating. You can't even prove that you sat in Y, short of having a fortuitous string of selfies...

Thankfully, the in-app upgrade list has gone a long way in making those kinds of situations a blast from the past ^

tracon

The kid sat in PY by himself, or was there a third person in your party?

drvannostren

I'd never heard YBYL before, but man I've lived it, I hate that it's a thing, but I almost hate more the inverse.

I Volunteered for the bump at BOG a few weeks ago (for a UA) flight, no bags, plenty of time on the connections could've easily been rerouted home no problems. I ask if they'll need me, she flippantly says (without looking at a damn thing and not even being at the podium) "No, we're ok". I kinda brushed it off because of the way she acted and I said "ok, well they asked on the website, but I don't wanna stand around at the gate for the next hour while you guys decide, here's my name, seat number, I'll be right above the gate in the lounge". Sure enough she comes up to the lounge 10 mins later to ask me for more info and says "we'll probably need you, but obviously I can't tell until the end". I understand this completely. My problem is you're damned if you do, damned if you don't. So I wait and wait, everyone boards, then I get told they don't need my seat. Great...I board, there's no room in the overhead for my carry on, there's no room under the seat in front of me even for my backpack because the entertainment box takes up a big chunk of the space. I look to the overheads (at the back of the plane where I was sitting, like 3 rows from the back) and of course, 1 is for blankets/other crap, 1 is LOCKED and for flight crew and 1 for flight instruments/fire suppression stuff (who could EASILY have their bags in the hold as gate delivery items) so now you've got a full flight, overheads are usually a disaster, plus 3 huge overheads that are off limits. The flight attendant starts giving me crap about it. I was trying to be helpful, though a VDB is beneficial for me too, but it certainly keeps them from any fighting with passengers, but I'm getting attitude from the flight attendants? I'd rather just board the plane first (if I've got my carry-on, I often board early with my status) get my needed space, then get the boot off the plane afterward, since I've already volunteered you won't need to Dr. Dao me, if they need the space.

So it's really, YBYL or YDBYL...screwed either way. I'm sure I've missed an upgrade along the way by not being at the gate too, wouldn't it be awesome if we all had devices where they could contact us quickly and silently using all the personal info we've given them? How awesome would an alert be in your AC/UA app that says "You've been upgraded on your YVR-YYZ flight, please click here to receive your new boarding pass" and it could just have a "cancel" next to it or something to deny the upgrade in case you're travelling in a group you wanna stay with.

dibby

Before the upgrade list on the app days: red eye SFO-YYZ. Waitlisted for Business and told that I was near the top. Boarding is called, so asked at the desk about the upgrade. Didn't get it and no chance - all full. So I board with Group 2 and settle into 14A - wrap and inflatable pillow all tucked in for the night- and take a Benadryl. At the end of boarding, a woman boards holding a bp for 14 A and tells me I'm in her seat. FA comes back, confers with the boarding agent, and voila, it turns out that I'd been upgraded and no one bothered to tell me when I asked (or it happened after I boarded - no one knew). Told brusquely that I've have to move to my assigned seat (my boarding pass said 14A, and I had asked!). So, I have to get all my stuff together and change seats into 3A after everyone has boarded. I suppose I could have just told the woman to go sit in my seat in J, but I wasn't thinking that fast (and shouldn't have combined the Benadryl and a glass of United Club wine) and it was a red-eye. I looked like a right rube dragging my pillow and blankie up with me to J. And on deplaning, my rollaboard was still back above row 14.

Early December had a YBYL at YYZ. Told by the Concierge she'd put me on the upgrade list as a courtesy as I was running to make the connection they thought I'd not make. I'd called to get put back on my original flight, as I had gotten the "we've rebooked you" text on landing. Made it to the gate before boarding - according to the app, number 2 on the list with 2 seats open in J (I'm SE). Asked at the gate as I arrived 30 min before the listed departure time - growled at that I didn't get it, please take the assigned 21 C next to the mid-cabin bathroom on the A321 (had lost 14D during the unloaded - reloaded "we rebooked your connection for you just in case" part) and get on the plane and don't ask silly questions. Mentioned the waitlist on the app and was told to call the concierge. After boarding, looked at the app again - I'm no longer on the upgrade list (clearly YBYL, as had been on just before boarding), but they're showing 2 empty in J, then 3 empty. Called the concierge, who chatted with the gate agent, and I finally got moved up to J. Flight left with 2 empty in J. And of course, the credits got deducted for my "courtesy" upgrade, but since free upgrades aren't SOP at AC, I'm not going to fuss about that. The 2 concierges with whom I'd spoken that day were polite, very helpful, and pro-active. The gate agents ... not quite.

canadiancow

You definitely drop off the app's version of the onload list when you board.

Given that some people have been upgraded after boarding, you clearly don't drop off the main list, or some other list (there are at least two).

I'm at the point where I won't board unless I can see the GA's screen that says J has boarded full.

One time I was flying with three other people. Two of us were in J, two were waitlisted (both SE, top of the list). I told them to hang back. I boarded first, noticed that "zone 1" was saying 3 passengers left. Then the other J pax boarded, and it dropped to 2. "Nevermind, J has boarded full, come on."

But GAs tend to believe that if J has checked in full, that's the end of it. And I clearly proved that wrong on Sunday (by SDCing after the announcement was made that they were full and there would be no upgrades).

tracon

Flying out of DXB.
Passenger talking on phone boards in PY cabin.
It sounds like he's talking to someone about upgrades.
He leaves his stuff at the seat, marches off the plane.
Comes back 10 minutes later with a new boarding pass for row 1.

He almost lost.

jc94

YVRYEGYVR

Same experience- I had previously asked if there was any possibility of e-upgrade at the gate, GA told me unlikely as very full and more elites ahead of me. Indeed my e-up request did not go through and several elites were called to the gate to get their new BPs.

Low and behold, when I was seated in my comfortable Y seat (forget which plane, but no seat in front just the FA seat facing you, so unlimited leg room)- FA came to me and provided me a J BP and relocated me, and another pax took my nice Y seat.
I later saw that 10 e-ups were duly removed from my account

sram

Last month in FRA boarded with Y BP and sat in my seat (18A). Concierge come on board and presented my with a PY Seat (12 E). I was on the list, so it does happen from time to time.

Jumper Jack

I am slightly concerned about my YYZ MCO flight, booked in X but paid for I, should I go to gate directly and wait there until last minute to ensure I will get upgraded properly or just let the GA do his thing?

On the other hand, I have seen plenty of times GA(or FA) coming in to PY or Y to present ppl with boarding passes so maybe the system does work(sometimes)

Jumper Jack

This has to be the worst trade deal in the history of trade deals, maybe ever. :P

philelite

My experience on wide-bodies (ie. 777 & 787) between YVR-YYZ is that after boarding is complete the gate agent will usually come on-board and hand out upgrades. I've been upgraded at least 2 times in past year, where they come on-board to give me a J BP.

For 777 flight, that means boarding might start T-60, but flight doesn't close until T-45. If you're on the upgrade list, then you should at least wait until T-40! I believe they have to manually print the upgrade list at closing time, otherwise your name is cleared from the list after you board.

My sense is on small aircrafts and shorter routes the gate agent can decide if they want to go on-board or just to give it to someone who hasn't board. Personally, I ONLY care on longer flights (3+ hours) that they come on-board.

canadiancow

You can see your position on the list in the app. You can see them clear the list in the app.

I don't know why you're concerned.

kiokujai

Didnt know this. Thanks!

RangerNS

It is newish, and probably does reduce a lot of shenanigans.

YBYL is, I think, more about OpUps.