Symmetre

Excellent post - thanks @canadiancow.

D582

@canadiancow - thanks for putting in the effort to get the correct information on this process, which really, shouldn't be this hard (and which all goes out the window with the Amadeus migration )

I encountered this situation a month ago at the end of an Asia reward going ICN-YVR-SFO with YVR-SFO confirmed in X. I emailed the concierge and they did it correctly - both myself (AC*SE) and my companion (UA*G) were displayed on the upgrade list in the app. To add that the list order in the app is not always reflective of reality, there were 2 seats left when the upgrades were processed. The list displayed was:

1. Me
2. Random Person A
3. Random Person B
4. My Companion

However, the seats went to me and my companion. No idea the status of Randoms A and B.

Plumber

Thanks for posting this @canadiancow !!

monsieurcumulus

Thanks @canadiancow!

Just made me check my business reward with one segment in economy and the space was now available! Just YUL-ORD on a E175 but still better than economy!

The only downside was I had to wait 35 minutes on the phone as ticketing had to reissue the ticket (complex mini RTW)... Tha agent told me the taxes/surcharges were going to be recalculated on the whole itinerary and that I would maybe have to pay/get a credit. I was skeptical and it ended up being exactly the same as expected.

ksm06

canadiancow

All my experiences are in Official Air Canada Upgrade Priority. The only thing I know for sure is that I appear much lower on the list than previously. I haven't had any useful flights for analyzing (either we depart with empties, or I get it while an E75K in the same situation does not, and no one else is on the list), so I can't give you any useful anecdotes.

Sam_AE

Here's a curve ball for those that have some experience with these mixed cabin upgrades. I'm scheduled to fly YYZ-YUL (J class) TLV (PY class) - the ticket is a fixed fare costed/taxed at the full J rate since the first segment is in J.

There is a flight from YYZ direct to TLV that leaves later than the first segment of my scheduled flight, so the obvious questions:

1. Can I do a Same Day Confirmed change (and pay at the airport) to fly J class on the direct flight YYZ-TLV?
2. If not, will the check in agent in Toronto be able to put my on the upgrade list when the actual flight needing the upgrade is the YUL-TLV segment? Does this have to be done at YUL?

canadiancow

1. I think it's quite unlikely, but certainly worth asking.
2. My understanding is that since this is done in DCS, it can only be done in YUL, though I haven't ever tested this.

Jasper2009

Does anyone happen to know whether the upgrade can be requested:

(1) by calling the central concierge office at 00:01?
(2) by e-mailing the local concierge office?

I was thinking this may help in terms of getting a meal (vs. requesting the upgrade ~2h before departure at the airport when it may be too late), though I'm not entirely sure how/when AC calculates the number of meals to be catered (this would be a domestic flight FWIW).

canadiancow

The concierge can do it any point after you're checked in. It does not need to be same calendar day.

Meals are loaded based on projected loads, but I'm not sure if that's based on the reservation waitlist or the onload list.

But getting on the list early will certainly not hurt your chances at getting a meal.

yyznomad

canadiancow

But then the question becomes: Do you want to argue with the agent over the semantics of jargon, or do you want to sit in business class?

I had a whole speech I used to give, using technical jargon (that I'm pretty sure I've posted on FT), but I assure you the best way to get what you want is to follow the instructions I've laid out.

Regardless of what you believe or how you feel or what you think you've paid for, the flow they have to follow on their terminal uses the word "upgrade", so deviating from that word is just going to confuse them.

DCS considers an upgrade to be moving from your confirmed cabin to a higher cabin, which is exactly what you're doing here.

I also take issue with the "entitled" part. Someone who's put in an eUpgrade request is entitled to sit in J. Deadheading FAs are entitled to sit in J. Deadheading pilots are entitled to sit in J. Everyone's entitled, just with different priorities, as set out by AC in an order that does not appease everyone.

yyznomad

canadiancow

The issue isn't with you, it's with people who tend to use that word in this respect, without realizing that there are tons of people also entitled to J.

TenForward

Thanks @canadiancow, flyertalk is amazing and this post is one of the most informative I've seen.

Pardon my ignorance in asking the following:

On a mixed cabin redemption where I have redeemed for business but am confirmed only in economy, if I correctly follow the procedure you describe in your original post and get properly added to the upgrade list, provided there is space in J before push-back, will I be assured a seat up front? Am I correct in understanding is that if I am correctly placed on the upgrade list (and confirming so via the app), and provided that the total number of folks on the upgrade list is less than the total number of available J seats, I will get a J seat?

Thanks again