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Operational upgrades (op-ups); and why doesn't AC give away all J seats as comp-ups?

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Operational upgrades (op-ups); and why doesn't AC give away all J seats as comp-ups?

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Old Jul 16, 2019, 8:45 am
  #16  
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Originally Posted by CZAMFlyer
Lost in the cacophony of attempts to apply arcane and official Rules and Procedures is the notion that sometimes unexpected stuff just...happens. Even good stuff like random upgrades. Even at Air Canada.
Good stuff for the OP perhaps. Not so good stuff if per the rules someone else was supposed to get the upgrade but did not.
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Old Jul 16, 2019, 9:03 am
  #17  
 
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Originally Posted by Stranger
Good stuff for the OP perhaps. Not so good stuff if per the rules someone else was supposed to get the upgrade but did not.
"Supposed" to get the upgrade? You mean, didn't receive a perk for which they didn't pay? And as OP stated, J class was 80% full, which means it was 20% empty, so it appears the OP didn't take somebody's sole remaining "entitlement".

Want a J seat? Buy one.
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Old Jul 16, 2019, 9:54 am
  #18  
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Originally Posted by CZAMFlyer
"Supposed" to get the upgrade? You mean, didn't receive a perk for which they didn't pay? And as OP stated, J class was 80% full, which means it was 20% empty, so it appears the OP didn't take somebody's sole remaining "entitlement".

Want a J seat? Buy one.
Sure. But there are rules for operational upgrades and these should be followed, instead of upgrading random people. Presumably these rules are there for a reason.
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Old Jul 16, 2019, 10:20 am
  #19  
 
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Back in 2012-2014 I received many op-ups on TPAC flights as a lowly P25K. I did pay for flex instead of Tango, and the flights were usually overbooked in Y but had many empty seats in J.
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Old Jul 16, 2019, 10:21 am
  #20  
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Originally Posted by Shareholder
Would not elite status trump fare paid? Surely there'd be E50K/E75K/E100K elites on such a flight who'd have greater priority for an opup? And as others have speculated, was it actually from economy to business, or economy to premium economy? It would seem PE>J would be a more normal opup, then move someone in Y>PE.
​​​​​​Cabin, status, fare class.

Which is why this confuses me. If other speculation is correct that it was actually to PY, not J, then that makes way more sense.
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Old Jul 16, 2019, 10:27 am
  #21  
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Originally Posted by Shareholder
Would not elite status trump fare paid? Surely there'd be E50K/E75K/E100K elites on such a flight who'd have greater priority for an opup?
But E50K/E75K/E100K elites would be expected to be familiar with AC's J cabins.

A non-status (or non-FFP) pax on a high economy ticket may be someone whose business can be swayed by showing a little generosity, and teasing the delights of AC J.

Upgrades are not only usable as "rewards" for custom already demonstrated (i.e. the airline already takes you for granted), but can be used as enticements for further business from "new" customers....
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Old Jul 16, 2019, 10:30 am
  #22  
 
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Bereavement fares are something or M last I knew. As in low flex something and high flex M. I got the low flex one so couldn’t eUp as an E35k.

I can’t recall the code, but it was a low flex code. I paid 50% for my seat. It wasn’t full Y.

All before branded fare lotto of course.

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Old Jul 16, 2019, 10:43 am
  #23  
 
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Originally Posted by Stranger
Sure. But there are rules for operational upgrades and these should be followed, instead of upgrading random people. Presumably these rules are there for a reason.
Despite what their OTP shows, gate agents do get in trouble for delaying flights. If a flight was near to closing and they had the option of moving one person to solve their seating problems or playing musical seats with 5 or 6 people that will then need new boarding passes and be called up to collect them, I can guess the expediency will be the order of the day. The flight gets closed on time and they don't have to do any explanations to a manager, instead of following the "rules" and shuffling a bunch of people and having a delay mark against their name.
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Old Jul 16, 2019, 10:44 am
  #24  
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Originally Posted by irishguy28
But E50K/E75K/E100K elites would be expected to be familiar with AC's J cabins.

A non-status (or non-FFP) pax on a high economy ticket may be someone whose business can be swayed by showing a little generosity, and teasing the delights of AC J.

Upgrades are not only usable as "rewards" for custom already demonstrated (i.e. the airline already takes you for granted), but can be used as enticements for further business from "new" customers....
However:

1. If you're going to do that, you need to be smart about it. Last minute full-fare business travelers, I could MAYBE see the reason. But 99% of the people in Y (including those on a bereavement fare) either would not pay for J (personal) or could not (corporate).
2. While there is no PUBLISHED op-up policy, there absolutely is a policy, and it's not this.
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Old Jul 16, 2019, 1:24 pm
  #25  
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Originally Posted by canadiancow
2. While there is no PUBLISHED op-up policy, there absolutely is a policy, and it's not this.
Policies aren't always followed.

I like to think that someone with a bit of human compassion intervened.
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Old Jul 16, 2019, 1:49 pm
  #26  
 
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Originally Posted by F 1
Perhaps they had to free up a seat in economy. Congrats, that's a huge op-up. Now go buy a lotto ticket and don't expect it to ever happen again
Agree with you, not always worth relying on luck.
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Old Jul 16, 2019, 10:17 pm
  #27  
 
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Originally Posted by Stranger
Sure. But there are rules for operational upgrades and these should be followed, instead of upgrading random people. Presumably these rules are there for a reason.
Who says it was random? Given that none of us have much stake in the matter, why should we care who gets upgraded and who doesn't? As mentioned, the plane departed with empty J seats, so everyone who was eligible to get upgraded, presumably did so. If we lived life with strict & indignant adherence to The Rules, could you imagine how utterly joyless of an existence that would be? I have a feeling some can...

I know my own upgrades didn't follow any semblance of policy, and I for one, was delighted in the outcome. Didn't waste one second in fretting over which rule may have been bent or ignored.
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Old Jul 16, 2019, 10:22 pm
  #28  
 
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Both of my co-workers (non status) who fly on economy standard fares got J upgrade.
One was from India to YVR, the other from YYZ to Austin.

So its definitely not THAT rare that GAs didnt follow the procedure
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Old Jul 17, 2019, 8:31 am
  #29  
 
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I've never had an op-up on AC. I try not to leave those things to chance so have usually upgraded beforehand.

I don't much care who gets an op-up on a flight I'm not on. I think I'd be miffed if someone without status got upgraded instead of me (or other SEs or MMs) if I was on board in Y though. But that's because I'm a whiny and self-entitled DB.

In this case I really hope compassion played a role.
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Old Jul 17, 2019, 9:06 am
  #30  
 
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Originally Posted by CZAMFlyer
If we lived life with strict & indignant adherence to The Rules, could you imagine how utterly joyless of an existence that would be? I have a feeling some can...
We're talking about airlines, here.

The reason they don't publish any criteria for upgrades and op-up's is because they don't want to be held accountable to their own procedures and standards.

How long did it take Air Canada to start producing upgrade lists?

If you think some accountability here sucks the joy out of life, you're in the wrong industry.
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