How Complimentary Upgrades Work
#586
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Northern Calif./Eastern Ida.
Programs: Amethyst Premier Plutonium Medallion
Posts: 20,566
The Alaska upgrade process is a joke.
As an MVP member when you check in and there is a Premium Class seat available, you can choose that for free and essentially not have to go through the upgrade process. My issue is that after check in, you have to go through the upgrade list or pay the upgrade fee. If there are no good PC seats and then one pops up after check in, you have to pay or hope you get upgraded.
As an MVP member when you check in and there is a Premium Class seat available, you can choose that for free and essentially not have to go through the upgrade process. My issue is that after check in, you have to go through the upgrade list or pay the upgrade fee. If there are no good PC seats and then one pops up after check in, you have to pay or hope you get upgraded.
#587
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Northern Calif./Eastern Ida.
Programs: Amethyst Premier Plutonium Medallion
Posts: 20,566
sounds like an anomaly, and unlikely to be a regular recurrence...kudos for the GA of delivering a reasonable solution that would have possibly been quite appealing to someone in 29E.
#588
Join Date: Mar 2015
Posts: 7
I've tweeted and went to the gate counter ton only get the run around to the point where I just gave up, even told that I wasn't eligible for one and that people behind me on the upgrade list were eligible.
#589
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: LAX
Programs: AS MVPG, IHG Diamond Elite
Posts: 1,445
Agree, I found it to be super clever, and the two that finally took the offer ran off the plane giddy. Just wondering if anyone had seen it.
#590
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,635
The Alaska upgrade process is a joke.
As an MVP member when you check in and there is a Premium Class seat available, you can choose that for free and essentially not have to go through the upgrade process. My issue is that after check in, you have to go through the upgrade list or pay the upgrade fee. If there are no good PC seats and then one pops up after check in, you have to pay or hope you get upgraded.
As an MVP member when you check in and there is a Premium Class seat available, you can choose that for free and essentially not have to go through the upgrade process. My issue is that after check in, you have to go through the upgrade list or pay the upgrade fee. If there are no good PC seats and then one pops up after check in, you have to pay or hope you get upgraded.
#591
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Ewa Beach, Hawaii
Posts: 10,899
I think the Premium upgrade list and the First upgrade list should be 2 separate entities. Looking at the order on the app or the gate board can be confusing at times as to where you really stand. If you are on the waitlist for both, you show up on both lists, if already have a PC seat, just show up on the F list. When you are on both (you hope) all you see is your name with no seat assignment in PC. Sure it shows you are on the upgrade list for the PC seat, but what about F? The whole process needs an overhaul to display and operate properly.
#592
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Seattle WA
Programs: AS 100K, Marriott LT Platinum
Posts: 1,828
Booked an instant-upgrade-eligible award flight today. Both flights had the blue F meaning U space is available.
On the confirmation screen i clicked the "Complimentary upgrade" link and got an error "Unable to process your request at this time"
I swear this has happened every time I've tried to do this for months
How is the AS upgrade process STILL SO broken...???
Called and of course the perky agent was able to take care of it. But. I. Shouldn't. Have. To. Call. Every. Time.
On the confirmation screen i clicked the "Complimentary upgrade" link and got an error "Unable to process your request at this time"
I swear this has happened every time I've tried to do this for months
How is the AS upgrade process STILL SO broken...???
Called and of course the perky agent was able to take care of it. But. I. Shouldn't. Have. To. Call. Every. Time.
#593
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Kirkland, WA
Programs: AS 75K,UA Gold 1.6MM, Hilton Dia, Marriott LT Plat, Hyatt Glb, Natl Exec, Hertz 5*
Posts: 3,657
I think I got this to work by waiting for a minute or two before clicking. There is some kind of delay in the back bowels of the system.
#594
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: SEA, but up and down the coast a lot
Programs: Oceanic Airlines Gold Elite
Posts: 20,341
#595
#596
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: YVR, HNL
Programs: AS 75k, UA peon, BA Bronze, AC E50k, Marriott Plat, HH Diamond, Fairmont Plat (RIP)
Posts: 7,817
Booked an instant-upgrade-eligible award flight today. Both flights had the blue F meaning U space is available.
On the confirmation screen i clicked the "Complimentary upgrade" link and got an error "Unable to process your request at this time"
I swear this has happened every time I've tried to do this for months
How is the AS upgrade process STILL SO broken...???
Called and of course the perky agent was able to take care of it. But. I. Shouldn't. Have. To. Call. Every. Time.
On the confirmation screen i clicked the "Complimentary upgrade" link and got an error "Unable to process your request at this time"
I swear this has happened every time I've tried to do this for months
How is the AS upgrade process STILL SO broken...???
Called and of course the perky agent was able to take care of it. But. I. Shouldn't. Have. To. Call. Every. Time.
My thread here: MVPG upgrade on award ticket
#597
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Northern Calif./Eastern Ida.
Programs: Amethyst Premier Plutonium Medallion
Posts: 20,566
the inability to claim an instant upgrade "instantly" is because the ticketing process is not actually instantaneous. the ticket can take up to 10 minutes to actually issue after you buy it, but usually it's closer to 10-60 seconds. you can't get it upgraded until the ticket number issues, despite the fact that the PNR issues immediately.
back in the days of the UA/CO merger, some tickets were actually taking hours or days to issue, even when they were 100% on UA metal.
back in the days of the UA/CO merger, some tickets were actually taking hours or days to issue, even when they were 100% on UA metal.
#598
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: SEA, SFO, formerly ANC
Programs: AS 1MM/MVPG, AS Lounge, DL SkyClub (Life), Hertz 5* -- AA, DL, UA
Posts: 124
PC as a "product" has been weird (meaning unclear, irregular, and inconsistent treatment by/from the software) ever since it started. My pet peeve is that, although you can select "upgrade to PC" when seated in an exit row, the software will not do this, ASAIK. So weird.
#599
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SGF
Programs: AS, AA, UA, AGR S (former 75K, GLD, 1K, and S+, now an elite peon)
Posts: 23,185
On a recent flight, SFO-SEA, I was on the list. I had checked in the day before (exit row as booked). Day of flight, I was looking at the open seats, and noticed 7D open (other PC seats open were middles). I chose it, even though the screen showed a $29 fee, and I got the seat - never saw a "pay now" request. I guess I jumped over those ahead of me on the list (I was #5 ), but with the confusion of one list for two categories, who can tell?
PC as a "product" has been weird (meaning unclear, irregular, and inconsistent treatment by/from the software) ever since it started. My pet peeve is that, although you can select "upgrade to PC" when seated in an exit row, the software will not do this, ASAIK. So weird.
PC as a "product" has been weird (meaning unclear, irregular, and inconsistent treatment by/from the software) ever since it started. My pet peeve is that, although you can select "upgrade to PC" when seated in an exit row, the software will not do this, ASAIK. So weird.
jackal
Moderator, Alaska Airlines forum
#600
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: LAX
Programs: AS MVPG, IHG Diamond Elite
Posts: 1,445
On a recent flight, SFO-SEA, I was on the list. I had checked in the day before (exit row as booked). Day of flight, I was looking at the open seats, and noticed 7D open (other PC seats open were middles). I chose it, even though the screen showed a $29 fee, and I got the seat - never saw a "pay now" request. I guess I jumped over those ahead of me on the list (I was #5 ), but with the confusion of one list for two categories, who can tell?
PC as a "product" has been weird (meaning unclear, irregular, and inconsistent treatment by/from the software) ever since it started. My pet peeve is that, although you can select "upgrade to PC" when seated in an exit row, the software will not do this, ASAIK. So weird.
PC as a "product" has been weird (meaning unclear, irregular, and inconsistent treatment by/from the software) ever since it started. My pet peeve is that, although you can select "upgrade to PC" when seated in an exit row, the software will not do this, ASAIK. So weird.
Bottom line: if you're an elite in an exit row seat and want a premium class seat, move yourself at your upgrade window.