How Complimentary Upgrades Work
#601
Join Date: May 2009
Location: EUG
Programs: AS MVP, AA MM, HH Diamond, MR Gold
Posts: 8,212
When they initially rolled out PC, they got some complaints from elites upset about being moved from exit rows to premium class seats. They currently indicate on PC FAQs that those seated in exit row seats at their upgrade window will not automatically be moved to premium class. It seems like they could control this better with the check-boxes for Waitlist for Premium Class / Waitlist for First Class at booking rather than assume exit row folks don't want to move up. They could also just make exit row seats part of premium class and throw some free drinks the fig bar at those seats as well, but I guess this process is what we have for the time being.
Bottom line: if you're an elite in an exit row seat and want a premium class seat, move yourself at your upgrade window.
Bottom line: if you're an elite in an exit row seat and want a premium class seat, move yourself at your upgrade window.
#602
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Seattle
Programs: AS
Posts: 2,292
I always check Upgrade to first and deliberately do NOT check Upgrade to Premium, and sometimes we get moved anyway, which is bad for us. This has happened on an upcoming flight and when I noticed it, our exit row seats were already gone. It's not that long of a flight so we'll survive, but I wish they would just do as you tell them.
We have 2 flights where we are in exit row. Called MVP line and asked to confirm NO Upgrade to Premium . Sounds like it may happen anyway, may have to babysit reservation. Perhaps it is worth removing all Upgrade requests. Chances of us getting an upgrade with MVP- pretty slim nowadays.
#603
Join Date: May 2009
Location: EUG
Programs: AS MVP, AA MM, HH Diamond, MR Gold
Posts: 8,212
Wait til you hear what happened now. Not sure this is the right thread. I booked some flights that used the old Virgin planes. We ALWAYS choose exit row, so I picked row 9. Everything was fine. Didn't ask for any money, figured, as an MVPG, that exit rows were still ok (free). This was a couple of months ago.
Fast forward to yesterday. Just looking at our upcoming reservation, and it says we owe $100! I call AS, and they say yes, you will have that money collected when you check in. Wha??? Because, I guess, only the 2 exit rows and bulkhead have any extra legroom, they are considered Premium?
So they took them away from us, right over the phone, and made me pick 2 other seats!
Maybe this is well known to all of you, but a first for us. I thought it was pretty crappy. IF they had said $100 charge for these seats at the time of booking, I would have realized it and picked something else on the spot. But to wait a few months? What if I didn't do that and they tried to collect at the airport, and there were only middles left?
Fast forward to yesterday. Just looking at our upcoming reservation, and it says we owe $100! I call AS, and they say yes, you will have that money collected when you check in. Wha??? Because, I guess, only the 2 exit rows and bulkhead have any extra legroom, they are considered Premium?
So they took them away from us, right over the phone, and made me pick 2 other seats!
Maybe this is well known to all of you, but a first for us. I thought it was pretty crappy. IF they had said $100 charge for these seats at the time of booking, I would have realized it and picked something else on the spot. But to wait a few months? What if I didn't do that and they tried to collect at the airport, and there were only middles left?
#604
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: SEA
Programs: AS 100k, DL PM, UA PM, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 27
Wait til you hear what happened now. Not sure this is the right thread. I booked some flights that used the old Virgin planes. We ALWAYS choose exit row, so I picked row 9. Everything was fine. Didn't ask for any money, figured, as an MVPG, that exit rows were still ok (free). This was a couple of months ago.
Fast forward to yesterday. Just looking at our upcoming reservation, and it says we owe $100! I call AS, and they say yes, you will have that money collected when you check in. Wha??? Because, I guess, only the 2 exit rows and bulkhead have any extra legroom, they are considered Premium?
So they took them away from us, right over the phone, and made me pick 2 other seats!
Maybe this is well known to all of you, but a first for us. I thought it was pretty crappy. IF they had said $100 charge for these seats at the time of booking, I would have realized it and picked something else on the spot. But to wait a few months? What if I didn't do that and they tried to collect at the airport, and there were only middles left?
Fast forward to yesterday. Just looking at our upcoming reservation, and it says we owe $100! I call AS, and they say yes, you will have that money collected when you check in. Wha??? Because, I guess, only the 2 exit rows and bulkhead have any extra legroom, they are considered Premium?
So they took them away from us, right over the phone, and made me pick 2 other seats!
Maybe this is well known to all of you, but a first for us. I thought it was pretty crappy. IF they had said $100 charge for these seats at the time of booking, I would have realized it and picked something else on the spot. But to wait a few months? What if I didn't do that and they tried to collect at the airport, and there were only middles left?
#605
Join Date: May 2009
Location: EUG
Programs: AS MVP, AA MM, HH Diamond, MR Gold
Posts: 8,212
In June, row 9 was converted from Main Cabin to Premium Class; this was done at the same time Red was reprogrammed to start charging for meals/snacks. Since you purchased the seats before this conversion was made, the system wouldn't have prompted you to pay for an upgrade fee. Though I'm not sure why you weren't given a free upgrade to Premium Class, since you are MVPG.
Anyone?
#606
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,635
Ive inherited a bunch of premium seats and never been asked to pay. Its absurd to demand an ex post facto payment and then of course, as mentioned above, they would have been free at check in anyways for MVPG.
#607
Join Date: May 2009
Location: EUG
Programs: AS MVP, AA MM, HH Diamond, MR Gold
Posts: 8,212
Wait til you hear what happened now. Not sure this is the right thread. I booked some flights that used the old Virgin planes. We ALWAYS choose exit row, so I picked row 9. Everything was fine. Didn't ask for any money, figured, as an MVPG, that exit rows were still ok (free). This was a couple of months ago.
Fast forward to yesterday. Just looking at our upcoming reservation, and it says we owe $100! I call AS, and they say yes, you will have that money collected when you check in. Wha??? Because, I guess, only the 2 exit rows and bulkhead have any extra legroom, they are considered Premium?
So they took them away from us, right over the phone, and made me pick 2 other seats!
Maybe this is well known to all of you, but a first for us. I thought it was pretty crappy. IF they had said $100 charge for these seats at the time of booking, I would have realized it and picked something else on the spot. But to wait a few months? What if I didn't do that and they tried to collect at the airport, and there were only middles left?
Fast forward to yesterday. Just looking at our upcoming reservation, and it says we owe $100! I call AS, and they say yes, you will have that money collected when you check in. Wha??? Because, I guess, only the 2 exit rows and bulkhead have any extra legroom, they are considered Premium?
So they took them away from us, right over the phone, and made me pick 2 other seats!
Maybe this is well known to all of you, but a first for us. I thought it was pretty crappy. IF they had said $100 charge for these seats at the time of booking, I would have realized it and picked something else on the spot. But to wait a few months? What if I didn't do that and they tried to collect at the airport, and there were only middles left?
On another upcoming flight, months ago I chose the free exit rows (17 - this is not a Virgin plane). Then a while back I saw that we had been "upgraded" to Premium, which I did not want. Well, the exit seats we wanted were no longer available, so we figured no big deal we'll just sit in premium. I wrote about this recently that I was annoyed I was tossed out of the exit row.
Well now it shows we owe $56 each for those premium seats!! What is going on??? I'm kicked out of the free seats I wanted, and am now expected to pay for seats I don't want?
I'm going to call on Monday but I just want to get some feedback here as to why this is happening and what I can do about it.
Leave the seats I pick alone!!!
#608
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Pacific Wonderland
Programs: ʙᴏɴᴠo̱ʏ Au, IHG Au, HH Dia, Nexus, Pilot FlyingJ Preferred
Posts: 5,336
I can't believe it has happened again!
On another upcoming flight, months ago I chose the free exit rows (17 - this is not a Virgin plane). Then a while back I saw that we had been "upgraded" to Premium, which I did not want. Well, the exit seats we wanted were no longer available, so we figured no big deal we'll just sit in premium. I wrote about this recently that I was annoyed I was tossed out of the exit row.
Well now it shows we owe $56 each for those premium seats!! What is going on??? I'm kicked out of the free seats I wanted, and am now expected to pay for seats I don't want?
I'm going to call on Monday but I just want to get some feedback here as to why this is happening and what I can do about it.
Leave the seats I pick alone!!!
On another upcoming flight, months ago I chose the free exit rows (17 - this is not a Virgin plane). Then a while back I saw that we had been "upgraded" to Premium, which I did not want. Well, the exit seats we wanted were no longer available, so we figured no big deal we'll just sit in premium. I wrote about this recently that I was annoyed I was tossed out of the exit row.
Well now it shows we owe $56 each for those premium seats!! What is going on??? I'm kicked out of the free seats I wanted, and am now expected to pay for seats I don't want?
I'm going to call on Monday but I just want to get some feedback here as to why this is happening and what I can do about it.
Leave the seats I pick alone!!!
1) the system is broken & incorrectly charging an additional amount for already assigned Premium seats
2) the phone agent moved you rather than clearing the charges & escalating the problem to IT
If you do call in, and the phone agent wants to move you, escalate to a supervisor.
#609
Join Date: May 2009
Location: EUG
Programs: AS MVP, AA MM, HH Diamond, MR Gold
Posts: 8,212
How soon is this upcoming flight? I would leave it alone, don't call it on it just yet. Go the Alaska Contact Us webform (https://www.alaskaair.com/feedback) and fill out a complaint for your previous reservation where the agent moved you.
1) the system is broken & incorrectly charging an additional amount for already assigned Premium seats
2) the phone agent moved you rather than clearing the charges & escalating the problem to IT
If you do call in, and the phone agent wants to move you, escalate to a supervisor.
1) the system is broken & incorrectly charging an additional amount for already assigned Premium seats
2) the phone agent moved you rather than clearing the charges & escalating the problem to IT
If you do call in, and the phone agent wants to move you, escalate to a supervisor.
#610
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Seattle WA
Programs: AS 100K, Marriott LT Platinum
Posts: 1,828
You should NOT be moved from an exit row seat into PC (I'm guessing there was an aircraft swap) and you should NOT be charged for having a row 9 A320 seat prior to row 9 being PC
They owe you some goodwill comp in exchange for your PNRs to enable them to do some troubleshooting...
They owe you some goodwill comp in exchange for your PNRs to enable them to do some troubleshooting...
#611
Join Date: May 2009
Location: EUG
Programs: AS MVP, AA MM, HH Diamond, MR Gold
Posts: 8,212
You should NOT be moved from an exit row seat into PC (I'm guessing there was an aircraft swap) and you should NOT be charged for having a row 9 A320 seat prior to row 9 being PC
They owe you some goodwill comp in exchange for your PNRs to enable them to do some troubleshooting...
They owe you some goodwill comp in exchange for your PNRs to enable them to do some troubleshooting...
Has Missydarling been around lately? She sometimes asks for info in a case like this, I'd be happy to provide it.
#612
Meh, what you have experienced is what I have been experiencing lately. The fee comes and goes, and my ability to pick seats (for free, MVPG here) comes and goes. The last time I contacted Alaska Listens, I was told that I was wrong, their system isn't broken, and that I was going crazy (the e-mail sounded a lot nicer, but that's the gist of the message). I only get this with their Airbuses, which makes me really hate flying them.
#613
Join Date: May 2009
Location: EUG
Programs: AS MVP, AA MM, HH Diamond, MR Gold
Posts: 8,212
Meh, what you have experienced is what I have been experiencing lately. The fee comes and goes, and my ability to pick seats (for free, MVPG here) comes and goes. The last time I contacted Alaska Listens, I was told that I was wrong, their system isn't broken, and that I was going crazy (the e-mail sounded a lot nicer, but that's the gist of the message). I only get this with their Airbuses, which makes me really hate flying them.
My problem is not just on the Airbuses, but also on the 737. And it's also being kicked out of the exit rows (upgraded they call it) - why is that happening when I definitely do NOT check "Upgrade to Premium Class"?
#614
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: LAX
Programs: AS MVPG, IHG Diamond Elite
Posts: 1,445
But were you able to pick and keep the seats you wanted? Did you have to pay any fees?
My problem is not just on the Airbuses, but also on the 737. And it's also being kicked out of the exit rows (upgraded they call it) - why is that happening when I definitely do NOT check "Upgrade to Premium Class"?
My problem is not just on the Airbuses, but also on the 737. And it's also being kicked out of the exit rows (upgraded they call it) - why is that happening when I definitely do NOT check "Upgrade to Premium Class"?
#615
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 1,635
Today was a new one. Checked in yesterday, upgraded overnight, checked app, said 2D, fine. Go through security, head to gate, arrive at gate 20 min before departure to see the red Xs, agent gone. I am a little concerned and ask the neighboring agents if I can still board this flight, as the agent seems to have closed boarding rather early. They are a little shocked that the agent closed the door 13 min early despite one passenger not having boarded yet. Somehow the system checked me out, so I didn't show on her computer as checked in, so she assumed I was a no show and closed up early. They raioded the plane, printed a boarding pass (lost my upgrade) and let me on fortunately. Guess I have to double check now after upgrades that I'm still checked in.