Flying for Fun

If U opened at T-70 and the 75K upgrade list was empty then the MVP on a Y fare would always be upgraded first. Remember that any elite who purchases an eligible fare for their tier is moved directly to the upgrade list at time of purchase. The MVPG on an R fare (ineligible) would be in the request queue and not moved to the upgrade list until T-72.

The MVP who purchased a Y fare would be ahead of an MVPG who later purchased an M fare. The time the eligible fare is purchased determines where you are on the upgrade list, not your Elite Status.

I believe all eligible fares should be upgraded first before any complimentary upgrades are processed.

James

VegasGambler

I agree that that's how it should work. I'm not sure if that's how it does work. I definitely have seen a case where I was moved into the queue after a MVP (due to a SDC) but leapfrogged them. Neither of us were on eligible fares, though. So maybe they will let Golds leapfrog MVPs on non-eligible fares, but not eligible ones.

Also, AS considers everyone in U to be a "complementary upgrade", no matter how they got there -- GGU, instant, or other fare within window.

Flying for Fun

I don't disagree with that, but eligible has priority over ineligble (at least until the windows open) If U was available when the eligible fare was purchased, they would have received the complimentary upgrade then.

James

VegasGambler

Right. My question is whether they maintain that priority when the windows open.

So, MVP buys Y a few weeks out. No U. Then at T-72 MVPG window opens. Still no U. Then at T-70 U becomes available. Does the MVP have priority over an MVPG who was added when the window opened 2 hr prior?

RAD_PDX

From the wording provided by AS, it should go to the MVP.

"If you have purchased the qualifying fare for your elite level, and upgrade space is available on your flight, you will be upgraded immediately. If there are no upgrades available for your flight, you will be placed on the upgrade waitlist, and cleared in the order placed on the upgrade waitlist as upgrade space becomes available."

MVP buys Y ticket and MVPG buys an R ticket 2 weeks out. No U space available, MVP goes on the waitlist. T-72 MVPG is eligible for an upgrade. No U space, they go on the waitlist. U space opens up at T-70 and is given out in the order people were placed on the upgrade list - MVP gets it first.
In the end, it's the order that you were placed on the upgrade list that always counts. It just normally happens that MVPG75ks are put there first, followed by MVPG and MVP.

Flying for Fun

If U opens at T-70 and you have purchased an eligible fare, call in and have them process the upgrade. If the processor fired immediately upon U opening, the next person on the waitlist should be upgraded. When it doesn't, the upgrade is there for the taking! I think "snagged" has been used a few times.

Those added to the waitlist on non-eligible fares at their respective window will be after all eligible fares already on the waitlist. They are held in an upgrade request queue until their window opens.

It is rare that U will open up between the Elite windows. Once the 75K Elite window opens up at 120 hours, unfortunately (some/most would not agree) all 75K Elites will be upgraded whether on eligible fares or not before lower tier Elites on eligible fares. As of late, unsold F seats are usually processed as upgrades during gate control.

I believe once all the pmVX aircraft are reconfigured to 12F, U space should normalize. AS is holding back on U because they don't want to have an oversell in F if an 8F pmVX aircraft has to be swapped in.

James

VegasGambler

This is the key. I thought it worked this way as well -- but it does not in all cases.

As MVPG I SDCed to a flight and noticed I was fairly high in the waitlist. I asked someone below me in the waitlist and he confirmed that he was MVP and had had bought his ticket weeks before and did not SDC So, he was added to the waitlist before I was, however, when I was added I jumped ahead of him. So in some cases, MVPGs who are added to the wait-list will jump ahead of MVPs who are already on the list. The question is, which cases? I'm not arguing one way or the other here; I'm just saying that I don't know.

I'm not sure if the MVP being in an instant-upgrade-eligible fare protects them from this "queue-jumping" or not.

Flying for Fun

I agree! I would say that once the 75K window opens, all bets are off! That is why I would never purchase an eligible fare if U wasn't available to confirm the "complimentary" upgrade at purchase. A same day change just adds another wrinkle.

As a 75K, I have purchased an M fare within the 75K window but before the MVPG window and was not upgraded. I have also done a standby to a sold out earlier flight and jumped to the top of the awaiting seats list and 10 minutes later, I had my boarding pass.

James

akdancer

Been busy flying, so didn't see this on FT till now.

Well, that msg to Alaska Listens (see below) was on its way while we were in the air! Got back a $50 cert (and one for wife) - certainly I'd have thought $100 each, at least. No soap. As I said, I was (and remain) very disgusted w/ ASA.

Their reply:
I was disappointed to learn of the trouble you experienced on your recent flight from Milwaukee to Seattle. I understand this flight departed with three open seats in first class. I am truly sorry for any trouble this caused you. We make every effort to board our waitlisted passengers and assign seats accordingly. It is important that we have an on time departure for our customers and we will provide first class waitlisted passengers an upgrade whenever time allows. However, on rare occasion, we may be required to close a flight before we can complete this process. I regret that you experienced any inconvenience and we will share your comments with the Milwaukee Customer Service Manager so that they can follow up and help prevent a similar situation from occurring in the future.

I don't know if they made any announcements, offered to sell those 3 F seats, or what. Was in the DL lounge till boarding time. Still, the GA had plenty of time to deal with it, and those 3 F seats were open (at least per seat map) for most of the day - if not longer. Super glitch IMO.

This past week we flew OKC-SEA. There were 5 F open, and we were top of the list after OLCI. Our upgrades cleared ~T-12h. Two pax got post-boarding upgrades. Interesting (to me) that none of the upgrades showed up in the online list - the names were all cleared as if we'd never been waitlisted. Weird.

VegasGambler

I find that the emailed replies are canned and often useless. They are just copying and pasting a response from a script; the answer may or may not have any relevance to the situation you emailed them about.

Call the customer care number. They will actually listen to you and discuss the situation with you. I don't bother emailing any more.

extreme_panda

I've searched high and low and can't find an answer to the following:

As a 75K, with no instant upgrade space available, is there any benefit to using a Gold Guest Upgrade over the 75K Complimentary upgrade?

I don't see how GGU's fit into the upgrade priority.

be_rettSEA

I assume you're referring to the purchase screen with the filters for the upgrade types based on your question here, as a GGU can only be used when there is upgrade space (U class) available. These are actually just filters for eligible fare classes for use with each type of upgrade (complementary = Y S B M H, GGU = all except lowest, G R T, main = all available, which may already exclude GRT if same price)

Without upgrade space available at time of booking, here's how each scenario plays out:

• 75K Complimentary Upgrade: if/when U space opens for that flight, you get an upgrade (provided noone else, regardless of elite level I believe) has already purchased one of those higher fares.
• GGU Eligible: if/when U opens (and it may not, or may upgrade someone with complimentary upgrade without ever appearing available), you could call in to remove yourself from the waitlist and apply a GGU. There is no waitlisting of GGUs.
• Main Cabin: at T-120 hrs, you're added to the upgrade queue (or upgraded if U is available) and may get an upgrade based on waitlist priority at anytime before departure.

Depending on the route and price difference, it may make sense to just select main cabin, as you may have similar odds for an upgrade regardless of what fare you purchase.

extreme_panda

Hmm, so maybe these options aren't actually valid?

When I choose this flight (No U space available):


I'm given this option:



If I chose "Apply an MVP Gold Guest upgrade code", would it actually fail?

williwaw

Yes it will fail. That screen is just asking if you want to a) be on the waitlist, b) use the GGU, or opt out.

The only benefit for going to a MVPGold filter as a 75K is moving up the fare class ladder. I wouldn't do that since you are paying more to compete against other 75Ks and that seems unnecessary nor cost effective.

extreme_panda

Thanks! It's strange that Alaska gives users an option that they know will fail.

So it seems like buying Main Cabin as 75K and crossing my fingers is the best way to go.