Seattlenerd

While I still fly and generally admire AS (I was once on the Gold Advisory Board), the upgrade processor is a cluster. There is zero predictability or reliability in how it currently works. It's an embarrassment to the company. Perhaps now that the reservation systems have been merged with Virgin America someone will attempt to fix it.

ctporter

Evidently, if you want an easy complimentary upgrade check out flying BUR to SEA on a Saturday on the 5:03pm flight, AS 589. There was no one on the upgrade list and there were 6 FC seats that were not taken. Someone without status wanted to sit in FC but without paying an upgrade fee, they did no go for it.

seacarl

@missydarlin I wish AS would change this. Sometimes I buy tickets inside 5 day or make changes. I'd prefer that we clear based on status inside the waitlist period.

Baze

I an MVP Gold on a S fare for a flight tomorrow. Already have a PE seat, 7C. Currently #9 on the waitlist of 33 people. This is the second leg of a 2 leg route SJC-SEA-IAH. Already upgraded to F on the SJC-IAH leg. I still don't understand how the waitlist that you can see on line works. There are people ahead of me with an assigned PE seat (5 of them) and there are people ahead without an assigned PE seat (3 of them). Are those people without an assigned PE seat waiting for only a PE seat or also an F seat. I have read the info multiple times and it is just too confusing. Can anyone give a synopsis in laymans terms of how this works and where I might really stand? This is when I wish fare would trump status ;-D

missydarlin

It's already that way if you're a 75K

missydarlin

Not everyone chooses to accept the PC upgrade so thats why they are unassigned.

As a Gold in the #9 position on that waitlist, you are behind:

• The 8 people listed in front of you
• The companions (if any) of the 8 people listed in front of you
• potentially some more Golds and 75Ks who haven't yet checked in.
• Any MVP's listed behind who got onto the waitlist before you booked your ticket

Baze

be_rettSEA

Someone using a GGU shouldn't be on the waitlist at all. They must be used for immediate confirmation into First, with U space available at time of use. Theoretically, I guess someone could find U open, use their GGU within a few days of departure and still show as "upgrade cleared" on the waitlist, but generally I think most folks use them a few weeks/months out.

rustykettel

Single_Flyer

Maybe this is how it is supposed to work but it doesn't work like this in reality.

For example, I same day flight changed this past weekend as an MVP Gold 75K. It was confirmed to me later that I had never actually been added to the Upgrade List despite the app showing "Waitlisted for First Class".

https://singleflyer.com/2018/06/06/a...-and-upgrades/

That wasn't the first time this has happened to me either.

eponymous_coward

I find it's mostly a coin flip for me being added or not, but it does happen, sometimes (the app lies sometimes when it says "Waitlisted for First Class", but the airport screens/upgrade lists do not- if I am not on the screen/upgrade list I wasn't added). Since I am a Gold, not 75K, I would be at the bottom anyway (75Ks go on a DIFFERENT list) so I actually don't WANT the processor to run (since an MVP will clear before I will)- I want it to go to the gate (when I should clear in status order). My default assumption is SDC = no F for you, sucker.

It's admittedly a mess with a lot of "if, then, but" logic and "well, this is how it is supposed to work except often it doesn't" problems.

beckoa

I SDC'd 20 hours out ADQ-ANC for a flight yesterday.

Waitlisted automatically.

1:30 PM I got an email that my upgrade had cleared. There were 19 or so on the WL and I was the only one to clear.

eponymous_coward

75Ks go on a different list than Golds/MVP, per the rules... just mentioning this.

be_rettSEA

Not sure if this is the best place for this, but didn't think it needed its own thread: I was on an LAX-PVR flight last week, upgraded to F w/ my companion, and apparently the gate agent had accidentally allowed one more passenger to board the plane than there were seats for. Rather than physically drag someone off the plane (like some other airlines), the FA announced that any party of 1 or 2 could take the later morning flight (maybe 2 hours after current departure) in F. While this was certainly a creative way to avoid handing over direct involuntary denied boarding compensation (and probably something I would have jumped on if I hadn't been upgraded and didn't care about arriving a bit later), I certainly would have been annoyed to be # 1 and 2 on the UG list for that flight and see those last two F spots disappear. I guess AS can do what they want with their own seats, but curious if others have seen this on other AS flights, and if this strategy could be why some of us are seeing fewer upgrades?

tonythetiger06

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.