Does the upgrade list have a mind of its own?
Dec 6, 2015, 4:07 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 115
Does the upgrade list have a mind of its own?
I flew about 190k on AS metal this year. I noticed that even though there is U space open I rarely get F until 24hr before when waiting for UG to clear, even then a few times I have had to call and ask to be placed on the list. When I see the reservations it always says first class waitlisted, usually Y class.
My last flight SEA-ANC I was #8 in UG and as I was boarding a GA asked if I wanted F at the gate. I have had great luck when I call before flying and getting U but as much as I fly I shouldn't have to feel like I should babysit reservations and call every other day to ask for each of them. Sometimes I just pay F since the process feels so random at times and is close enough in price to Y anyway.
My last flight SEA-ANC I was #8 in UG and as I was boarding a GA asked if I wanted F at the gate. I have had great luck when I call before flying and getting U but as much as I fly I shouldn't have to feel like I should babysit reservations and call every other day to ask for each of them. Sometimes I just pay F since the process feels so random at times and is close enough in price to Y anyway.
Dec 7, 2015, 2:59 pm
#2
Join Date: Jan 2008
Programs: AS MVPG, CO, NW(now DL), Flying Blue
Posts: 6,554
do you book through a TA?
You do now have to ask to be waitlisted. Been that way for a few years and are prompted as such when buying at alaskaair.com. You get 3 options, waitlist, dont waitlist, or use a GGU. Depending on if you use a TA or 3rd party booking site, this can be a real PITA
You do now have to ask to be waitlisted. Been that way for a few years and are prompted as such when buying at alaskaair.com. You get 3 options, waitlist, dont waitlist, or use a GGU. Depending on if you use a TA or 3rd party booking site, this can be a real PITA
Dec 8, 2015, 10:26 am
#4
Join Date: Dec 2013
Programs: AS MVP GLD
Posts: 55
I had a situation Nov 6th SEA-DEN 674. Spouse and I were 1 & 2 on the UG list. #5 on UG list disappeared off the list at about T-40 minutes. The one available FC seat went away. Would this have been a paid/miles UG? It seemed very odd.
As it happened, 2 FC passengers did not make the flight and the gate agent moved us up prior to takeoff.
I have started taking screen shots of the UG list to monitor.
As it happened, 2 FC passengers did not make the flight and the gate agent moved us up prior to takeoff.
I have started taking screen shots of the UG list to monitor.
Dec 8, 2015, 12:15 pm
#5
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: SEA
Programs: AS Million Miler since 2011, Lifetime MVPG
Posts: 853
I had a situation Nov 6th SEA-DEN 674. Spouse and I were 1 & 2 on the UG list. #5 on UG list disappeared off the list at about T-40 minutes. The one available FC seat went away. Would this have been a paid/miles UG? It seemed very odd.
As it happened, 2 FC passengers did not make the flight and the gate agent moved us up prior to takeoff.
I have started taking screen shots of the UG list to monitor.
As it happened, 2 FC passengers did not make the flight and the gate agent moved us up prior to takeoff.
I have started taking screen shots of the UG list to monitor.
Dec 9, 2015, 9:31 am
#6
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 11
Does it seem weird that add a 75k we've been the ONLY ones on the upgrade list at the gate? Is it possible that everyone else was upgraded before us (traveling with a companion). This has occurred on three different flights over the past couple days?
Dec 9, 2015, 11:30 am
#7
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: BOS
Programs: AS MVPG75k
Posts: 353
Makes me wonder if sometimes U space is dribbled out one seat at a time? In that case, since you were traveling with a companion, you'd get leapfrogged by all the single travelers.
Dec 9, 2015, 11:42 am
#8
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: San Diego, CA
Programs: Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan MVP Gold, Marriott Rewards Lifetime Titanium Elite
Posts: 120
For this very reason...
...my wife and I (both MVP Gold 75K) book our flights on separate PNR's. That way, we don't get leapfrogged.
Dec 9, 2015, 1:00 pm
#9
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend, Moderator, Information Desk, Ambassador, Alaska Airlines
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: FAI
Programs: AS MVP Gold100K, AS 1MM, Maika`i Card, AGR, HH Gold, Hertz PC, Marriott Titanium LTG, CO, 7H, BA, 8E
Posts: 42,953
Wirelessly posted (beckoa's BB: Mozilla/5.0 (BlackBerry; U; BlackBerry 9810; en-US) AppleWebKit/534.11+ (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/7.1.0.694 Mobile Safari/534.11+)
It can happen.
Originally Posted by braffy
Makes me wonder if sometimes U space is dribbled out one seat at a time? In that case, since you were traveling with a companion, you'd get leapfrogged by all the single travelers.
Dec 17, 2015, 3:23 pm
#11
Join Date: Jan 2001
Posts: 2,838
Dec 17, 2015, 3:23 pm
#12
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Somewhere over the rainbow
Programs: Airline Free Agent, Bonvoy Platinum, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 3,811
Dec 17, 2015, 3:29 pm
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 115
That's what I thought last week when this happened, but a G/A pulled me out of line during boarding and gave me a U seat since I was the only 75k flying, the ones that had skipped me last time I assumed were gold's.
Regardless of tier it bases it on ticket purchase date?
Regardless of tier it bases it on ticket purchase date?
Dec 17, 2015, 3:47 pm
#14
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Somewhere over the rainbow
Programs: Airline Free Agent, Bonvoy Platinum, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 3,811
That's what I thought last week when this happened, but a G/A pulled me out of line during boarding and gave me a U seat since I was the only 75k flying, the ones that had skipped me last time I assumed were gold's.
Regardless of tier it bases it on ticket purchase date?
Regardless of tier it bases it on ticket purchase date?
Dec 17, 2015, 3:57 pm
#15
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,621
Hi -
I could easily be wrong, but I thought that 75Ks had their own upgrade pool by date of request. And MVP/MVPG were in their own combined upgrade pool, also by date of request.
That said, the reservation engine looks for U space between T-120 and T-72 (for 75Ks); between T-72 and T-48 (for 75Ks and Golds) and T-48 and T-24 (for all elite tiers).
The upgrade waitlist (to clear seats at the gate) gets populated by when you requested your upgrade, regardless of when you check in. Again, an exception being that 75Ks are at the top of the list and then listed by date of request.
I thought this explained why when someone goes in and updates their tier status, they go to the bottom of their respective list.
I could easily be wrong, but I thought that 75Ks had their own upgrade pool by date of request. And MVP/MVPG were in their own combined upgrade pool, also by date of request.
That said, the reservation engine looks for U space between T-120 and T-72 (for 75Ks); between T-72 and T-48 (for 75Ks and Golds) and T-48 and T-24 (for all elite tiers).
The upgrade waitlist (to clear seats at the gate) gets populated by when you requested your upgrade, regardless of when you check in. Again, an exception being that 75Ks are at the top of the list and then listed by date of request.
I thought this explained why when someone goes in and updates their tier status, they go to the bottom of their respective list.