Upgrade Processor Glitches
 

I feel like a chump for asking this, but I almost always book paid premium, instant-upgrade fares, or apply GGUs, so I am only now dealing with a reservation that is going to the window for upgrades in the new world order.

I just crossed into the window, and the flight in question is wide open both in F and in "Premium Class". However, neither upgrade processed, DESPITE the fact that the Alaska website shows upgrade availability if I go to buy the flight. I called the Gold desk, and they confirmed that they also saw upgrade space.

So... then I gave them the PNR and asked what's up, and they said "oh, I was mistaken, there is no upgrade space." I asked why they just told me there was, and they said "oh, I was actually just looking on the web, not our internal system." ...?!?

First, why wouldn't an AS agent actually use their own system? I can use the Web myself, thankyouverymuch. The reason I call in is to get the actual scoop.

Second, is there really an inconsistency between the AS website and the actual back-end these days? I'm well familiar with the old upgrade processor getting stuck, but I thought the new one was supposed to fix things...

Third, the premium class upgrade hasn't processed either, despite the fact only 3 seats are occupied in the entire premium cabin, which makes me think something is actually gunked up in the reservation. Should I HUCA, or is this usual for the new system?

If you're within the upgrade window and there's U space with availability then HUCA and ask them to process the upgrade.

I noticed the upgrade processor is extremely slow now. For instance i was recently looking at my window and it took an hour or 2 before i finished using up the U. Not sure if that is the issue or not.

This has worked for me 100% of the time when I'm inside the window and there is U availability (using expertflyer).

"Yes I see there is upgrade availability... hmm, strange you weren't upgraded... hold on a minute... ok you are confirmed in first, anything else I can do for you?"

Well, HUCA resulted in a premium cabin seat (no explanation of why it wasn't automatically available, and the Web still wants $75 to change to another seat) but no upgrade.

ExpertFlyer and the Web now agree that U is gone, though---with no upgrades processed! Looks like AS pulled U availability (from 5 to 0) at the window without actually giving any upgrades. :mad: Ah well; hopefully the gate upgrade process works properly...

FWIW, does seem like there is a lag between when AS internally updates U inventory and when its own website registers that.

Will see if the return processes more smoothly.

Here is my recent experience:

PE upgrade did not happen at the upgrade time and the cabin was wide open. At 24 hours was able to move to PE at 24 hour OLCI without any fee. I think this may be how they want it to happen because complaints about people moving from their exit row seat.

Could see all the people listed on the FC waitlist including those now in a PE seat.

Was later upgraded to FC from a PE seat automatically overnight despite my monitoring the flight religiously. In fact you can see the list of everyone upgraded within 24 hours on the app.

It worked how it should. In the olden days I would wake up in the middle of the night at the 8 hour mark to check U space because I was so paranoid.

In the past I have lost out to U upgrades, just sitting on the list, by someone that did a paid upgrade during OLCI.

My flight tomorrow has 6 paid F seats remaining and no one has been upgraded.

How closely were you watching it. On mine i checked at the window and U had not decreased, checked an hour later and still no budge. checked every 20 min and U slowly decreased until it hit 0. I don't believe it auto assigns F seats anymore because my last 2 upgrades seat assignments were blank so cant use F seatmap for that. The only way i knew people were being upgraded is the exit row seats were opening up.

Quite closely. Easy to do because there were only 4 seats assigned in F, 4 in PC, and 4 in the elite sections. I watched one upgrade clear at the 75K window (and U tick down from 6 to 5), but then no further movement until U went to 0. All pax still seated in the same places--although more coach seats in the non-elite section are now taken, likely due to additional sales.

Quite a few of my flights (7 of 8 transcon), despite having most of F and U space available, didn't clear up until within 24 hour mark as 75K. This past two weekend flights, SEA-BOS, both had only 1 or 3 seat occupied prior to 24 hour mark, and I didn't clear until within 40 minute mark.

AS seem to be holding back more F space until within 24 hours. U was available 5 days out but not for comp elite upgrade.

Jiburi

Two thoughts:

There is a delay for what shows on alaskaair.com and what is actually available. It seems to be about 45 minutes to an hour. This is for both fare classes emptying and filling up.

And I got two upgrades at my 75K window yesterday. Zero seats were pre-reserved, which I appreciate. This way I can choose from what is left.

This is also my experience.

This is odd because Missy said that upgrades to PE would happen at the elite windows but everyone is reporting that they can't move to PE for free until T-24 which means it really doesn't matter what elite level you are...everyone waits until T-24 or you pay....weird...not sure if it's just a technical glitch, or like you said, maybe that's the way the meant it to work. :confused:

Until PE starts filling up before OLCI I am not going to worry about it although if you are 75K you might want to get the best seats with a companion in advance. I like being able to choose my own seats anyway. I like that I got upgraded automatically to F even though I selected a PE seat.

Ever since the first of the year, they system seems to hold upgrades on random flights to the last minute. My wife and I are flying BWI-LAX tomorrow and there are 12 FC seats available, but still no upgrade!

Ironically, we were upgraded on the return flight at the 120 hour mark. This gets to be a pain to try and get seats together when they upgrade only at the airport.

This same thing happen to me this weekend on my trip to Chicago. I was upgraded at the correct window on my SEA-ORD leg but on the return I was upgraded after I boarded despite the fact that everyone had checked into the flight and there were 4 seats available in First class.