Only Person on Upgrade List - Won’t Process but Trying to Sell (Monetizing Upgrades)
May 2, 2019, 12:48 pm
#46
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: USA
Programs: AS MVPG75k
Posts: 330
Not always true, as people can still check-in at T-60 and be ahead of you in the list. Here are the check-in cutoff times:
https://www.alaskaair.com/content/tr...boarding-times
https://www.alaskaair.com/content/tr...boarding-times
I'm saying that in instances where say 3F seats are for sale at T-60, and you're #1 on the waitlist, you can't trust that the GA will process your upgrade properly. Sometimes the upgrade processor is broken, sometimes the 75k waitlist isn't displaying properly, sometimes the GA only works off of the MVGP/MVP list (ignoring 75k), and sometimes the GA just goes straight to selling upgrades at the gate, ignoring the waitlist altogether. The best way to maximize your chance of getting an upgrade at the gate is to be there at T-60 and politely speak to the GA before boarding.
May 2, 2019, 1:48 pm
#47
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: AS 100K, AA EXP, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 298
Both are true. Yes, it's entirely possible that someone could check in at T-50 and get their F seat (or that a last-minute SDC fills the F cabin, a pilot is added last-minute, a seat is broken, etc.)
I'm saying that in instances where say 3F seats are for sale at T-60, and you're #1 on the waitlist, you can't trust that the GA will process your upgrade properly. Sometimes the upgrade processor is broken, sometimes the 75k waitlist isn't displaying properly, sometimes the GA only works off of the MVGP/MVP list (ignoring 75k), and sometimes the GA just goes straight to selling upgrades at the gate, ignoring the waitlist altogether. The best way to maximize your chance of getting an upgrade at the gate is to be there at T-60 and politely speak to the GA before boarding.
I'm saying that in instances where say 3F seats are for sale at T-60, and you're #1 on the waitlist, you can't trust that the GA will process your upgrade properly. Sometimes the upgrade processor is broken, sometimes the 75k waitlist isn't displaying properly, sometimes the GA only works off of the MVGP/MVP list (ignoring 75k), and sometimes the GA just goes straight to selling upgrades at the gate, ignoring the waitlist altogether. The best way to maximize your chance of getting an upgrade at the gate is to be there at T-60 and politely speak to the GA before boarding.
May 2, 2019, 4:12 pm
#48
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: Alaska Airlines
Posts: 659
Expectations that an elite needs to be physically at the gate at T-anything in order to upgrade is insane. Any GA following that logic, I'd document and report to customer service so they can be trained properly.
Majority of elites are going to have the app - just notify us we've been updated and refresh our ticket. Many elites, particularly business travelers time their arrival to be at the gate right as boarding starts - you expect them to be there at T-60?
Then there are people like myself who have lounge memberships (or priority pass) specifically so that we do not have to spend time at the gate.
To be a courteous flier, I always leave the lounge and get to the gate at T-5 on the off chance that boarding started early as to not be the guy holding up the process. It almost never works out as we either board on time, or late, or some random dude shows up right before doors close - but I never want to be that random dude.
Just go with the upgrade order, and if someone is a no show then someone else gets a battlefield upgrade. I know official policies about making your flight say to get there early, flight may depart early or close doors early... but that same policy doesn't need to be applied to upgrades which aren't going to hold up a flight from pushing out.
Majority of elites are going to have the app - just notify us we've been updated and refresh our ticket. Many elites, particularly business travelers time their arrival to be at the gate right as boarding starts - you expect them to be there at T-60?
Then there are people like myself who have lounge memberships (or priority pass) specifically so that we do not have to spend time at the gate.
To be a courteous flier, I always leave the lounge and get to the gate at T-5 on the off chance that boarding started early as to not be the guy holding up the process. It almost never works out as we either board on time, or late, or some random dude shows up right before doors close - but I never want to be that random dude.
Just go with the upgrade order, and if someone is a no show then someone else gets a battlefield upgrade. I know official policies about making your flight say to get there early, flight may depart early or close doors early... but that same policy doesn't need to be applied to upgrades which aren't going to hold up a flight from pushing out.
May 3, 2019, 5:30 pm
#49
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: USA
Programs: AS MVPG75k
Posts: 330
Expectations that an elite needs to be physically at the gate at T-anything in order to upgrade is insane. Any GA following that logic, I'd document and report to customer service so they can be trained properly.
Majority of elites are going to have the app - just notify us we've been updated and refresh our ticket. Many elites, particularly business travelers time their arrival to be at the gate right as boarding starts - you expect them to be there at T-60?
Then there are people like myself who have lounge memberships (or priority pass) specifically so that we do not have to spend time at the gate.
To be a courteous flier, I always leave the lounge and get to the gate at T-5 on the off chance that boarding started early as to not be the guy holding up the process. It almost never works out as we either board on time, or late, or some random dude shows up right before doors close - but I never want to be that random dude.
Just go with the upgrade order, and if someone is a no show then someone else gets a battlefield upgrade. I know official policies about making your flight say to get there early, flight may depart early or close doors early... but that same policy doesn't need to be applied to upgrades which aren't going to hold up a flight from pushing out.
Majority of elites are going to have the app - just notify us we've been updated and refresh our ticket. Many elites, particularly business travelers time their arrival to be at the gate right as boarding starts - you expect them to be there at T-60?
Then there are people like myself who have lounge memberships (or priority pass) specifically so that we do not have to spend time at the gate.
To be a courteous flier, I always leave the lounge and get to the gate at T-5 on the off chance that boarding started early as to not be the guy holding up the process. It almost never works out as we either board on time, or late, or some random dude shows up right before doors close - but I never want to be that random dude.
Just go with the upgrade order, and if someone is a no show then someone else gets a battlefield upgrade. I know official policies about making your flight say to get there early, flight may depart early or close doors early... but that same policy doesn't need to be applied to upgrades which aren't going to hold up a flight from pushing out.
May 9, 2019, 7:23 pm
#50
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Seattle
Programs: AS MM, MVPGold100k, Hilton Diamond, Hertz Presidents Circle
Posts: 1,475
Flew SLC to SEA yesterday, at T-80 I asked if they were going to release the last remaining open FC seat or offer it for sale at the gate (I was No 1 on the list). They were under the impression that that seat was for sale until T-60, and then if any seats are left upgrades would happen. They were extremely nice and gave me the upgrade early without advertising it for sale over the PA. At least now I know the policy!
May 9, 2019, 7:44 pm
#51
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 10,904
Flew SLC to SEA yesterday, at T-80 I asked if they were going to release the last remaining open FC seat or offer it for sale at the gate (I was No 1 on the list). They were under the impression that that seat was for sale until T-60, and then if any seats are left upgrades would happen. They were extremely nice and gave me the upgrade early without advertising it for sale over the PA. At least now I know the policy!
However, it should not be available as a paid upgrade (at the much cheaper rates here: https://www.alaskaair.com/content/mi...class-upgrades) which will put them into U (not F, P, or I) unless if the waitlist has been cleared.
If the flight has not gone to gate control, this is handled "automatically" -- the upgrade to U will not be offered at that rate unless U space is available, which should only be the case if the waitlist is empty, or has people on it who can't be upgraded (due to # of people on PNR being greater than U space). Of course sometimes the upgrade processor doesn't work, but in my experience when this happens you can just call them and they will process your upgrade. Setting an EF alert for U space means you don't have to keep checking.
Once the flight has gone to gate control, there is no longer a concept of U space -- it's up to the GA to follow policy and not sell U upgrades before clearing the waitlist.
I suspect that what the GA was referring to was the fact that at T-80, the flight was still not under gate control, and it would go under gate control at T-60, at which time she could process your upgrade. It's true that the seat was "for sale" until that time -- but, hopefully, at the F fare. Until it goes to gate control, the GAs are not supposed to upgrade you -- the only way to get upgraded is for U space to open.
FWIW I'm impressed that you managed to talk to a GA at T-80. I find that they usually don't show up at the gate until T-60 or even slightly later.
May 9, 2019, 7:45 pm
#52
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Pacific Wonderland
Programs: ʙᴏɴᴠo̱ʏ Au, IHG Au, HH Dia, Nexus, Pilot FlyingJ Preferred
Posts: 5,336
May 10, 2019, 9:35 am
#53
Moderator Communications Coordinator, Signatures
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: deep within the Eskimo lair
Programs: TubWorld, Bar Alliance, Borratxo Legendarium
Posts: 16,968
Is it a change in policy or mistakenly conflating selling a seat (booking into F/P/I) & selling an upgrade? Maybe @missydarlin could clarify?
May 10, 2019, 10:35 am
#54
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Seattle
Programs: AS MM, MVPGold100k, Hilton Diamond, Hertz Presidents Circle
Posts: 1,475
May 10, 2019, 12:38 pm
#55
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: YVR, HNL
Programs: AS 75k, UA peon, BA Bronze, AC E50k, Marriott Plat, HH Diamond, Fairmont Plat (RIP)
Posts: 7,832
This practice has made me wary of counting on waitlisted upgrades. I have a flight in 2 weeks, booked in K (same price as non-GGU eligible fare). 5/12 F seats showing as available on the seat map, and only 2 seats in rows 6, 17 and 18 occupied so probably not too elite-heavy at the moment, and a predominantly vacation route (not a business destination) so not a lot of last minutes bookings, I figured it was looking pretty good. One U seat opened up this morning and I grabbed it with a GGU as this thread, and my own recent observations, have made me pretty confident that I could get hosed by a GA selling upgrades at the gate to vacation travelers willing to pay less than $200 to sit in F before clearing the waitlist. So burned a GGU on what should have been a pretty certain complimentary upgrade. But at least I get to grab 2C now and to prebook dinner, which is a big plus in my books.
May 10, 2019, 12:51 pm
#56
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 159
This practice has made me wary of counting on waitlisted upgrades. I have a flight in 2 weeks, booked in K (same price as non-GGU eligible fare). 5/12 F seats showing as available on the seat map, and only 2 seats in rows 6, 17 and 18 occupied so probably not too elite-heavy at the moment, and a predominantly vacation route (not a business destination) so not a lot of last minutes bookings, I figured it was looking pretty good. One U seat opened up this morning and I grabbed it with a GGU as this thread, and my own recent observations, have made me pretty confident that I could get hosed by a GA selling upgrades at the gate to vacation travelers willing to pay less than $200 to sit in F before clearing the waitlist. So burned a GGU on what should have been a pretty certain complimentary upgrade. But at least I get to grab 2C now and to prebook dinner, which is a big plus in my books.
May 10, 2019, 1:07 pm
#57
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: AS 100K, AA EXP, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 298
All this is so strange to me. I fly SEA->BOS r/t at least monthly and I've never seen upgrades sold at the gate. These are flights with at least 20 people on the waitlist at the gate (often many more).
I often arrive at the gate in SEA after boarding has started (although not always), but I arrive earlier than boarding at Boston often. I'd imagine that if this was so prevalent I would have seen it at least once.
Maybe they don't do it on certain routes?
I often arrive at the gate in SEA after boarding has started (although not always), but I arrive earlier than boarding at Boston often. I'd imagine that if this was so prevalent I would have seen it at least once.
Maybe they don't do it on certain routes?
May 10, 2019, 1:44 pm
#58
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Seattle
Programs: AS MM, MVPGold100k, Hilton Diamond, Hertz Presidents Circle
Posts: 1,475
This practice has made me wary of counting on waitlisted upgrades. I have a flight in 2 weeks, booked in K (same price as non-GGU eligible fare). 5/12 F seats showing as available on the seat map, and only 2 seats in rows 6, 17 and 18 occupied so probably not too elite-heavy at the moment, and a predominantly vacation route (not a business destination) so not a lot of last minutes bookings, I figured it was looking pretty good. One U seat opened up this morning and I grabbed it with a GGU as this thread, and my own recent observations, have made me pretty confident that I could get hosed by a GA selling upgrades at the gate to vacation travelers willing to pay less than $200 to sit in F before clearing the waitlist. So burned a GGU on what should have been a pretty certain complimentary upgrade. But at least I get to grab 2C now and to prebook dinner, which is a big plus in my books.
This morning there was 7 seats available, (No U though) so one seat sold or was otherwise taken. Hopefully we will get upgraded. I won't be upset if not though because the important flight to me is tomorrow and for that one I booked into FC.