BOB W

Completely filling their planes is a happy problem to have during the short HIGH season, but PAX will remember those same high fares when they are traveling next winter. In the mean time, PAX will be developing relationships with AS' competitors that will carry over into the slow season.

Read the posts on this thread & you will see that it is already happening with AS' most loyal customers.

psychtobe

After 6+ months under the new system, what are the final verdicts? Happy or not happy? Upgrade percentages for MVPs and MVPGs? at 72/48 hr windows or within 36 hours?

stephem

We've been very happy, in fact I'm happier with my results last year on Alaska (as a Gold) when compared with my results on NW as a Platinum. Maybe it's the fact that we fly AS mainly to California (lots of flights) or Mexico (maybe fewer Golds to compete with).

When flying solo, I have never sat in coach on AS except for when I do a very last minute change (like come home on a 5pm instead of 8pm flight). Sometimes I'm only booking a week out, but I routinely get upgraded in the 72 hour range. The best part is the companion upgrade sucess. For my business trips to California, i usually buy my fiance cheap web fares and then call AS to get them "linked" to mine for an upgrade- all of those come thru at 72 hours as well. For vacation trips, mostly to Mexico, I usually buy my ticket and use miles for a coach ticket for my fiance. I'll get us preferred seats in coach and not request an advanced upgrade for me, because we'd rather sit in coach together. I then ask at the check in counter if there is sufficient space to get both of us into first and we get up there over 75% of the time. I've never had an agent even flinch at the fact that my fiance is on an award ticket- they say that as long as there are no Golds on the list they will move her up as if she is a paid ticket.
NW is a totally different story even when I pay for my fiance's tickets and make sure they are on the same itinerary (you cannot call later and link them!)- we're probably batting under 50% there.
Although I like the old MVP Gold upgrade system from 2003, I cannot complain about our results in '04

psychtobe

those are some impressive results... upgraded on award tix?!? As you said, that rarely, if ever, happens on NW for a Silver or Gold (occasionally for Plats).

Did you spend any time as MVP under the new system? It is unlikely Mrs. Psychtobe would make MVPG this year. It'll even be a bit tight getting her to MVP status, as about 7000 2005 EQMs have already posted to her WorldPerks account.

It seems you believe that being MVP would compare favorably to her being NW SE, given mostly flying on AS to SoCal and occasional transcons (which could now be on AA or NW and not just the latter)?

As I've posted on other threads, we're weighing whether she might be better off on AS than NW. In an ideal world, she would be MVPG on AS, getting a few companion UGs and UG certs for me and doing most of her flying on AA to DFW and AS to SoCal, and I would be NW GE, snagging a few AS UG certs and occasionally able to upgrade her as a companion on her odd NW flight... too bad it's not an ideal world and we'll both likely be too short the miles this year... maybe next year.

rjque

As I posted in the other thread, my success rate as an MVP was very good. I'll add, however, that I try not to book flights with high percentages of Golds. I'm based in the Bay Area and PDX is my most frequent destination. Most Golds seem to be based in PDX and commuting to the Bay Area for the week. Thus, the toughest upgrades are Thursday or Friday evening flights (around 6:00 p.m.) from the Bay Area to PDX and then the Monday morning flights from PDX to the Bay Area. AS242 (PDX-SFO) on Monday mornings has been the most consistently problematic upgrade for me - I've never had success so I just don't book it anymore. Runner up is the 6:00 p.m. Friday OAK-PDX.

The LAX market is probably a bit different because there are likely more golds based out of LA.

makfan

I am getting at least 90% of my upgrades at the 48 hour mark. But I do try to avoid flying SFO/SJC to PDX/SEA on Monday AM and Thursday/Friday PM.

I have even gotten upgrades once or twice on AS 50 fares when asking very nicely at the gate on day of flight.

wth

I was was MVPG in both 2003 and 2004. I have found equal upgrade success (95%+) under both rules. This is true for the West Coast, Denver, and transcon. A couple times that I sat in coach, the FA made a point of acknowledging my status and thanking me for my business and then offered me a comp. adult beverage. One of those times was on an award ticket!

The only difference I see is that it occasionally pays for the pax to monitor upgrade status and FC availabilty around the 72-48 hour period before a flight. And it pays to double check your upgrade as soon as it clears so that you get the your seat preference. So, net, the new system requires a little more involvement than the past, but the upgrade success hasn't really change for this MVPG.

Now as to the quality of service in FC, I've seen a decline but that is the subject of another post.

BOB W

I have found it harder to get upgrades near the end of last year. I suspect that more MVPG's are booking into the upgradeable at purchase fare categories making less 72-48 hour seats available. As more people take this option, less seats have been available & even less will be available in the future.

Just a possibility, but I have seen it happening.

EIPremier

I suspect near the end of the year there are more people upgrading at time of booking with the MVP Gold guest certs (since they expire Dec 31).

SPIT

My upgrade percentage definately decreased in 2004 from 2003, but not as drastically as I thought. The beginning of the year was the worst, SEA-ANC-SEA and SEA-EWR-SEA in coach (first flights of the year). My SEA-LAX-SEA routes also were only about 50% successful. Everything else went okay.

I realized there are more Golds in ANC and LAX, but you can't easily find out which flights have the least amount of people on the waiting list. I'd happily adjust my flight time for a flight with on 4 Golds on the list versus a flight an hour earlier that might have 20 Golds waiting!

The only other issue is inconsistancy. Sometimes they don't release the remaining F inventory at 72 hours, and agents still don't seem well versed in how the program works. The system down right failed on a return from CUN, and no one there knew why. I was on the waiting list, never was upgraded, yet they admitted they sold reamining seats that morning to walk up passengers. Of course, no response when I wrote a letter asking for an explanation.

Overall, it's not bad, but not great either. Since my upgrades have decreased, I have moved some of my business to other airlines. After not getting upgraded on two SEA-ORD flights, I said "oh well" and flew on AA this last trip. Amazingly, I flew UA a number of times in 2004, versus zero times in 2003. AS have definately lost some of my business because of the new program. Not complaining, just a fact of life. Besides, I've found nice little perks from other carriers.

On AS I had 64 segments, 61 in First in 2003. In 2004 I had 42 segments, 26 in first. Less upgrades, and less flights on AS as a result. (I flew nearly the same amount of total miles & segments among all airlines between '03 & '04, with similar destinations.)

Westcoaster

I'm just an MVP and have learned to not expect any 48 hour upgrades. I think I have just one in the last 6 months and that was SEA-RNO (short flight, upgrade doesn't make much difference except that I get early boarding without any hassle.) It doesn't help that I'm flying out of SEA with all of the Golds and that vacation travel with two of us is harder to upgrade. Plus I upgrade transcons in advance with miles.

wth

I have noticed this as well. It seems they hold back more seats for sale at 72 hrs. than they used to on some flights -- a classic CO ploy. I still usually get upgraded, but it can vary as to when despite my Gold status. I noticed this more during the last couple of months of the year.

Net result, I have to monitor a little bit more to get most desired seat -- meaning , once I'm upgraded, I try to get a more preferable seat than what I was automatically assigned (if avail).