gaugeguy

Has anyone had the computer not upgrade you when the AS Web site is still showing availibility at the 72 hour mark? I just noticed that I have a flight sat. night still showing 3 seats availible and I haven't seemed to be upgraded yet.

JohnJr

I had the same experience last week. I believe the reservation agent said that it looked like the seats where indeed sold. Sure enough first class did come up full latter on.

Jeeves

I have noticed that when my upgrade didn't clear at the 72 or 48 hour mark (depends on status), that sometimes availability would show up in the 12 to 18 hour prior timeframe. I would go online and search for a first class ticket and if availability would show up, I would then call the MVP line and they would say, "Yes, we do have a seat. Would you like window or aisle." Not sure what is going on, but I think it is worth checking availability closer to your departure time. It's kind of a hassle but it beats the odds of just showing up at the airport and seeing what you can scrape up.

Eastbay1K

Do you mean 3 F seats on the seatmap? Or 3 seats available for sale. Seatmap seats don't mean the cabin has that many seats available for sale; rather, they are just still unassigned.

gaugeguy

Actually, there were 3 seats on the seat map and at least 2 for sale. Apparently, the 3rd was one held for me. As the AS CS Rep explained it, My NW ticket (which the last segment is on AS) is obviously booked in coach (K). They had me on the upgrade list which actually books one more seat for me in (U) and then on the day of departure they can cancel the "K" class seat and I can sit in F (U) with out sending a message to NW that the last segment is cancelled. Does this kind of make sense? After she explained the whole process, I guess that it made sense to me. I guess the bottom line is, if they book you in U right away, it can cancel out your segment in NW's computer.

Seattlenerd

Lately, I've had moderately good luck making sure I get added to the First Class standby list as soon as I arrive at the airport (assuming I get there a couple of hours before departure, which does happen at times).

However, 2005 has not been a good year for Gold upgrades to date, at least in my own case.

I suspect it's the unavoidable down side of Alaska's good policy of reducing the delta between coach and first fares. Cheaper fares are good, but it means it's more likely a seat used for an upgrade is a paid seat. I'm now thinking of using FF miles to upgrade on the longest return legs (any East Coast destination returning to SEA) as soon as I buy my ticket, just to be sure I'm comfortable for the six hour return.

deelmakur

duplicte, sorry.

deelmakur

Same thing happened to me. Changed my flight from Saturday to Friday and gave up a confirmed Seattle-Miami F seat. The Miami flight was full on Friday, so I opted for Orlando, which had 6 open. Hit the 72 hour window, and nothing, Still 6 open. At 48 hours, still no dice, and still 6 open. At that point, I discover what I have is now worth $60 less, towards the buy up. Seems at AS, if you buy a ticket, then change the routing to a city pair with a lower fare,they reduce the value of the ticket you bought, and effectively pocket the difference. Creative. Anyway, the next morning, I check the website, and there are all kinds of upgrade seats. That's at the 36 hour mark, Onboard the actual flight, I note a number of preteen kids in thefront compartment, which usually suggest employee travel.

rjque

On UA or AA, perhaps, but I would wager that these kids were in F for one of four reasons:

1. Paid F with family (SEA-MCO is only around $100 more for F than full Y);
2. MVPG comp upgrade coupons (or mileage upgrades);
3. Bumps from a prior flight; or
4. $200 upgrades purchased at the gate. After all, the 36-hour rule kicked in here - you were (hopefully) able to call and take advantage of it but all the other golds probably missed out because they were dropped from the list at 36-hours and the seats were sold to the first person who asked for them.

I haven't heard any of the "employee class" stories on this board that seem to be prevalent on the larger (and more bankrupt) airlines. I doubt one of the most difficult upgrades in the system went to an employee unless it was part of the employee's contract - which seems unlikely here.

deelmakur

I have no issue with employee travel. I just wonder about an upgrade system that won't release seats in what has to be a predominantly leisure market, when so many are open, and it turns out the Gold waitlist is so small (only one seat cleared when they finally opened it, although the website continued to show availability). The disappearing revenue was also curious.

AS Flyer

Let me just be VERY clear - employees RARELY get to sit in F on ANY flights. I've had several on some of the SEA-ORD-SEA flights just lately because they've not been full up front for the most part. My guess why is that there is a high percentage of AA folks that connect to the AS flights as a codeshare and so they don't get upgraded for that reason. You will most likely NEVER see an employee in F on the MCO flights as they are almost always full, even in Y. The fact that there were many pre-teens in the F cabin simply means that there were more families on the MCO flights that were willing to upgrade their kids as well. I hate it when people here start yacking about how the employees are always sitting in F when they have no idea what they are talking about - that is a benefit of this job that any of us rarely ever see - it just doesn't happen. Whatever other airlines do is their thing, at AS we rarely have F seats to give to employees.

westcoastman

I am having a very hard time recently getting upgraded on the west coast flights (SNA-SEA). I see lots of FC seats 2 weeks out and then one week to go and they all disappear. Then comes the 72 hour mark and there is nothing for me. I check in for my flight literally 24 hours ahead and then I go to the airport 10 hours before my flight to get on the FC waitlist. EVERYONE shows up (how can this be happening) and I am left with no upgrade. This was not the case before. The seats seemed to be 100% filled with business travelers so much so that they run out room to hang jackets in the closet. I sit in coach with other Golds who I overhear talking about how they usually sit in FC. I am out of luck for FC on three upcoming flights over next week and I have not even reached the 72 hour window yet.

The agents at the check in desk seem like they do not know how to put people on the FC waitlist. One handed me BP that said Standby even though I was already on the flight. When I got to the gate I was not even #1 on the list! I would love to get on the list at the gate but I do not want to go through security 10 hours before my flight. Is going to the airport and using the machines at midnight as good as checking in 24 hours ahead and having the agents put me on the upgrade list.

formeraa

As a former AA employee, I agree with you. Even with AA's different upgrade program, it was VERY rare and difficult to get a first class seat. Furthermore, in the past, AA required that its employees wear formal dress in F (later changed to business casual but still strict). Several times, I actually wore a suit and tie on flights to HNL. I also had to pay an additional service charge for a first class seat.

gaugeguy

I have to agree with AS Flyer. I don't think that I have ever seen a non-rev in First ever. Although, I have and will try to upgrade one as a companion if First has an extra seat at the gate. Its nice to be able to do that and thank employees for their hard work.