travelmi

I have searched for answer, but just want to someone to look at my specific trip to see if I am missing something.

Just subscripted to EF. and EF Shows the following:

03/19/10 - Fri

AA () 289 0 ORD
03/19/10 10:35 AM PVG
03/20/10 2:05 PM 777
Business - Upgrade C 0

Returning 03/28/10 - Sun

0 Connections

AA () 288 0 PVG
03/28/10 4:10 PM ORD
03/28/10 4:20 PM 777
Business - Upgrade C 1

My understanding is that I should be able to confirm the upgrade on the return leg now.

I called in EXP desk and the person told me none is available for upgrade.

Is it a system error on EF? She also said that they do not do upgrade for busy travel days that far in advance. But if C is available, it means that it is available for upgrade, right?

Hopefully one of the experts on the board can shed some light on this.

Thanks!

smilee

Here on flyertalk we have a motto when phoning a customer service agent, if you don't get the answer you believe you should be getting, instead of arguing, thank them, hang up and call right back.

You are correct, if EF shows C1 in the upgrade section, there should be room to upgrade 1 seat right now.

yuchung5

Is it possible that OP is 2nd in the queue??

brp

Maybe. If there really were "C1" you'd think that the first in the queue would be upgraded. I've been told several times recently that calling won't results in "out of order" upgrading. Of course, if the top of the list contains a non-splitting pair, they may not immediately skip over them to give it to the first single in the list this far out. unfortunately, a number of explanations are plausible.

Cheers.

travelmi

Thanks for all the response. EF still shows C1 as of now. I am going to call back.

When I call back, what should I ask? Should I just ask the upgrade to be applied or should I ask do a re-request of the upgrade?

travelmi

Called back and got a different agent. She said that there is no availability in C. Is it just a EF Glitch? It is still showing C1.

Curious how would you ask for this information? the agents sound not too happy answering the question and was not sure if I framed the question correctly.

If I set up alert for C1 now, will EF send me an alert if another seat opens up? As it is already showing C1?

ksuckow

Is this flight notoriously hard to upgrade? I have been watching expert flyer for my return on this flight on Feb 12. I am finding that a few seats are opened a day or two before departure. I would appreciate any information from those who are regular travelers on this flight. Should I remain optimistic?

travelmi

I talked to the agents. she said that four days out of the week are very popular and they hold the seats for sale. For sure Friday and Sundays are two of them. I see you are travel on a Friday too.

Mark_T

Unless this is a very recent change I have plenty of direct personal evidence that this is not true, but I can see why they would say that

I wonder if they are instructed not to process applications out of sequence when there is a wait list? This would reduce the utility of EF if true.

I did have a request pushed through to revenue management last week and got the upgrade, but I have no way of knowing if I was already first on the list of course.

brp

It's been recently that I've heard this. With regard to the past, I've also called when seeing availability (both C and X) and gotten upgraded, but I've never known where I was on the list. Hard to say if it's a real change, or just a change in what they say.

Cheers.

travelmi

Is it possible EF shows availiablity and AA shows none?

ksuckow : would you post your experience after your travel? I am very nervous because I have not taken such long flight in over 10 years.

Thanks!

Blumie

I have never seen this. I would call yet again, and if I got the same answer I'd tell the agent that I subscribe to a service that shows me inventory and that it's showing C1. The agent might be able to dig further and perhaps explain the discrepancy between what you're seeing and what s/he's seeing.

nrr

From info in other threads, sometimes the EXP desk can call revenue management and get them to open a seat for an EXP. Did you try asking them to do this?

travelmi

No. I did not ask them to call RM as the flight is still more than 45 days out. From what I have been reading on this Forum, you get better chance to ask them to opening up seat when it gets closer to the dates. Now they are probably holding out to sell the seats.

What puzzles me is the EF shows C1 and two agents that I talked to told me that there is no available C inventory.

Thanks for the suggestion! Once the dates are getting closer, I will sure to ask for RM

Blumie

I don't know what you're doing wrong, but I just spoke with "Barb" on the EXP desk who confirmed that there is one seat available for a Y-to-J upgrade on AA288 on March 28.