newgrad071

Thanks for the good information Sluggo ^

Any chance you can see if 1A was occupied on the return trip (AA3753) to ORD on the same equipment? I was number 1 on the list (prior to any boarding), think this is worth a note to AA or not?

JumboD

I think the reason AA (correctly) drops people once they board is that it's too difficult and wastes too much time for a GA to go down the jet bridge to re-seat them when the aisles are full and they're trying to get the flight out on time. I do, however, think AA should do a better job publicizing this fact so that people can make informed decisions.

ttusqrl

Oh they publicize it alright..."First has checked in full but if you would like to go ahead and board, we will come get you if a seat opens up"

Kind of seems like different alignment of publicity than what you were mentioning as reasoning though.

JumboD

I've heard just the opposite sometimes, something to the extent of (paraphrased): "We may end up with some extra seats in first, however if you board you will be removed from the upgrade list."

I remember the last time this happened to me, I was #3 on the list, there was one seat left, and as they called EXP and PLT to board, I went from 3 to 2 to 1 to F.

Perhaps what you heard is some GABS trying to keep people from hanging around the gate to see if they'll get upgraded. Last thing you want is a dozen elites hanging out till the last second when you're trying to close the gate...

Perhaps this type of thing is completely at their discretion, but I think it would be good if AA had a uniform policy that was at least in one of the footnotes on AA.com. Perhaps: "Once on the airport upgrade list, you will maintain your place until either your upgrade clears or you board the plane, at which point it will be removed." That will let people decide for certain whether they want to chance losing overhead space over an upgrade. The current lack of clarity may leave an EXP in the first row of coach wondering how the hell there's a GLD in the last row of F with an X BP.

sluggoaafa

No, it's extremely annoying, especially when boarding has just begun, and there are still plenty of open seats in F because we haven't even gotten to Group 5-6 yet and there is still 20 minutes left before the door is closed, yet that person who is #20 on the list stops the flow of traffic and tells the FA that, "I'm and ExP and #1 on the UPG list, but the agent told me F checked in Full, yet there are still open seats".

The FAs don't have a seat map, or the ability to pull it up on the computer at the agents desk, we just know the #s of pax for each cabin when we do a briefing with the agent before we board the plane. When the agent tells us Full in First, and 'x' open in Coach, then we go by that. That's why the response will be, "it's suppose to be full, but you're more than welcome to go back out to the Agent and check on your UPG". Once on the A/C, FAs have no control over the UPGs, it's ALL done with the Agent. Even after the door is closed.

Sure, the monitor may drop the boarded UPGers, but when the Agent comes down with the final pax list, it shows everyone who was listed for an UPG. Nine out of Ten times, that pax who said they were Exp and #1 was actually #20, and a GOLD with plenty of ExP/PL ahead of them....so yes, it is annoying to the crew when a DYKWIA stops the boarding and tells the FA "I was next on the list and there are open seats", five minutes into boarding. (especially on Transcon flights when they just started boarding Priority Access and the first few Y pax pass the empty C cabin and whine to the C FAs about all the open seats. Um, we're not even done boarding yet and there are pax who are still walking/running down from the AC/FL

brp

I can sure see why it would be annoying. They know who is next on the list, and where they are sitting. What is the purpose of telling them? It's not going to make anything happen differently. If they don't have time to come on the plane and get someone, telling them won't help. If they do, telling them won't help.

The dropping off the list is definitely confusing. Of course, in cases where they don't have time to get people on the plane (and I've been told this explicitly on occasion) that list does reflect reality.

Cheers.

commondude

That empty seat in first was not INOP. Looks like the agent was in a rush to close the flight out cuz it closed 10 minutes early.

JY1024

Very interesting! ^ I did not know this part...

Robt760

Ha ha...that's classic.

DFWFlier

I wish AA made the upgrade list visible like CO does on their PDA site.

newgrad071

Ah great, here I was hoping it was something else. Broken seat, small person, really anything but it looks like it was just laziness.

When people talk about the 'paperwork' required to upgrade someone, really how long does it take to clear someone off the list? Is it really so cumbersome agents don't do it?

Why don't they clear the upgrade list before boarding? Are they really waiting for the mythical walk-up full fare purchase? Just clear the list 15 minutes prior to boarding, say all upgrades have been accommodated, and be accurate about it. It would restore people's faith in the system. If there is a F pax who doesn't board the FAs have the list of upgrades handed to them before the door shuts. I don't see why this is so difficult...

AAFA

Where are you getting your info from? They don't always clearly mark them. They only do that if there is a problem with the seat staying up or if the seat is a hazard.

jafrelin

Great idea

JumboD

Seems like a safety hazard if they don't.

MARINFLL

My last flight on a 767 from DFW to MAD had 2 open seats at the back row of business that were empty. I had a friend waiting on an upgrade, which did not go through. I asked the FA why the seats were open, and she said they did not recline so were out of service. Neither were marked as broken though. I think it depends on the crew, time they were discovered to be broken, etc. I've been on at least 2 trans-Atlantic flights with broken, vacant seats in business class that were unmarked. It can happen.