OLCI purchased upgrade offer to non-elite before elite upgrades processed
Aug 22, 2012, 5:15 am
#196
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 2,592
It's getting the wording of the offer right that's difficult. Something like "We know that you have flown 100,000 miles with us this year, and we do remember that we promised you unlimited free domestic upgrades if we did not sell all the first class seats on your flights, but we have just discovered that Mr. Kettle might be willing to slip us 45 clams to sit in first. We have carefully weighed his 45 clams against your 100,000 miles, and have decided he wins. If you really want that seat, you have to pony up 45 clams, and do it before he does, so you better get right on it. And by the way, thanks for flying that 100,000 miles with us."
Aug 22, 2012, 6:08 am
#197
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It's getting the wording of the offer right that's difficult. Something like "We know that you have flown 100,000 miles with us this year, and we do remember that we promised you unlimited free domestic upgrades if we did not sell all the first class seats on your flights, but we have just discovered that Mr. Kettle might be willing to slip us 45 clams to sit in first. We have carefully weighed his 45 clams against your 100,000 miles, and have decided he wins. If you really want that seat, you have to pony up 45 clams, and do it before he does, so you better get right on it. And by the way, thanks for flying that 100,000 miles with us."
AA has precedent for charging elites for certainty. Elites can go standby for free. If a flight is wide open, anyone can pay for SDC. Rule of thumb is that if they are offering SDC, your standby will very likely clear, but if you want to pay to lock it in, you can.
Aug 22, 2012, 6:58 am
#198
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From a strategy point of view though it does suggest that any elite first deciding to go for an upgrade inside the last 24 hours should look for LFBU first before requesting to be added to the wait-list.
Aug 22, 2012, 7:11 am
#199
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But this has always been the case. One could always confirm upgrades with eXIP/SWU or mileage (+copay when that came into effect) generally long before elite upgrade windows. And so on. And I would guess that this is all airlines, even through the various changed, and not just AA. An approach like this (charging for certainty) has always made sense. It's just the level to which they take this that bears watching.
Cheers.
Cheers.
Aug 22, 2012, 7:18 am
#200
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Have we heard from OP and/or AA yet?
Aug 22, 2012, 7:18 am
#201
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A SWU is exactly what I use when I want to trump people sitting on an upgrade list. And ofcourse they should let me go ahead of anyone on the upgrade list because it is such a premium that I am paying compared to the complimentary upgrade they are likely using.
I'm not that adverse to people who pay getting ahead of me. If I never got an upgrade, I might think differently.
I'm not that adverse to people who pay getting ahead of me. If I never got an upgrade, I might think differently.
Aug 22, 2012, 9:47 am
#202
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Isn't the rub that the 100,000 miler on the UPG list doesn't even get the opportunity to pony up the 45 clams?
AA has precedent for charging elites for certainty. Elites can go standby for free. If a flight is wide open, anyone can pay for SDC. Rule of thumb is that if they are offering SDC, your standby will very likely clear, but if you want to pay to lock it in, you can.
AA has precedent for charging elites for certainty. Elites can go standby for free. If a flight is wide open, anyone can pay for SDC. Rule of thumb is that if they are offering SDC, your standby will very likely clear, but if you want to pay to lock it in, you can.
Aug 22, 2012, 9:52 am
#203
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No, OP has not updated us, not even to the effect that they contacted AA and AA is investigating. OP has been back to Flyertalk, last time was yesterday afternoon, but didn't post any update.
For those interested in another opinion by a very well-informed party on this, see here.
For those interested in another opinion by a very well-informed party on this, see here.
Aug 22, 2012, 10:26 am
#204
Join Date: Feb 2008
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Now we are all clear on the fact that AA have never promised to clear the list before offering LFBU, the only 'news' here would be if his upgrade didn't clear at the gate.
Aug 22, 2012, 10:34 am
#205
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According to AA's statement, "No" was the answer to the question on whether or not it will reduce the number of premium seats available for elite upgrade. The answer was not, "If we predict correctly, then elite upgrades will not be affected"
Q: Will the Confirmed Upgrade option reduce the number of premium class seats available to full-fare and AAdvantage elite customers?
A: No. Upgrades via Self Service will be offered only after we've determined that sufficient premium seats are available to accommodate customers who want to buy full-fare tickets and to AAdvantage elite members who wish to upgrade.
Last edited by mvoight; Aug 22, 2012 at 10:45 am
Aug 22, 2012, 10:43 am
#206
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Post #16 said that OP still had not cleared, and there was only one seat left.
Seems likely that somebody didn't clear, even if the OP did.
Aug 22, 2012, 10:51 am
#207
Join Date: Feb 2008
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This one covers most concerns for me:
http://www.travelingbetter.com/forum...6&postcount=23
From the posts the OP has made, although the LFBU was offered, he declined it on behalf of the person he was checking in, so we don't actually know that any LFBU were actually sold.
Still, any further updates from the OP would obviously be welcome.
http://www.travelingbetter.com/forum...6&postcount=23
From the posts the OP has made, although the LFBU was offered, he declined it on behalf of the person he was checking in, so we don't actually know that any LFBU were actually sold.
Still, any further updates from the OP would obviously be welcome.
Aug 22, 2012, 10:53 am
#208
Join Date: Feb 2008
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True, but we don't know if LFBU actually played a part in that or if it was just the usual last minute sales of tickets or IRROPS etc.
Aug 22, 2012, 11:08 am
#209
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: NYC
Posts: 6,433
NOPE, Not clear on that "fact"
According to AA's statement, "No" was the answer to the question on whether or not it will reduce the number of premium seats available for elite upgrade. The answer was not, "If we predict correctly, then elite upgrades will not be affected"
Q: Will the Confirmed Upgrade option reduce the number of premium class seats available to full-fare and AAdvantage elite customers?
A: No. Upgrades via Self Service will be offered only after we've determined that sufficient premium seats are available to accommodate customers who want to buy full-fare tickets and to AAdvantage elite members who wish to upgrade.
According to AA's statement, "No" was the answer to the question on whether or not it will reduce the number of premium seats available for elite upgrade. The answer was not, "If we predict correctly, then elite upgrades will not be affected"
Q: Will the Confirmed Upgrade option reduce the number of premium class seats available to full-fare and AAdvantage elite customers?
A: No. Upgrades via Self Service will be offered only after we've determined that sufficient premium seats are available to accommodate customers who want to buy full-fare tickets and to AAdvantage elite members who wish to upgrade.
Aug 22, 2012, 11:12 am
#210
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That is what I presume the OP is asking AA to investigate. What is clear is that LFBUs were offered. If they were accepted, then elites did not get upgraded because of LFBUs. If nobody accepted the LFBU, that's even worse - because of what it says about AA's ability to predict. AA predicted that there was plenty of room for elite upgrades and LFBUs also, but the actual situation was that there was no room.