brp

How did he know that they were EXPs on the list? presumably he asked the GA and they counted and told him?

Cheers.

dat4life

If you hold back and wait for EXP boarding, it would be a fairly good indication.

Antarius

Perhaps. Usually it indicates that people disregard boarding groups and board anyways

brp

Maybe I'm missing something obvious but, during EXP boarding, wouldn't the PLT and GLD members requesting upgrades also be on the list?

Cheers.

moman

Mia-PHX has always been an easy one, yet I'm #2 on the list at the airport for 1 open seat. This is horrible. Oh well, glad AA can make some extra cash on the infrequent fliers, they'll need it to cover the spend I'm taking to Southwest.

MiamiAirport Formerly NY George

Maybe its just me but in the past six months I've seen longer upgrade list (pity the PLTs and GLDs) and fuller F cabins, even when Y is so open you could hold a bowling tournament back there. Although I'm not complaining. I've started to DL lately due to different travel patterns and have found that one can fly Y (although I try to do E+) and still live to tell the tale.

SFO777

I can't go back to coach

moman

delta is good. At least most of the time the process is transparent.

sts603

There is no evidence of TOD upgrades influencing upgrade rates. Lower F fares are good business. If they make upgraders harder, so business. Sure, there are some strange situations where the Y to F spread becomes negligible but they are not common.

moman

I have ample evidence of my situation being affected by TOD upgrades. I booked this ticket yesterday, and of course there was no offer to upgrade for $106, but I've seen it before. having went from 99% to 65% can't be a fluke. Lower F fares are good business until they drive the FFers to alternatives
. Another analogy "not seeing the forest for the trees"

SFO777

What would those "alternatives" be?

brp

So "can't be a fluke" is substituting for actual evidence in your claim of TOD upgrades being offered prior to clearing the upgrade queue? Really?

We're still at 100% 2 1/2 years and running. So I fail to see this substantial change.

Cheers.

moman

I understand you buy out in advance. I've rarely had issues 5+ days out, its the close in bookings where I'm missing upgrades. WRT evidence, I don't know what is causing the missed upgrades I just know they are getting more common. JFK-LAS, MIA-PHX, LAX-JFK, PHX-DFW. Just for grins, I priced out my itinerary tomorrow and F was $187 more than the "Essentials". Using the customary 5 stickers would be ~ $150. So, hey, for $37 why not guarantee it? I would if I had the option. No disputing the business behind it, but it most certainly is affecting upgrade % for me. The nice thing about southwest is that it's guaranteed I'll go hungry on the flight

brp

I would suggest that buying close in is what is causing the missed upgrades as all the people who purchased before you have higher priority. There's no doubt that upgrades are harder to get as more people are buying F due to the fare difference reduction. With fewer seats, there will be fewer upgrades, and the late purchaser (you) won't get them. This has nothing to do with (and does not provide evidence for) TOD bumping requested upgrades.

Cheers.

imapilotaz

^
Sweet I'm all for other EXPs to abandon ship... makes those upgrades easier.

I'm trying to figure out why folks think PHX anywhere is an "easy" upgrade. I've been flying there for years (lived there for 10 of them), and I've seen flights DFW-PHX that had 60+ people board with just F and EXP... no mention of GLD/PLT and gate agents turned some of those away for boarding before being called. This was a couple years ago when I was a lowly PLT, and I joked with the PLT standing next to me that was waiting as well that its no wonder I was near 50 on the upgrade list.

I have missed upgrades on only 2 flights all year this year, one of them was PHX-DFW and I was #8 on the list as an EXP. I have had no problem getting DFW-ORD, DFW-DCA, DFW-LGA, DFW-BOS... PHX booked a month in advance, no go.