bollar

From aa.com:

By now you may have received information about the new Executive Platinum VP Upgrade for 2004. For your convenience, the VP upgrade (formerly VIP Upgrade) will be available on AA.com later this year. We've listed some frequently asked questions associated with Executive Platinum VP Upgrades below:

Q: When will my systemwide (VP) upgrades be deposited into the electronic upgrade bank?
A: We plan to deposit them into the electronic upgrade bank available by the end of April.

Q: What should I do if I want to use my systemwide (VP) upgrades for immediate travel before the electronic upgrade bank is ready?
A: Call your elite hotline. Your upgrade will be processed with your reservation and when the electronic upgrade bank is available, those upgrades already used will be deducted at that time.

Q: Can I share my systemwide (VP) upgrades with other people?
A: Yes, and you can travel with them, or they may also travel alone.

Q: How do I share a systemwide (VP) upgrade with another passenger if I'm not traveling?
A: Call your elite hotline in advance to make the reservation and request the upgrade, (the same way you do when you claim a mileage award from your account for someone else.) Then the passenger can go to the airport to check-in without your being present. If you do not call your elite hotline in advance, the passenger cannot be accommodated at the airport unless you are also present.

Q: Besides being added to the electronic upgrade bank, what else is changing about systemwide upgrades?
A: Really, very little is changing. At the end of April, Systemwide (VP) upgrades will be booked in X & R inventory instead of A & C and VP upgrades will be valid with a few more discounted fares (those booked in S and W inventory). Other than that - we're just making VP upgrades easier for you to track, by adding them to the electronic upgrade bank.

Q: Are my paper Systemwide (VIP03) upgrades still valid?
A: Yes; paper Systemwide VIP03 upgrades are valid until the expiration date printed on the certificate. Simply continue to use them as you do today.

Q: How do I know my systemwide (VP) upgrade balance?
A: Once the systemwide (VP) upgrades have been deposited into your electronic Bank at the end of April, you will be able to view them online in your account or you may check your balance by calling AAdvantage Dial-In.

Q: What should I do if I want to use my systemwide (VP) upgrades on an itinerary with more than three segments?
A: You can use your systemwide (VP) upgrade for up to three segments, then you can use 500-mile (5M) upgrades for any other applicable segments - as long as those flights are within the geographic area associated with 500-mile upgrades.

Q: If I cancel my trip prior to travel, what will happen to my systemwide (VP) upgrade?
A: All unused upgrades are returned to your account, and will be reflected in your upgrade balance.

AAdvantageGuy

Already. . .an error in the wording. . .
If it is more than three segments, and you are still domestic, you will *NOT* use your 500 Mile stickers since upgrades are now complimentary. At the time you book your ticket with the upgrade, and you are over, just request the upgrade like normal!


Q: What should I do if I want to use my systemwide (VP) upgrades on an itinerary with more than three segments?
A: You can use your systemwide (VP) upgrade for up to three segments, then you can use 500-mile (5M) upgrades for any other applicable segments - as long as those flights are within the geographic area associated with 500-mile upgrades.

wanaflyforless

True if you are an EXP using your own upgrades after March 18, but their statement is correct if the EXP is upgrading someone else or if you are using them before March 18.

I am very glad to see this in writing. Very good new, IMO.

Tango

I think what AA is trying to say is what happens if I am not an EP and I have more than three segments.

Tango

One other question: Will the system tell you when your VIP's expire? For most people it will be at the end of FEB but for those that cross the 1MM mark or who qualify for EP mid year, will have different expiration dates.

martin33

there are 2 threads suggesting the MM program is getting its own upgrade type, still paper.

mid-year qualifiers, well one could suspect they'll get some sort of standardized expiration... it's hard to imagine AA's system being clever enough to maintain multiple expirations given the extreme parallels already with the expirationless 500-mile system..

Spiff

Actually, the wording seems fine to me.

As an EXP, you will still have to use stickers to upgrade when there are more than 3 segments and the segments you want to upgrade are in the "domestic" definition of elligible for sticker upgrades. The upgrades are complimentary but the method of upgrade is still stickers. If there is no inventory for sticker upgrades (X and R) then you can't upgrade with stickers, regardless of whether you pay for them or not.

UncleDude

Just checked some of my International Upgrade Waitlists and there is availability for 'R' Class when 'C' is full, so please instigate as soon as possible.

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Bring Back First Class Food on ALL flights over 2.5 hours

[This message has been edited by KentownFlorida (edited Feb 25, 2004).]

oiRRio

This is the key para for me. It confirms that

1) AA will not be making their use more restrictive à la HoKeY ; and
2) They are actually expanding the types of discount fares they can be used on.

As the cheapest fares from the UK are often S class web specials this is good news.

Assuming there is no bad news come April wrt X and R class availability, I say well done AA!

JonNYC

I'm still intrigued by the X/R thing. Even the people who told me a few weeks ago that that specific change was coming, never gave me a clear indication of what that change is supposed to accomplish. Overall I think AA has been bery, bery good to EXP's for 2004-- jsut still left pondering the significance of the change to X/R. I guess it could just be a technical requirement.

MeLike2Travel

I think I read this somewhere a week ago or so, but now I can't find it. What's the difference between x/r and a/c inventory?

Thanks.

dancingbear

Perhaps because the 500-mile e-upgrade systems are already programmed for X/R, and they just piggybacked the VP's on top of that system?

JonNYC

That's kind of my default thought on the subject... but I really have no insight into the technical situation, so maybe it's that simple, or.. who knows..

Cygnus X-1

I have a couple of questions:

- If they are being implemented by the end of April, we will not be getting any Paper VIP certs in the next few days when the new EXP status year begins 03/01?
- If everyone plans to have E-VIPs coming in the next very few days, I have to call the EXP line and request that my current VIP reservations be changed to the E-VIP because I was under the impression of getting paper certs, no?

Love the implementation, it is good. But the work I have to do!

Also, it looks like anyone who needs to use an E-VIPOX and doesn't have one will have to contact an EXP to use it, verifying the transfer. No more, here have one, fill in your name, make the reservation yourself deals.

FWAAA

I apologize in advance if this has already been answered (like maybe on the corrupted thread) - Will mileage upgrades also be changed to X/R?? Or will mileage upgrades continue to come from A/C (meaning two different international upgrade inventories)?? That might not be ideal.