brp

I've seen this a few times, and there is one valid explanation for some of the occurrences. If coach is oversold they will zero out the inventory in the next cabin while some seats remain unsold. This is to be prepared to roll people forward. Still, this is likely a relatively small percentage of the cases. In others, I don't get it either as the system usually assigns seats when putting someone in the cabin, so J0 and a bunch of open seats doesn't seem to mesh.

Cheers.

brp

Well, it used to be that you just had to know to do this, and do it at the airport, so they must view adding it to the OLCI as an imprAAvement (sorry, had to work the AA in there somehow).

A profile setting of "yes,always add me to the airport list if my upgrade hasn't cleared" would be nice.

Cheers.

oklAAhoma

When he checked in online, eh? That is quite remarkable.

I disagree that "these things do happen on occasion." I cannot recall a time that AA has failed to disclose changes to written policy. Not only does AA.com specifically state that elite upgrade requests will be processed before LFBUs are offered, it also states that LFBUs will be offered at check-in kiosks. I see no reason to assume that two policies have been secretly changed.

roseboys3

agreed, I don't think either has been changed.... they are very upfront with changes as it can bite them in the butt, especially when so many people like us would LOVE to call them on it!!!!

dstan

Does your daughter have status? If not, she is only supposed to be able to use her stickers for Y/B fares. If she does, then they should have come out of her account and a call or email to AAdvantage Customer Service may get it fixed.

NotDuncan

One data point, even if you do request to be added to the airport list, you might not be. This happened to me last Saturday, DFW-ORD. I requested it during OLCI, but arriving at the gate I noticed my name wasn't on the list. I asked the GA why, since I had requested to be added during OLCI, her reply was "Oh, that doesn't work, you still have to come talk to us to get on the airport list"

I did jump to the top of the list as soon as she entered my name, and UG cleared @ halfway through boarding. No harm, no foul. Still, IIRC every other time I've not cleared before OLCI my name has already been on the board when I arrive at the gate. Just a misinformed GA?

Tries

As EXP flying internationally, I've arrived at ORD with IB flight from MAD. I've requested upgrade months ago, and it did not clear before check-in. So, in ORD at T5 I've requested agent to print out a boarding pass for me for connection flight ORD-SFO, and asked him, if I finally did get my upgrade. He said, it's not yet the case and upgrade will be assigned at the gate.
So, I went to FL and showed up at the gate some 20 min before departure time. Surprisingly, I did not find my name neither on upgrade request list, nor on cleared upgrade list. So, I've asked GA what's the deal. He said, the agent at T5 was wrong, because electronic upgrade list doesn't automatically put me on gate upgrade list, and that guy had to put me on the gate upgrade request list. After that, he asked if I want to wait for a couple of minutes for the case if there will be some seats in First for me. I've ok'yed it, and GA held my boarding pass on his desk. On upgrade request list were passengers, and my name still wasn't there.
After 15 min of waiting, groups 1-5 did board the aircraft , all 4 of upgrade requests were cleared, and after all of that, GA said, he's very-very sorry, that the agent at T5 was wrong, but there are no seats in First available- so I had to get my seat in Coach.

My 3 questions:
1. Is it true with two upgrade lists? Why should I ask two times for upgrade instead of just once?
2. What did I wrong at T5, if I explicitly asked for my upgrade status?
3. Is it really the case, that GA isn't allowed to put passenger on upgrade list (no matter when passenger shows his interest to be upgraded)? In my case, it would put me in front of 4 waiting passengers and so I would get my upgrade. Instead, the guy just held my boarding pass on his desk.

demkr

1. Yes its true. If upgrade isn't accommodated by the time you check-in you need to request to be put on the gate standby list, this can be done upon check-in at aa.com, the kiosk, or through the AA ticketing agent.

2. I don't know what happened at ORD T5, did the person who printed your boarding pass an IB agent or AA agent? I believe only an AA agent can add you to the gate upgrade list.

3. The GA should put you on the upgrade list upon requesting one. Don't see why this one was an issue. Maybe he simply didn't bother because he knew there would be enough pax in front of you to fill the cabin? My guess is he was probably holding your BP because one of the pax was late checking in and there was still a chance.

This still might be worth an e-mail to customer relations. Sorry that you had an unideal experience, but hope the flight was nice none the less and that next time it will work out a little bit better.

LAXNYER

would they have gotten priority as a connecting passenger on the list if they came in via an Iberia flight? what is the criteria for the "connecting" status?

demkr

They definitely should have ( I have). Whether pax was upgraded or not, they should still be added to the upgrade list for piece of mind purposes lol

Tries

2. The person was AA agent (btw, GA asked exactly the same question)
3. Well... GA could hold my boarding pass after adding me to upgrade list. It would at least satisfy me. I believe, system would then decide on which place on the list I'd land. And since I was not added to the list- obviously, I could not get any upgrades before people on the list.

Thanks for your suggestion to email customer relation- I was kind of doubting, if I should and if it does make any sense (even with boarding pass in my hand with T5 aa agent ID number on, and with GA's sign "GA" - (seriously!) on it as well)

Tries

Did copy/paste my message #67 and mailed it to AA customer relations.
Result: some 4 hours later 5000 Bonus Miles are already on my AA account. ^
The explanation was exactly the same as GA's explanation: AA agent at T5 was wrong

pjoalfa

Doing pre-checkin at the AA office in SDQ for me and my son, my son upgrades with stickers so I couldn't check in online. Fine. Need 4 stickers, I have 4. There have been no sticker transactions in my account for months. TA says can't use the stickers on my son because they are tied up some way with my upgrade. Mine are complimentary so I don't see how. She says the system takes two and credits two and that's why I don't have access to all 4. Sounds like a load of garbage to me so I call the EXP line where they tell me I couldn't even check my son in this far in advance?? (<12h to flight) So I guess I'm batting about .000 today.

What's interesting is the printout they gave me (don't have a scanner handy so reproducing below).
Again I have 4 only and they've been there for ages.

What could I have done differently?

HNL

Can you OLCI?

pjoalfa

Nope not when there are sticker upgrades to be performed in the PNR, otherwise, yes.