my name was not on the upgrade list
Sep 27, 2015, 5:36 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2010
Programs: AA EXP SPG PLT
Posts: 44
my name was not on the upgrade list
I felt strange that my upgrade request was not cleared for the coming TATL flight departing from DFW, which was not busy at the time of booking. Called EXP desk and the agent (and confirmed at the airport) told me that she can not find any upgrade request for this flight. She was not talking about the upgrade list at the airport. She said I did not make any request as far as she can see in the record. 
This was a surprise. I remember the call to EXP desk 2 month ago and my conversation with the rep to request the upgrade for this flight. Mistakes can happen. It can be due to system. It can be due to human error (for example she moved to the next customer without completing the procedure). But I think both chance is very slim.
Have you ever encountered this?
Solution is easy, I think. Just call the next day, or even right after the first call, to confirm your upgrade request. But still it is annoying, if it can happen at certain frequency.
This was a surprise. I remember the call to EXP desk 2 month ago and my conversation with the rep to request the upgrade for this flight. Mistakes can happen. It can be due to system. It can be due to human error (for example she moved to the next customer without completing the procedure). But I think both chance is very slim.
Have you ever encountered this?
Solution is easy, I think. Just call the next day, or even right after the first call, to confirm your upgrade request. But still it is annoying, if it can happen at certain frequency.
Sep 27, 2015, 6:49 pm
#2
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Beantown! (BOS)
Programs: AA PtPro (2 MM); Hilton Diamond; Hertz President Cr; DL SkyMiles; UA MileagePlus
Posts: 3,437
Yes, this has happened to me when I was EXP and as PLT. I did call AA again to check on my upgrade request status so both situations it was caught before the day of the flight.
The impression I got from my experience is that getting on a standby list for the upgrade is not simply clicking one icon on the screen for an agent. It sounded like requires multiple screen procedure where require input of proper information at each screen. My impression is that if some information was missing or incorrect, there is no error message to alarm the agent.
One situation, as EXP I requested SWU on a flight to LHR. If I remember correctly I called back few days later to make sure everything was fine, and the agent told me I am on a standby list and all was fine.
Then later when I was passing through DFW, I asked an AAngel at AC regarding my upgrade request. The AAngel looked up my reservation on the screen and at first the AAngel told me I am still on request and everything was fine. However, the AAngel scrolled down the screen and looked my reservation detail further and at the end had some message. There was something wrong with my upgrade request. The AAngel actually showed me the screen, and the AAngel had to go all the way down my reservation at the end to find the note on my reservation.
What turned out was that my SWU upgrade request cleared. But the agent who processed the request made a mistake on putting my credit card information for taxes and fees purpose. Good thing was that my upgrade was still good and all had to be done was to put my credit card information correctly. I have no idea how long the system would have kept my upgrade. If I did not follow up, was upgrade still good the day of the flight? I do not know.
Since that experience I always make sure to call back occasionally and ask an agent if my upgrade request is all good or not. My impression is that good agents will look at the entire reservation detail, which can be multiple pages on the screen. Some agents will just look at the first screen and simply say all is good.
The impression I got from my experience is that getting on a standby list for the upgrade is not simply clicking one icon on the screen for an agent. It sounded like requires multiple screen procedure where require input of proper information at each screen. My impression is that if some information was missing or incorrect, there is no error message to alarm the agent.
One situation, as EXP I requested SWU on a flight to LHR. If I remember correctly I called back few days later to make sure everything was fine, and the agent told me I am on a standby list and all was fine.
Then later when I was passing through DFW, I asked an AAngel at AC regarding my upgrade request. The AAngel looked up my reservation on the screen and at first the AAngel told me I am still on request and everything was fine. However, the AAngel scrolled down the screen and looked my reservation detail further and at the end had some message. There was something wrong with my upgrade request. The AAngel actually showed me the screen, and the AAngel had to go all the way down my reservation at the end to find the note on my reservation.
What turned out was that my SWU upgrade request cleared. But the agent who processed the request made a mistake on putting my credit card information for taxes and fees purpose. Good thing was that my upgrade was still good and all had to be done was to put my credit card information correctly. I have no idea how long the system would have kept my upgrade. If I did not follow up, was upgrade still good the day of the flight? I do not know.
Since that experience I always make sure to call back occasionally and ask an agent if my upgrade request is all good or not. My impression is that good agents will look at the entire reservation detail, which can be multiple pages on the screen. Some agents will just look at the first screen and simply say all is good.
Sep 29, 2015, 9:43 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2010
Programs: AA EXP SPG PLT
Posts: 44
Yes, this has happened to me when I was EXP and as PLT. I did call AA again to check on my upgrade request status so both situations it was caught before the day of the flight.
The impression I got from my experience is that getting on a standby list for the upgrade is not simply clicking one icon on the screen for an agent. It sounded like requires multiple screen procedure where require input of proper information at each screen. My impression is that if some information was missing or incorrect, there is no error message to alarm the agent.
One situation, as EXP I requested SWU on a flight to LHR. If I remember correctly I called back few days later to make sure everything was fine, and the agent told me I am on a standby list and all was fine.
Then later when I was passing through DFW, I asked an AAngel at AC regarding my upgrade request. The AAngel looked up my reservation on the screen and at first the AAngel told me I am still on request and everything was fine. However, the AAngel scrolled down the screen and looked my reservation detail further and at the end had some message. There was something wrong with my upgrade request. The AAngel actually showed me the screen, and the AAngel had to go all the way down my reservation at the end to find the note on my reservation.
What turned out was that my SWU upgrade request cleared. But the agent who processed the request made a mistake on putting my credit card information for taxes and fees purpose. Good thing was that my upgrade was still good and all had to be done was to put my credit card information correctly. I have no idea how long the system would have kept my upgrade. If I did not follow up, was upgrade still good the day of the flight? I do not know.
Since that experience I always make sure to call back occasionally and ask an agent if my upgrade request is all good or not. My impression is that good agents will look at the entire reservation detail, which can be multiple pages on the screen. Some agents will just look at the first screen and simply say all is good.
The impression I got from my experience is that getting on a standby list for the upgrade is not simply clicking one icon on the screen for an agent. It sounded like requires multiple screen procedure where require input of proper information at each screen. My impression is that if some information was missing or incorrect, there is no error message to alarm the agent.
One situation, as EXP I requested SWU on a flight to LHR. If I remember correctly I called back few days later to make sure everything was fine, and the agent told me I am on a standby list and all was fine.
Then later when I was passing through DFW, I asked an AAngel at AC regarding my upgrade request. The AAngel looked up my reservation on the screen and at first the AAngel told me I am still on request and everything was fine. However, the AAngel scrolled down the screen and looked my reservation detail further and at the end had some message. There was something wrong with my upgrade request. The AAngel actually showed me the screen, and the AAngel had to go all the way down my reservation at the end to find the note on my reservation.
What turned out was that my SWU upgrade request cleared. But the agent who processed the request made a mistake on putting my credit card information for taxes and fees purpose. Good thing was that my upgrade was still good and all had to be done was to put my credit card information correctly. I have no idea how long the system would have kept my upgrade. If I did not follow up, was upgrade still good the day of the flight? I do not know.
Since that experience I always make sure to call back occasionally and ask an agent if my upgrade request is all good or not. My impression is that good agents will look at the entire reservation detail, which can be multiple pages on the screen. Some agents will just look at the first screen and simply say all is good.
Sep 30, 2015, 8:51 pm
#4
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: LAX
Posts: 3,267
Same thing happened to me with a miles + copay upgrade. The u/g cleared but I never got a confirmation email, so I called back a few days later and it turned out that my ccn was incorrect.
Oct 1, 2015, 11:14 am
#5
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 387
I've only had this happen once in the past 5 years, but 10 hours in coach was enough to convince to always call and confirm the upgrade request since then.
Oct 1, 2015, 11:39 am
#6
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Dallas
Programs: AAdvantage EXP, IHG Spire, Marriott Gold, HHonors Gold, National Executive Elite
Posts: 1,523
I felt strange that my upgrade request was not cleared for the coming TATL flight departing from DFW, which was not busy at the time of booking. Called EXP desk and the agent (and confirmed at the airport) told me that she can not find any upgrade request for this flight. She was not talking about the upgrade list at the airport. She said I did not make any request as far as she can see in the record.
This was a surprise. I remember the call to EXP desk 2 month ago and my conversation with the rep to request the upgrade for this flight. Mistakes can happen. It can be due to system. It can be due to human error (for example she moved to the next customer without completing the procedure). But I think both chance is very slim.
Have you ever encountered this?
Solution is easy, I think. Just call the next day, or even right after the first call, to confirm your upgrade request. But still it is annoying, if it can happen at certain frequency.
This was a surprise. I remember the call to EXP desk 2 month ago and my conversation with the rep to request the upgrade for this flight. Mistakes can happen. It can be due to system. It can be due to human error (for example she moved to the next customer without completing the procedure). But I think both chance is very slim.
Have you ever encountered this?
Solution is easy, I think. Just call the next day, or even right after the first call, to confirm your upgrade request. But still it is annoying, if it can happen at certain frequency.
I was able to get a copy of my PNR history and it was black and white that AA cancelled it when I called in and had them push through my SWU on another leg in the PNR 5 days prior.
So if you are 100% sure you requested it, there's certainly precedent where AA fouled up and then had multiple agents "mislead" me on it when asked.
Oct 1, 2015, 2:57 pm
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: SNA
Posts: 18,240
If only the reservation showed requested SWU's so we could see them@!
Oct 1, 2015, 4:07 pm
#8
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Dallas
Programs: AAdvantage EXP, IHG Spire, Marriott Gold, HHonors Gold, National Executive Elite
Posts: 1,523
Oct 1, 2015, 6:08 pm
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: SJC
Programs: AA EXP, BA Silver, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton diamond, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 33,533
Cheers.
Oct 2, 2015, 9:04 am
#11
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 7,875
Slightly different, but I had a reservation and I was talking to the agent about the upgrades on the US segments (AA coded). The last segment was AA operated, and she said I hadn't been added to the upgrade list with my 500-mile certs. Supposedly she added me. At the airport I wasn't on the list.
I don't think there is a way to see with AA before the airport, unlike US where you can use the mobile website to see who is on the list.
I don't think there is a way to see with AA before the airport, unlike US where you can use the mobile website to see who is on the list.
Oct 2, 2015, 9:23 am
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: SNA
Posts: 18,240
Slightly different, but I had a reservation and I was talking to the agent about the upgrades on the US segments (AA coded). The last segment was AA operated, and she said I hadn't been added to the upgrade list with my 500-mile certs. Supposedly she added me. At the airport I wasn't on the list.
I don't think there is a way to see with AA before the airport, unlike US where you can use the mobile website to see who is on the list.
I don't think there is a way to see with AA before the airport, unlike US where you can use the mobile website to see who is on the list.