International Upgrade Day of Flight
As a Plat I requested upgrade on tomorrow's DFW ZRH flight but as of this writing it has not come through and I am told J is fully booked at this time. Based on prior experience, I am hopeful this will change.
My question on this subject is that it is my understnding that on the day of the flight the waitlist issue comes under airport control and whatever the old waitlist, a new one is established based on status and check in time. I am originating from MIA at 10 AM and arriving in DFW about 2 hours or so before the connection, so on check in time, I will likely be the last Plat to check in in DFW for an international flight, unless the time I check in in MIA counts. Any suggestions from FT land to increase my chances? Thank you |
[QUOTE=
My question on this subject is that it is my understnding that on the day of the flight the waitlist issue comes under airport control and whatever the old waitlist, a new one is established based on status and check in time. [/QUOTE] That's correct. |
Actually, perhaps not when waiting on an international mileage upgrade, according to both the check in counter and Admiral's Club in MIA. Agents at both locations were in agreement that I would have to ask again in DFW because I would need to get an upgrade certificate cleared first, which would not be appropriate unless a seat became avaiable. They both claimed that in an International flight I would be maintaining my priority established some time ago and the time I checked in today (in MIA) would not matter.
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My Recent Experience MIA-DFW-ZRH
I flew these flights (MIA-DFW-ZRH) on 2/10. I am EXP, so received complimentary upgrade MIA-DFW, but when I arrived at gate in DFW, the flight was already boarding. Although my name was at the head of the list for ugrades on the TV screen behind the checkin counter, I asked the GA and she said that BC had already checked in full.
I had already had EXP pull the certificate for the flight so that part was already done. But sat in the exit row in coach for the long flight. I also wondered if AA gives priority to people getting upgraded with miles plus the $250 co-pay fee, as this would generate more revenue than my eVIP. |
If J is truly sold out already, I'm not sure what the rules are, if any, in the event of no-shows. The problem is that the gate would typically determine if there were indeed no-shows, but my impression is that gate agents don't have the time nor the inclination, and perhaps aren't even authorized, to go through the laborious process of "pulling" the award (or VIP) and then reissuing the ticket once they have awarded someone the seat that becomes available. In my experience, the Admirals Club personnel are best suited to actually process the transaction. So, to make this work you would have to have some degree of cooperation between the gate agent and the Admirals Club (or ticket counter).
If J is not truly sold out, then my understanding and experience is that it's basically first-come, first-served. If there are seats available on the day of departure, someone at the airport (I've personally had it done at the ticket counter with reluctance and I've had it done by the Admirals Club with pleasure) must first call inventory control and get one of the unsold J seats released, then they must hang up and call AAdvantage Customer Service to get the miles pulled and an award certificate number issued, then they must stand there for literally 10 minutes and type a bunch of stuff into the computer before the ticket can be issued. I don't think the previous waitlist applies at all at this point; if there are unsold J seats, it's a matter of someone taking up your cause and putting forth the effort to call and get the seat released, then doing the work to get the ticket reissued using the award. |
Originally Posted by Robert Leach
If J is truly sold out already, I'm not sure what the rules are, if any, in the event of no-shows. The problem is that the gate would typically determine if there were indeed no-shows, but my impression is that gate agents don't have the time nor the inclination, and perhaps aren't even authorized, to go through the laborious process of "pulling" the award (or VIP) and then reissuing the ticket once they have awarded someone the seat that becomes available. In my experience, the Admirals Club personnel are best suited to actually process the transaction. So, to make this work you would have to have some degree of cooperation between the gate agent and the Admirals Club (or ticket counter).
If J is not truly sold out, then my understanding and experience is that it's basically first-come, first-served. If there are seats available on the day of departure, someone at the airport (I've personally had it done at the ticket counter with reluctance and I've had it done by the Admirals Club with pleasure) must first call inventory control and get one of the unsold J seats released, then they must hang up and call AAdvantage Customer Service to get the miles pulled and an award certificate number issued, then they must stand there for literally 10 minutes and type a bunch of stuff into the computer before the ticket can be issued. I don't think the previous waitlist applies at all at this point; if there are unsold J seats, it's a matter of someone taking up your cause and putting forth the effort to call and get the seat released, then doing the work to get the ticket reissued using the award. |
Originally Posted by DCAstudent
I think Robert is right. I flew DCA-MIA-MAD when J was sold out, but one J passenger did not show up in MIA. At the Admirals Club at MIA the agents told me that if I went to the gate to board, there was no chance of getting the upgrade because the gate agents would not be able to pull a certificate for me. The Admirals Club said that the no-show seat hadn't been released, but came and got me around 45 minutes before the flight saying that it had been released, but as a revenue seat. They called the Platinum desk, then someone (based on the last post, it must have been the people who handle inventory), then AAdvantage. It took around 15 minutes and I was the last one to board, but I got the upgrade (using miles plus copay).
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Overbooked J on LHR-JFK - Upgrade chances
How does overbooked J class on my Friday night LHR-JFK flight effect my upgrade chances (from Y to J)? When I put in my request, agent said its rare to see J overbooked but that they will most likley upgrade people to F. Would this maybe open some seats up in J or am I pretty much out of luck?
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I would say you're pretty much out of luck. How do you know J is overbooked?
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Originally Posted by MiamiPrep
I also wondered if AA gives priority to people getting upgraded with miles plus the $250 co-pay fee, as this would generate more revenue than my eVIP.
Row 21 with an Ambien wasn't too bad. And they still let me in to the Bellevue Lounge, from where I am writing this. Apparently they will not allow you in anymore on the basis of an arriving AA flight, but will on the basis of an outgoing AA codeshare on Swiss. Rules! |
Originally Posted by vasantn
I would say you're pretty much out of luck. How do you know J is overbooked?
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My understanding from Admirals Club sources is that J is routinely overbooked on three class equipment (i.e., the 777) because they can always roll people up into F.
I doubt that the same is true on the two class aircraft. |
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