Operational Upgrades (op up) - all about and "I got one" (pmAA - archive)
Nov 11, 2010, 8:17 am
#556
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: OKC/DFW
Programs: AA EXP/2 MM
Posts: 9,999
This actually has me wondering whether op upgrades from J to F might be more common on flights to LHR. Seems to me that anyone who's paying for J and connecting at LHR would be an idiot to book AA, when they can get the same miles, have an easier connection, and get a better on-board experience.
Sorry I don't understand. Same miles as...?
Nov 11, 2010, 10:19 am
#558
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: OKC/DFW
Programs: AA EXP/2 MM
Posts: 9,999
Nov 15, 2010, 8:13 pm
#559
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Home Airports: CAE/CLT
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, National Executive
Posts: 5,452
SAT-DFW
Not an impressive Op-Up, but hey, an upgrade is an upgrade.
Was traveling with DW, and 2 daughters. I didn't request an upgrade because, well, it's not worth a sticker.
Anyway, I heard "Passenger Gamecock, please come to the counter." I bypassed the line and approached the counter from the side and the GA, who saw me coming said "Mr Gamecock, I need your seats, can I move you and your companion forward a couple of rows?" I was in row 9, so I knew what she was talking about. She then realized that the rest of the Gamecock family, all PLTs, were also on the flight and asked if it was OK just to upgrade me and the companion on my PNR.
Anyway, daughter and I got upgrades, DW and other daughter sat in steerage.
Made it up to my wife by putting both kids in steerage while we sat up front when my upgrade from DFW-EWR cleared at the gate. (All is now forgiven) FWIW There were 2 EXPs behind me who didn't clear.
Oh, we made it up to the kids by giving them Krispy-Kreams to snack on during the flight.
Not an impressive Op-Up, but hey, an upgrade is an upgrade.
Was traveling with DW, and 2 daughters. I didn't request an upgrade because, well, it's not worth a sticker.
Anyway, I heard "Passenger Gamecock, please come to the counter." I bypassed the line and approached the counter from the side and the GA, who saw me coming said "Mr Gamecock, I need your seats, can I move you and your companion forward a couple of rows?" I was in row 9, so I knew what she was talking about. She then realized that the rest of the Gamecock family, all PLTs, were also on the flight and asked if it was OK just to upgrade me and the companion on my PNR.
Anyway, daughter and I got upgrades, DW and other daughter sat in steerage.
Made it up to my wife by putting both kids in steerage while we sat up front when my upgrade from DFW-EWR cleared at the gate. (All is now forgiven) FWIW There were 2 EXPs behind me who didn't clear.
Oh, we made it up to the kids by giving them Krispy-Kreams to snack on during the flight.
Nov 25, 2010, 12:59 am
#560
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: DFW
Programs: AA EXP, Admirals Club, IHG Platinum Elite, HH Silver
Posts: 22
Received OP-UP (OW Emerald) on QF AKL to LAX last year. Upgrade was from coach to premium econ. Might not sound like much but the incremental difference in comfort from Econ seats to prem econ may be larger than the extra comfort from prem to biz IMO
Nov 26, 2010, 12:26 am
#561
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Seattle, WA, USA
Programs: AS MVP Gold 75K, Marriott Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 1,598
This thread seems to be straying way off topic. An OpUp is an operational upgrade offered by the airline for the sole purpose of reducing the number of VDBs to the absolute minimum. Many seem to be talking about requests for upgrades via SWUs and stickers and thinking they're OpUps. Those comments should go to the appropriate thread.
I've received one true OpUp in all my years flying AA. It was ORD-BOS on an MD-80 all the way back in 1988 or 1989. Needless to say, seems honest-to-goodness OpUps are a very rare bird. I had no status at the time, just luck. No request was made. I just showed up at the gate very late.
I've received one true OpUp in all my years flying AA. It was ORD-BOS on an MD-80 all the way back in 1988 or 1989. Needless to say, seems honest-to-goodness OpUps are a very rare bird. I had no status at the time, just luck. No request was made. I just showed up at the gate very late.
Dec 30, 2010, 6:01 pm
#562
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: TPA
Posts: 43
Was on AA823 (ICT-DFW) on 12-28 and scored an OpUp. They changed my seat when I checked my bag. And no, I did not request the upgrade.
Dec 31, 2010, 3:40 pm
#563
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: SJC
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott PLT
Posts: 42
This thread seems to be straying way off topic. An OpUp is an operational upgrade offered by the airline for the sole purpose of reducing the number of VDBs to the absolute minimum. Many seem to be talking about requests for upgrades via SWUs and stickers and thinking they're OpUps. Those comments should go to the appropriate thread.
I've received one true OpUp in all my years flying AA. It was ORD-BOS on an MD-80 all the way back in 1988 or 1989. Needless to say, seems honest-to-goodness OpUps are a very rare bird. I had no status at the time, just luck. No request was made. I just showed up at the gate very late.
I've received one true OpUp in all my years flying AA. It was ORD-BOS on an MD-80 all the way back in 1988 or 1989. Needless to say, seems honest-to-goodness OpUps are a very rare bird. I had no status at the time, just luck. No request was made. I just showed up at the gate very late.
Having made EXP a month or so ago, I decided to blow an SWU on my snow/BAA stupidity delayed flight back from England last week. Get to the gate to be given another OpUp to seat 1D. Not bad for a deep-discounted economy seat.
Your mileage clearly varies...
Dec 31, 2010, 10:21 pm
#564
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Cheapest place to find a MR around D.C. metro.
Programs: AA Plat.
Posts: 125
Got 3 op-ups during my previous trip to Denver. DFW-DEN was upgraded to make room for an oversold flight. Last DFW-BWI of the night was oversold, so in exchange for a hefty voucher amount and upgraded flights I flew into DCA the next morning.
On a side note, I was quite surprised by the CRJ F service ORD-DCA. It's not the 767, but it is nothing to shy away from either. All in all, it was a great flight experience.
On a side note, I was quite surprised by the CRJ F service ORD-DCA. It's not the 767, but it is nothing to shy away from either. All in all, it was a great flight experience.
Jan 1, 2011, 5:21 am
#565
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: MHT/BOS <--> World
Programs: AA Plat 2.8MM
Posts: 4,629
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I still have yet to receive on op-up on AA, the carrier I have maintained top level status on for the most years. On UA, I have been upgraded to F class without asking about 1/3 of the time when flying paid business class interntional as a 1K and I don't think it was because those planes were oversold, maybe just a courtesy? UA has still never put me in business instead of economy as an unsupported upgrade. But I did score on op-up on a SN flight before SN was part of Star Alliance so I had absolutly no status whatsoever. Only thing is I was stuck near the back of the line checking in and they ran our of Y seats...
While I did much appreciate the free upgrade, the top tier 200K+ flier in me wondered if they left their top tiers in back and should have rather given one of them the upgrade and given me (a nobody to them) the economy class seat. Again, I wondered who was upgraded on my LX flight on Dec 30th, I was booked on LX274 in business class and when I checked in the business cabin was more than half empty. But we flew 100% full in business class and the FA told me they were the cabin was operational upgrades. I couldn't help but wonder...did they give the lucky ones who checked in last those nice seats on this 7 hour flight or did they reward their top fliers with a surprise upgrade, as I think it should have been done....
Jan 1, 2011, 11:00 am
#566
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Cheapest place to find a MR around D.C. metro.
Programs: AA Plat.
Posts: 125
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I still have yet to receive on op-up on AA, the carrier I have maintained top level status on for the most years.
I still have yet to receive on op-up on AA, the carrier I have maintained top level status on for the most years.
Jan 1, 2011, 11:07 am
#567
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: SJC/VCE
Programs: AA PLT (2.9+ MM), HH GLD, Hyatt Diamond, SPG PLT
Posts: 10,161
An EXP who requests and receives a domestic upgrade is not getting an "operational upgrade" S/he is simply receiving one of the benefits associated with her/his elite status. If the same EXP happens to be on a 3 class domestic flight, has her/his upgrade clear into J, and then is rolled forward to F, then it would be an op up.
Jan 1, 2011, 11:28 am
#568
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Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: NY Metro Area
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Exactly. As pointed out above there seems to be some confusion about op ups on the thread. They aren't any upgrade. They are specifically when the airline gives you an upgrade you wouldn't have gotten otherwise due to some operational issue, usually oversold coach cabins and empty seats up front.
Originally Posted by bdemaria
An EXP who requests and receives a domestic upgrade is not getting an "operational upgrade" S/he is simply receiving one of the benefits associated with her/his elite status. If the same EXP happens to be on a 3 class domestic flight, has her/his upgrade clear into J, and then is rolled forward to F, then it would be an op up.
Jan 1, 2011, 5:04 pm
#569
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: MHT/BOS <--> World
Programs: AA Plat 2.8MM
Posts: 4,629
I get upgraded 50 or 100 flights a year. Op ups, on the other hand, are a rare breed.
Jan 1, 2011, 6:29 pm
#570
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Cheapest place to find a MR around D.C. metro.
Programs: AA Plat.
Posts: 125
An EXP who requests and receives a domestic upgrade is not getting an "operational upgrade" S/he is simply receiving one of the benefits associated with her/his elite status. If the same EXP happens to be on a 3 class domestic flight, has her/his upgrade clear into J, and then is rolled forward to F, then it would be an op up.