Thanks American, your upgrade "enhancement" has destroyed EXP for me!
Mar 9, 2008, 9:40 pm
#76
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So if I book 10 days in advance and you book two weeks in advance and we both request upgrades at time of booking, I can check in at 24 hours and get to the airport at 3 hours and put myself on the list and be EXP#1 - you can come to airport, check in at the kiosk and walk up to the gate and ask to be put on the list - and you know what will happen - you'll bump me to #2 because your ORIGINAL request was made before mine.
As for the issue of the check-box - sometimes people change their mind and don't want to hassle w/standing around waiting, or possibly being split from other members of their party.
Mar 9, 2008, 9:54 pm
#77
Join Date: Apr 2004
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The thing you're missing is that everyone had the option to check in at the 24 hour mark. If you didn't care much about the upgrade (and at times I didn't) you checked in later, but you had a choice.
Now, the system is biased toward early purchasers. There was no bias before. Therefore, it is not as fair as it was before.
Now, the system is biased toward early purchasers. There was no bias before. Therefore, it is not as fair as it was before.
wrong - it was bias toward early check-ins. not everyone wants to stop what they are doing to check in for a flight at the 24 hour mark. even worse, we shouldn't have to pay $ to a third party service to do this for us - forfeiting our privacy in the process.
fwiw - if it makes you feel worse, then i agree. you are getting screwed. i look forward to you flying airtran. more x inventory for me.
Mar 9, 2008, 10:00 pm
#78
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Mar 9, 2008, 10:34 pm
#79
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2 of 2, but doubt it was due to the new process, since I requested the upgrades less than a week before travel. 1 cleared in advance, one cleared after being added to the list at DFW, after finding out that indicating I wanted to be on the airport list didn't actually put me there.
Mar 9, 2008, 10:38 pm
#80
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: SFO/NYC
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everyone has the option to buy a ticket early. this doesn't seem to be a thread about people buying seats 364.8 days in advance and missing upgrades to someone that bought a ticket 364.9 days out.
wrong - it was bias toward early check-ins. not everyone wants to stop what they are doing to check in for a flight at the 24 hour mark. even worse, we shouldn't have to pay $ to a third party service to do this for us - forfeiting our privacy in the process.
wrong - it was bias toward early check-ins. not everyone wants to stop what they are doing to check in for a flight at the 24 hour mark. even worse, we shouldn't have to pay $ to a third party service to do this for us - forfeiting our privacy in the process.
Furthermore, to reiterate a point that has made several appearances on this thread, the types of people that are most affected by the change are those frequent travelers that often have a sudden need for travel--precisely the types of people that make up the majority of AA's elite base--and precisely the types of people that you do not want to piss off. As such, it seems to me that the new system is worse than the old one.
And as to your last point quoted above, who do you pay to check in for you? You can do it on your phone in all of 2 minutes.
Mar 9, 2008, 10:47 pm
#81
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Advance purchasing EXPs could always "game" the system by using OLCI exactly 24 hours in advance* - and I'd argue that those advance purchasing EXPs are well-represented among those who thus gamed the system. My predicted end result? No statistical difference in upgrade rates.
*Unless flying on an international connecting itin where 24 hour check in was not possible.
*Unless flying on an international connecting itin where 24 hour check in was not possible.
The good news in my next international itin with the family will have had the upgrade requests made 6 months in advance.
Mar 9, 2008, 10:55 pm
#82
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Mar 9, 2008, 11:00 pm
#83
Join Date: May 2006
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Ok I'll let you in on a "new trick" BOOK EARLY 
I know it isn't feasible for a lot of business travel, but what about holidays, birthdays, that annual conference you always attend. I always visit family on the East Coast for Christmas, so I went ahead and booked my ticket. Were it not for the new system, I probably would have waited but combine the procedural change w/rising fuel costs and I thought - why not? I'm just about the only one on either of the flights - so if there are upgrades to be had, then as an EXP who booked 9 months out, I'll probably get one.
I know it isn't feasible for a lot of business travel, but what about holidays, birthdays, that annual conference you always attend. I always visit family on the East Coast for Christmas, so I went ahead and booked my ticket. Were it not for the new system, I probably would have waited but combine the procedural change w/rising fuel costs and I thought - why not? I'm just about the only one on either of the flights - so if there are upgrades to be had, then as an EXP who booked 9 months out, I'll probably get one.
Mar 9, 2008, 11:58 pm
#84
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: bay area, california
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Just out of curiosity, if you buy an advance purchase ticket, say for a random date next year, request an upgrade, then change the ticket next January say, to a more immediate date of departure, would the original date of upgrade request still hold?
Of course there might be a change fee, but if you know you're going A to B, but are not sure when......
Of course there might be a change fee, but if you know you're going A to B, but are not sure when......
Mar 10, 2008, 5:50 am
#85
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Mar 10, 2008, 5:51 am
#86
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That statement is factually incorrect. For example, just yesterday, I took off on a 5 hour flight 20 minutes before the 24 hour check-in of today's flight. There is no way I could check in until after I landed as I had "no ability to check in at that time".
Mar 10, 2008, 6:30 am
#87
Join Date: Mar 2006
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I am a lowly Plat. I only try to upgrade transcon. I have no problem being in the back of the bus for 2-3 hours. I have consistently used the 24 hour trick and have been successful ( sometimes by one minute- according to the AAngels).
The real test for me will be Christmas. I bought my tickets 335 days out and the flights were barely booked. I know that people may actually buy first later in the year- I am going to Florida ( it's a short flight- but usually crazy crowds). This past year I was lucky and my upgrades cleared at the 24 hr. mark and 3 hr. mark. Crossing my fingers
The real test for me will be Christmas. I bought my tickets 335 days out and the flights were barely booked. I know that people may actually buy first later in the year- I am going to Florida ( it's a short flight- but usually crazy crowds). This past year I was lucky and my upgrades cleared at the 24 hr. mark and 3 hr. mark. Crossing my fingers
Mar 10, 2008, 6:37 am
#88
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There are ways..
Mar 10, 2008, 6:45 am
#89
Join Date: Apr 2004
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I have to disagree with you on this point. Not everyone has the option of buying a ticket early--if you're a businessman and on Monday a deal comes up that requires you to be somewhere else on Tuesday, there is no way you could have foreseen that 364.9 days ago. Whereas, if you know that you're going to travel, regardless of when you booked the ticket, OLCI at the 24 hour mark is the great equalizer, since everyone on the flight has the ability to check in at that time.
And as to your last point quoted above, who do you pay to check in for you? You can do it on your phone in all of 2 minutes.
And as to your last point quoted above, who do you pay to check in for you? You can do it on your phone in all of 2 minutes.
services exist b/c this IS an issue: http://checkinsooner.com/americanfaq.html
again, allowing people to pay a third party to get preferential treatment does not seem like an equitable system to me.
allowing people to pay AA with $ or miles to upgrade seems fair. free upgrades for EXP seems fair. priority in front of PLT seems fair.
Mar 10, 2008, 6:49 am
#90
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W/the exception of Hawaii, my personal experience is quite the contrary. T'giving and Christmas week flights are packed in Y w/people who do not travel that often. I have yet to miss an upgrade flying during either week, and that includes when I was PLT.