Do eVIP requests clear immediately if EF shows C7?
 

Do eVIP requests clear immediately if EF shows C7? My understanding is I can make the reservation anywhere - online, travel agent etc and then call the EXP desk to use the eVIP right? If EF shows C7 do they clear immediately or are they like sticker upgrades and clear few days before the departure?

Yes, they will clear immediately. Otherwise you can waitlist for the upgrade.

They clear immediately even if C1. Or A1. :)

Mine often clear when ExpertFlyer shows C0 or A0.

In the old days, the vips immediately cleared into F and J if there was an empty seat.

They clear immediately if there is availability in C class, for one person C1 is enough, you don't need C7. Note though that you need to be ticketed, you can't use an eVIP if you only have a reservation on hold.

They clear semi immediately if space is available.
They actually send /email a new E-ticket
If u have a paper ticket u must go to a ticket counter and get it re-issued.
I have had it take a 1/2 hour (in the old paper ticket days) if it was part of a long international iten.

I'm not sure this is true. In late Oct.08, I made a reservation online and applied an eVIP to it by calling then the EXP desk. I convinced them to keep the hold for almost 2 weeks 'til I got company and client approval for the trip, then purchased it. I had the same "C" inventory seat assignment on 2 AA segments the whole time. Actually I did the same thing about the same time for 2 different TATL trips.

Not true, except in a very narrow technical sense. While the eVIP cannot be "applied" to an unticketed reservation (i.e., "used" and thus deducted from your account), you can hold the upgraded reservation and ticket it later. Of course, this is less useful now that international reservations are no longer held for 3 days.

I always call the EXP desk with my reservation on hold. If the upgrade is available, then the agent tickets the reservation.

Yes, it is indeed possible. I've discovered, however, that there are a few EXP agents who are unaware it can be done.

That has been my experience lately too. A very pleasant surprise!

Now thats a nice surprise!

I've noticed that EXP Agents seem to have been given more flexiblity recently to book the upgrades even if the inventory is not showing available.

I'l also recently had a agent uprade an O fare with and eVip even though the rules said it was not supposed to be allowed. Did it with no prompting from me.

Yep, I got one of those agents last month before I read this thread. When I called at 9:30 for an upgrade to London, there was availablity but I was told that I could not apply an eVIP as it was not ticketed. I prodded our corporate TA to ticket it and the itin was ticketed at 11:30. I called AA at 11:35 and was told there was no availability and that I would be waitlisted. Kind of bummed at that move, especially as the trip is in April and I was ticketed on Dec 15th.

Let's hope it clears, as I can see less international travel this year and it would be a real pain to be in the back of the bus with 8 eVIP's sitting in my account and less chance to use them...

Can anyone comment on whether there is a golden time to call at some future date that might yield more inventory being released by RM?

Thanks

- Tim
- Tim

Frequently. ;)

IME there is no golden time. Your best bet is to call regularly and set up an EF notification. It really is a shame that you missed a confirmed upgrade opportunity due to a misinformed agent, but hopefully it will work out anyway.

You should have called back immediately after the 1st aagent told you that the itin had to be ticketed. Another aagent would have locked in the upgrade while it was on hold (see my earlier post).

I really don't understand why they don't let EXPs apply their own eVIPs online (either at hold time or ticketing time) when the system knows that there is "C" and/or "A" inventory available????

FYI - I have often had eVIP "C" upgrades clear without ever receiving an EF alert that I had previously setup.