anabolism

Since the other passenger received email notification of the upgrade, that indicates the upgrade was done during normal periodic upgrade processing, not any kind of manual intervention or slipping into the timing hole. Together with the report that the other passenger was not using SWUs, that suggests some sort of problem with TheBOSMan's upgrade request prior to airport control.

Did you happen to check the reservation during the 100-hour EXP upgrade window to see if the upgrades still showed as requested?

If the F fare is indeed cheaper, can't you go ahead and book Y, then call AA to "upfare" (not sure if it's still an upfair if the F fare is cheaper)? I don't know if the AA policy to waive the change fee when upfairing counts when the F fare is cheaper, but if not the reduced fare should offset the change fee. If AA does waive the change fee and refund the difference (or issue a voucher), you could always list the lower fare on your expense report along with the original receipt, to avoid the situation of claiming an expense larger than you ended up paying.

MiamiAirport Formerly NY George

I'm not saying there is occasion abuse but to the pax too many unknowns are usually present to determine if a GA is playing games.

dstan

Grammar and vocabulary discussion complete. Back on topic please.

/Moderator

TheBOSman

I'm starting to wonder if I (and others) are having upgrade problems, something related to upgrades actually going through. It is strange as clearly the upgrades are there at airport control and I get upgraded at the gate at least on the example in my original post.

I still haven't been upgraded for one of my flights tomorrow on my return from this trip when it seems multiple F seats have been, and still are available. The number dwindles but I've yet to be upgraded. It is different as it is a fairly major route on a busy travel day, so that wouldn't surprise me that it was actually AA holding back inventory, which I am ok with (and am surprised they don't do it more often, I personally would if I was AA). However, I booked the flight in late June, so I somehow doubt there could be multiple EXPs ahead of me who booked earlier, and the flight has gone from F7 to F5. However, it is DFW-BOS on a Monday so it can be a tenuous upgrade chance anyway. I'd think at F5 with less than 24 hours to go, I should be upgraded already but again this makes more sense to me than my situation on the outbound that I mentioned in the first post. I checked in tonight for tomorrow's flight, made sure my upgrade showed as "Requested" online, and upon checkin the system notified me that "Your upgrade request has been added to the airport upgrade standby list." So, AA"s system knows I've requested the upgrade.

Kreative03

Have a strange one to add to the list. Outbound there were 12 open seats at t-72. Seats dwindled to 3 at t-24, no ug cleared. At t-4, I was 4 on the list. Gate agent announced First checked in full, no one cleared at the gate. On the return, during olci, it showed my request as being noted, however my second segment (first was on eagle, no ug avail) cleared into X, seat unassigned. I never got a cleared email. Stranger things have happened, but I'm sensing a disturbance in the force.

vasantn

This is the best description yet. ^

HMPS

I beg to differ.
1. I did not "jump"on the GA.
2. Research has time and again proved that a proper explanation placated a CUSTOMER when s/ he feels wronged.

jerry a. laska

He didn't say you jumped on the GA, he said "you can't immediately jump to she did something wrong" as in "you can't immediately jumpt to [the conclusion] she did something wrong."

brp

Interestingly, I had an EXP agent do just this recently. With a pending X upgrade and a bunch of open seats, she called to try and "push it through." It was unsuccessful (and cleared a bit later), but she was able to try.

Cheers.

sukn

Was it within 24-hrs. of travel? If so, the agent probably called the DOD desk and since they can't help with X, the answer came back negative.

brp

Yup. Sounds very plausible.

Cheers.

sukn

Another recent example that things are a little screwy at the moment.

An EXP thru passenger was #5 on the list with four originating EXPs in front of him.

gulfstreamfan

I'm still waiting for the first person to say, "I was upgraded after being number 7 on the upgrade list". For each person that is wronged on an upgrade, there has to be someone who was treated more favorably. Anyone experience this lately?

brp

And willing to talk about it here? Not bloody likely

Cheers.

sts603

10 bucks says that the thru EXP was missing the T designation on the upgrade request. If he checked in manually or was otherwise rebooked due to IRROPs or whatever, then an agent could easily have made this omission.