Lost upgrade / upgraded seat shenanigans? [master thread]
 

Former thread title, now corrected: Crystal clear proof of AA upgrade shenanigans, AA upgraded another passenger on hold before myself who was ticketed

Currently on board a domestic USA AA flight. Happened to talk with another passenger on board. I did clear an upgrade to F for this flight, but had to wait until the gate, seemingly the new normal. I booked this flight at the end of June. The other passenger booked flight less than 36 hours before departure, and had a hold starting at about 72 hours out. Other passenger originally put flight on hold a first time at 72 hours. Other passenger CLEARED AN UPGRADE while their ticket was on hold. I did not with my several month ticketed itinerary. Other passenger let this first hold expire, then put the same flight on hold again. Other passenger AGAIN CLEARED AN UPGRADE. I did not. This passenger then ticketed this second hold, with upgrade confirmed. I continued to have to wait for an upgrade. On a flight that was at least F5 at the gate, I was #1 on the list but had to go all the way to 35 minutes before scheduled departure before receiving an upgrade. Clearly, there was upgrade space available. However, AA at no point upgraded me, despite my having booked well in advance, and having at least 24 hours of upgrade window before the other passenger even considered booking the flight I was on. According to everything I have read, I should have been upgraded before this passenger, yet was not. Even though I was upgraded in the end, I am very, very concerned about what happened, and am now wondering if any of my prior missed upgrades for the year were due to similar potential shenanigans. Any insight from anyone is appreciated. I can only think that I might have to start calling into the EXP desk before every single flight now to make sure that upgrades are being processed properly, but if AA cannot process upgrades according to their long established criteria, then one of these must be true:

1. Their computer upgrade system needs work
2. Their upgrade policies have changed
3. I will need to babysit every flight I take, or
4. I will have to reconsider my choice of airline (acknowledging that upgrade processing is not much better at UA or DL)

Any thoughts from anyone? And I do have crystal clear proof of everything I have said, as the other passenger showed me the upgrade emails received while the itineraries were on hold.

Could this have anything to do with the booking code? Don't Y or B bookings trip other Coach bookings when it comes to upgrades irrespective of when they were booked?

If it was a full Y fare, isn't it appropriate that he cleared before you?

Crystal clear proof of possible AA upgrade shenanigans
 

Other passenger booked into Q. No full fare Y situation here.

Crystal clear proof of possible AA upgrade shenanigans
 

He may have used a SWU instead of stickers--those upgrades come from different fare buckets

It is well known that when "x" buckets become available, upgrades aren't always instantaneously processed. This is why AA pulled X availability on EF.

A person buying a ticket and requesting an upgrade in between that short time period between X becoming available and upgrades being processed will skip the upgrade list. That's nothing new.

Were you both flying exactly the same itinerary, or was the other passenger coming from a connecting flight?

It would be quite the coincidence for this to have happened twice as described by the OP.

Secondly, the OP does not mention the upgrade happened instantaneously when the ticket was put on hold, but rather some time later within the window.

Not doubting you at all, and interested to hear...but "crystal clear proof" of POSSIBLE?

:)

Hopefully an insider may clarify....

Then clearly I need to start calling the EXP desk at T-100 and checking for X space, and I can no longer rely on AA's system to work properly, both of which are very inconvenient, major disappointments, and devaluations of EXP, not just for me but for anyone who booked in advance :td::td::td:.

We both originated from the same airport. I'm flying, say, XXX-YYY-ZZZ and other passenger flying XXX-YYY-AAA. Flight in question is XXX-YYY.

I saw the emails of both the other passenger's holds, and upgrades received. And of course, I personally know all the circumstances of my own ticket/booking. Again, the other passenger was upgraded TWICE, technically on different itineraries, before the other passenger went ahead and confirmed the ticket from the second hold, both times occurring with a held reservation.

Calling the EXP desk at T-100 isn't going to do you any good since agents can no longer see X/R nor can they "resubmit" your upgrade request like they used to do in the past.

Then I can no longer rely on AA to properly process upgrades, which again devalues the entire upgrade benefit as an EXP, as even when I should get an upgrade, I may be passed over.

Maybe this.

Crystal Clear proof and "possible" shouldn't be in the same sentence.

why not PM sts603 and ask if they might give a look for you?

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/ameri...rade-list.html

Flight, date, last three of last name. (and other pax if you have)

?