So by that theory if an upgrade is sold, that should mean that a PLT will definitely be upgraded even if not immediately. Is that correct?

If the PLT had requested an upgrade for the flight. If I recall, there was a thread where this happened to someone, but they ended up not getting upgraded. I don't recall if it was confirmed that something went wrong or if there was an just an IRROP and the last seats went to displaced passengers.

I requested the upgrades at booking in August.

I'm still wait listed on all 4. So I just called the EXP line I and was told told that they were "still trying to sell these upgrades at check in".

Welcome to the new American.[/QUOTE]


They're not supposed to be selling "upgrades at check in". I for one have never been prompted to buy an upgrade at check-in.

"We sell load factor upgrades at the kiosk if there is no one on the upgrade list, or if everybody has already cleared." From Twitter response 6/16/16

If they are selling upgrades before all EXPs have been upgraded then that means they ARE selling them from under EXPs. Especially if they're not offering them for sale to EXPs.

I checked my MIL (no status) in for a flight on the app on her iPhone at T-24 and she was offered a LFBU which I purchased for her. Don't know if you consider that selling an upgrade at check-in, but it sure looks like that to me.

This is not really accurate, either. It's pretty well-known here that AA sometimes sells LFBUs with folks still on the waitlist. However, in principle they only do this if everyone on the list will clear even after the upgrades are sold.

See above.

Ability to upgrade domestically is the most important factor to me as well.

Thank You @ rjw242

Yes, and as an elite you are not likely to be offered an upgrade. These seem to be going to non-elites. Maybe to hook them into the program.
Unfortunately, CSRs are either ill-informed or make up things to get you to go away. Support metrics often do not allow them to dig into a problem and get it resolved.

I have one company where their email support team repeatedly says no to my request but the telephone support team acknowledges they have a problem and readily fixes the issue. It's now at a point I continue to start with the email team to find out if they have been updated. Five months and counting...

Awesome! Do let us know if you or your spouse (as a companion on your PNR) do not get upgraded. If you do, there is no complaint really allowed about timing (even though it is not ideal and may hinder seat selection).

I think the example mentioned where this happened before was due to the 'planned' inventory for elites being potentially taken by a reschedule of someone who moved onto the flight from another flight. Seems a bit extreme perhaps, but..

Personally, if AA was going to sell LFBUs, I think they should actually upgrade elites first (if they intend to keep the elites first policy). I don't know why they wouldn't if they say they only sell LFBUs when there are still seats available after all elites are accommodated.

This specific scenario is hard to test because I don't tend to book on separate PNRs from family on same routing (for many reasons).

Rasheed

Did you capture a screen shot?

The last time this came up (in the US forum), it indicated that they would add the flyer to a list and charge the credit card only if they get upgraded. It wasn't a guarantee to get upgraded.

Since the, "new AA," seems to be ever changing into the, "old US," I'd imagine things are similar.

So you are suggesting that they are selling upgrades out from under FF?

I didn't. This occurred this past March on a flight SDQ-MIA, Am flying with her again next week FLL-CLT and will see if she is offered anything. The entire plane looks pretty empty and is A7 so I'm guessing chances are good me and my wife will get the upgrades. Curious to see how MIL is handled.

Absolutely, if they are able to get money for something that they would otherwise be giving away, why not. Yes, I know many feel they have "paid" for that upgrade with their previous flying/spend, but the bean-counters don't have an immediate number to put on that. If you bail out of the program, they will just consider that normal attrition and have no way to tag it as customer protest to business practice. Read any thread here and people say they are moving their business without ever letting the original program know. As if they should know what's going through the customer's mind.

It's only a guess, but they may be excluding elites from being offered the paid upgrades thinking they would get grief trying to sell something the the pax that would get it for free if someone didn't buy it. "Hi, we want you to pay now and if you don't we will give it to you later." Not a good sales pitch. But "Hi, we have excess inventory we will sell to you at a reduced price before giving it away for free to someone else" does make sense from the business prospective not the elite's.