Upgrade request erroneously cancelled
Mar 12, 2016 | 9:14 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Kirkland, WA
Programs: AA Gold, National EE
Posts: 13
Upgrade request erroneously cancelled
Hi, long-time member but first post due to a problem with my original account.
I booked a flight in January (SJU to SEA via JFK) through our corporate travel site, then immediately called to upgrade with miles and co-pay. At the time of booking I was Platinum, but reverted to Gold at end of February. I was wait-listed on the first outbound leg, but confirmed on the second leg and the entire return trip. Cool.
In February I had to change the return date. After about an hour on the phone with AA's corporate travel department (because it was a corporate booking) the flight was changed, I paid the fee (which was actually minimal because the fare had dropped significantly) and confirmed the mileage upgrades on both legs of the new return date, and confirmed I was still wait listed for the first outbound leg.
This morning I saw an alert from ExpertFlyer that a space had opened in C, so I called American to check my status. The agent said that my wait list for the first outbound leg had been cancelled in February, apparently when I rebooked the return. She could see that it was done in error, but there was nothing she could do about it. She put me on hold and said she contacted the IT department, who verified that I would now be put back at the bottom of the wait list.
This is the second time this has happened - the first time was also a wait listed miles/co-pay upgrade where the first leg couldn't be confirmed at booking. Upon arrival at the airport, they said I wasn't on the wait list, so I was put at the bottom.
The agent this morning suggested that I always call back to verify that my upgrade request was submitted correctly. Do others find this to be necessary?
Needless to say, I won't clear the upgrade list on this flight. I have given up on trying to use my growing balance of 500 mile upgrades as they have never cleared - so I usually check ExperFlyer first to verify upgrade availability, make the corporate purchase, and immediately call to upgrade with miles and co-pay.
I knew there was a risk that I would not clear this first leg due to availability - so I'm not upset about being stuck in the MCE seat I originally selected. I'm upset about the cancellation of my upgrade request, and would love your advice on how to avoid this in the future.
Cheers!
PS Posting from the Avianca Priority Pass Global Lounge at SJU. It's a step above the old AC that closed, but it's a bit grungy and not the most comfortable seating. Wifi seems good.
I booked a flight in January (SJU to SEA via JFK) through our corporate travel site, then immediately called to upgrade with miles and co-pay. At the time of booking I was Platinum, but reverted to Gold at end of February. I was wait-listed on the first outbound leg, but confirmed on the second leg and the entire return trip. Cool.
In February I had to change the return date. After about an hour on the phone with AA's corporate travel department (because it was a corporate booking) the flight was changed, I paid the fee (which was actually minimal because the fare had dropped significantly) and confirmed the mileage upgrades on both legs of the new return date, and confirmed I was still wait listed for the first outbound leg.
This morning I saw an alert from ExpertFlyer that a space had opened in C, so I called American to check my status. The agent said that my wait list for the first outbound leg had been cancelled in February, apparently when I rebooked the return. She could see that it was done in error, but there was nothing she could do about it. She put me on hold and said she contacted the IT department, who verified that I would now be put back at the bottom of the wait list.
This is the second time this has happened - the first time was also a wait listed miles/co-pay upgrade where the first leg couldn't be confirmed at booking. Upon arrival at the airport, they said I wasn't on the wait list, so I was put at the bottom.
The agent this morning suggested that I always call back to verify that my upgrade request was submitted correctly. Do others find this to be necessary?
Needless to say, I won't clear the upgrade list on this flight. I have given up on trying to use my growing balance of 500 mile upgrades as they have never cleared - so I usually check ExperFlyer first to verify upgrade availability, make the corporate purchase, and immediately call to upgrade with miles and co-pay.
I knew there was a risk that I would not clear this first leg due to availability - so I'm not upset about being stuck in the MCE seat I originally selected. I'm upset about the cancellation of my upgrade request, and would love your advice on how to avoid this in the future.
Cheers!
PS Posting from the Avianca Priority Pass Global Lounge at SJU. It's a step above the old AC that closed, but it's a bit grungy and not the most comfortable seating. Wifi seems good.
Mar 12, 2016 | 1:48 pm
#2
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Madison WI
Programs: AA EXP, LT Plt, 2.9MM, Lifetime AC, HHonors Gold, Marriott Gold, IHG Plat Amb, Hertz Precs Crcl
Posts: 2,835
Hi, long-time member but first post due to a problem with my original account.
I booked a flight in January (SJU to SEA via JFK) through our corporate travel site, then immediately called to upgrade with miles and co-pay. At the time of booking I was Platinum, but reverted to Gold at end of February. I was wait-listed on the first outbound leg, but confirmed on the second leg and the entire return trip. Cool.
In February I had to change the return date. After about an hour on the phone with AA's corporate travel department (because it was a corporate booking) the flight was changed, I paid the fee (which was actually minimal because the fare had dropped significantly) and confirmed the mileage upgrades on both legs of the new return date, and confirmed I was still wait listed for the first outbound leg.
This morning I saw an alert from ExpertFlyer that a space had opened in C, so I called American to check my status. The agent said that my wait list for the first outbound leg had been cancelled in February, apparently when I rebooked the return. She could see that it was done in error, but there was nothing she could do about it. She put me on hold and said she contacted the IT department, who verified that I would now be put back at the bottom of the wait list.
This is the second time this has happened - the first time was also a wait listed miles/co-pay upgrade where the first leg couldn't be confirmed at booking. Upon arrival at the airport, they said I wasn't on the wait list, so I was put at the bottom.
The agent this morning suggested that I always call back to verify that my upgrade request was submitted correctly. Do others find this to be necessary?
Needless to say, I won't clear the upgrade list on this flight. I have given up on trying to use my growing balance of 500 mile upgrades as they have never cleared - so I usually check ExperFlyer first to verify upgrade availability, make the corporate purchase, and immediately call to upgrade with miles and co-pay.
I knew there was a risk that I would not clear this first leg due to availability - so I'm not upset about being stuck in the MCE seat I originally selected. I'm upset about the cancellation of my upgrade request, and would love your advice on how to avoid this in the future.
Cheers!
PS Posting from the Avianca Priority Pass Global Lounge at SJU. It's a step above the old AC that closed, but it's a bit grungy and not the most comfortable seating. Wifi seems good.
I booked a flight in January (SJU to SEA via JFK) through our corporate travel site, then immediately called to upgrade with miles and co-pay. At the time of booking I was Platinum, but reverted to Gold at end of February. I was wait-listed on the first outbound leg, but confirmed on the second leg and the entire return trip. Cool.
In February I had to change the return date. After about an hour on the phone with AA's corporate travel department (because it was a corporate booking) the flight was changed, I paid the fee (which was actually minimal because the fare had dropped significantly) and confirmed the mileage upgrades on both legs of the new return date, and confirmed I was still wait listed for the first outbound leg.
This morning I saw an alert from ExpertFlyer that a space had opened in C, so I called American to check my status. The agent said that my wait list for the first outbound leg had been cancelled in February, apparently when I rebooked the return. She could see that it was done in error, but there was nothing she could do about it. She put me on hold and said she contacted the IT department, who verified that I would now be put back at the bottom of the wait list.
This is the second time this has happened - the first time was also a wait listed miles/co-pay upgrade where the first leg couldn't be confirmed at booking. Upon arrival at the airport, they said I wasn't on the wait list, so I was put at the bottom.
The agent this morning suggested that I always call back to verify that my upgrade request was submitted correctly. Do others find this to be necessary?
Needless to say, I won't clear the upgrade list on this flight. I have given up on trying to use my growing balance of 500 mile upgrades as they have never cleared - so I usually check ExperFlyer first to verify upgrade availability, make the corporate purchase, and immediately call to upgrade with miles and co-pay.
I knew there was a risk that I would not clear this first leg due to availability - so I'm not upset about being stuck in the MCE seat I originally selected. I'm upset about the cancellation of my upgrade request, and would love your advice on how to avoid this in the future.
Cheers!
PS Posting from the Avianca Priority Pass Global Lounge at SJU. It's a step above the old AC that closed, but it's a bit grungy and not the most comfortable seating. Wifi seems good.
Mar 12, 2016 | 3:39 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Kirkland, WA
Programs: AA Gold, National EE
Posts: 13
Thanks for your reply Madison Guy. I should have mentioned, when I called the C seat was no longer available. The EF alert came through while I was asleep but I called as soon as I saw it this morning. If it had been available, I have no doubt she would have cleared me. My gripe is with the cancellation of my upgrade request without notification. And when I spoke to the agent on the phone this morning, apparently she resubmitted it as a 500 mile upgrade request, not as a mileage/co-pay upgrade. I know there are discussions about upgrade priority - status versus type of upgrade - so I won't even go there here. 
To add insult to injury, I was #4 on the waiting list - and the first three cleared. However, one of the lucky people ahead of me was originally in 10A (757-200) and I scooted into his seat as soon as the door closed. The seat next to me was empty, and there was no seat in front of me. So ultimately, the flight was fine.
CS already responded to my inquiry and awarded 5,000 miles for the inconvenience.
To add insult to injury, I was #4 on the waiting list - and the first three cleared. However, one of the lucky people ahead of me was originally in 10A (757-200) and I scooted into his seat as soon as the door closed. The seat next to me was empty, and there was no seat in front of me. So ultimately, the flight was fine.
CS already responded to my inquiry and awarded 5,000 miles for the inconvenience.
Mar 12, 2016 | 5:31 pm
#4
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: ABQ & SMF
Programs: AA EXP 4MM, Piper Dakota, Admirals Club, Hyatt Glob, Hilton Gold, Wyndham Diamond
Posts: 1,485
I had one erroneously dropped from a HKG-DFW leg, booked 8 months in advance. I found out about it 2 months before departure. AA, after numerous calls, said they couldn't do anything about getting the original time stamp put on the request. I suggested that if that was the case then they should just go ahead and process the upgrade. They chose not to and I chose not to take the full trip because of that and got my full ticket price refunded.