Availability in A, won't process upgrade request
May 2, 2016 | 4:35 pm
#17
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Location: LAX; AA EXP, MM; HH Gold
Posts: 31,789
The inventory does pull immediately. The PNR gets put into Queue and waits for the system to auto-run the re-ticketing or for manual intervention and pushing it through. Either way, once the upgrade starts, the inventory is absolutely pulled immediately. As others have mentioned, EF is not a dynamic pull in real time from the GDS. It is a snapshot in time, otherwise it would cost them a fortune for each pull done.
So C may show availability on EF, but that was at that snapshot and not necessarily at this exact moment.
So C may show availability on EF, but that was at that snapshot and not necessarily at this exact moment.
The OP did not write clearly - we don't know if they queried EF or if they merely received an inventory alert from EF.
We don't know whether the OP manually queried EF or whether they saw an inventory alert from EF and immediately called AA.
When I say "real-time," of course it is a snapshot. I can then re-send the query as fast as I can type and push the keys on my laptop. And each result is in real-time. If I make 20-30 queries a minute, the result is dynamic and, for all practical purposes, in real-time.
May 2, 2016 | 7:47 pm
#18
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: 2,828
Have a request in for 2 upgrades from C to F using miles, checked EF this morning and there is availablility. In fact the agent said there were 5 available when I called in, not sure if she meant 5 seats or it was A5. They would not process my wait list requests, said I had to wait for revenue management to process. I thought, in the past, you could call in and get them to process. I did HUCA once with same result.
Or was "C" just your designation for J,D, I type business bookings?
And as to refusal to process - if you are SURE the class is open and you are eligible - cancel your waitlist request, they request upgrade based on open inventory (as I now see was already suggested. Just be careful. For example, EF might show "C" avail ORD-DFW-FRA, but looking at only DFW-FRA it is not yet open. Even though I was on ORD-DFW-FRA (and agent could see C3 there), they have to go by DFW-FRA, and that was C0. Agent confirmed EF output, but could not help. (C versus A just an example here) - but could that have been part of the equation?
Last edited by Madison Guy; May 2, 2016 at 7:57 pm
May 2, 2016 | 8:36 pm
#19
Join Date: Oct 2012
Programs: AA EXP, Hilton Gold, Amex Pet
Posts: 502
Ask for a printout of your PNR next time you travel. You may be surprised at what you see recorded in there regarding the processing of upgrades.
May 3, 2016 | 10:58 am
#20
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Leon, MX
Programs: AA Plat, UA Gold, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 300
Good news, for us, was that we were cleared later in the day yesterday. When I looked at the seat map it was only reduced by 2 seats, not sure if we were at the top or bottom of the list.
To answer the question below I manually checked EF by rerunning the alert early yesterday AM. It said at least 2 seats were available. Later I looked at Awards and Upgrades and it said A2, again not sure if it ever was A5. Later that day, about 6 hours later, I received the EF email update that there were seats available. Late last night I saw that 2 upgrade awards had been deducted and the J seats in the reservation were gone and we were assigned seats in F.
To answer the question below I manually checked EF by rerunning the alert early yesterday AM. It said at least 2 seats were available. Later I looked at Awards and Upgrades and it said A2, again not sure if it ever was A5. Later that day, about 6 hours later, I received the EF email update that there were seats available. Late last night I saw that 2 upgrade awards had been deducted and the J seats in the reservation were gone and we were assigned seats in F.
Depends on whether you're talking about manual queries of AA inventory by the subscriber (which are in real-time from the GDS) or whether you're talking about inventory alerts, where EF polls the GDS periodically (EF says the interval between automated queries shortens as the departure date gets closer). When I search for inventory on EF, my searches are in real-time.
The OP did not write clearly - we don't know if they queried EF or if they merely received an inventory alert from EF.
As discussed above, manual queries of AA inventory by the subscriber are in real-time; that's why queries are limited for the cheaper subscription and unlimited for the $10/mo (or $99/yr) premium subscription. EF has explained this countless times.
We don't know whether the OP manually queried EF or whether they saw an inventory alert from EF and immediately called AA.
When I say "real-time," of course it is a snapshot. I can then re-send the query as fast as I can type and push the keys on my laptop. And each result is in real-time. If I make 20-30 queries a minute, the result is dynamic and, for all practical purposes, in real-time.
The OP did not write clearly - we don't know if they queried EF or if they merely received an inventory alert from EF.
As discussed above, manual queries of AA inventory by the subscriber are in real-time; that's why queries are limited for the cheaper subscription and unlimited for the $10/mo (or $99/yr) premium subscription. EF has explained this countless times.
We don't know whether the OP manually queried EF or whether they saw an inventory alert from EF and immediately called AA.
When I say "real-time," of course it is a snapshot. I can then re-send the query as fast as I can type and push the keys on my laptop. And each result is in real-time. If I make 20-30 queries a minute, the result is dynamic and, for all practical purposes, in real-time.
Last edited by miket; May 3, 2016 at 11:37 am
May 3, 2016 | 11:01 am
#21
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Leon, MX
Programs: AA Plat, UA Gold, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 300
I was incorrect and should have NOT said C, we purchased J and were upgrading to F.
Unless I'm really missing something, you should NEVER get the upgrade. AFAIK, "C" - which you say you are in already in upgrade class. J, D, I, R? - ok - but C should not be allowed to upgrade to "A" - you are not allowed a double upgrade.
Or was "C" just your designation for J,D, I type business bookings?
And as to refusal to process - if you are SURE the class is open and you are eligible - cancel your waitlist request, they request upgrade based on open inventory (as I now see was already suggested. Just be careful. For example, EF might show "C" avail ORD-DFW-FRA, but looking at only DFW-FRA it is not yet open. Even though I was on ORD-DFW-FRA (and agent could see C3 there), they have to go by DFW-FRA, and that was C0. Agent confirmed EF output, but could not help. (C versus A just an example here) - but could that have been part of the equation?
Or was "C" just your designation for J,D, I type business bookings?
And as to refusal to process - if you are SURE the class is open and you are eligible - cancel your waitlist request, they request upgrade based on open inventory (as I now see was already suggested. Just be careful. For example, EF might show "C" avail ORD-DFW-FRA, but looking at only DFW-FRA it is not yet open. Even though I was on ORD-DFW-FRA (and agent could see C3 there), they have to go by DFW-FRA, and that was C0. Agent confirmed EF output, but could not help. (C versus A just an example here) - but could that have been part of the equation?