SWU / Systemwide Upgrade problems, issues, glitch
May 29, 2016, 1:30 pm
#47
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: AL
Programs: AA Plat Pro, DL Sil, UA Sil, Hyatt Global, MR Amb, Hilton Diamond, National Exec, Hertz Pres
Posts: 477
I am on the phone with an EXP agent right now trying to use a SWU.
My routing is Tokyo to Sao Paulo, booked as three segments:
HND-LAX
LAX-DFW
DFW-GRU
Straight through, just two-hour connections between each segment. As I understand it, a single SWU should cover up to three flights, so I expect a single SWU to cover this route.
HND-LAX is waitlisted but LAX-DFW and DFW-GRU can be confirmed immediately.
Here is the surprising part: The agent says, "I can confirm the two segments now, but if HND-LAX opens up later, it will require an additional SWU." I ask her if there is any way to verify that, as I do this sort of thing all the time, and when the waitlisted segment opens, it gets covered under the already-used SWU... She not-so-patiently says, "That's not how it works." She is insisting that this one-way trip would require two SWUs if the waitlisted flight becomes available later.
I'll call back tomorrow to see what is in the record, but is there anything that I am missing here? Thanks.
My routing is Tokyo to Sao Paulo, booked as three segments:
HND-LAX
LAX-DFW
DFW-GRU
Straight through, just two-hour connections between each segment. As I understand it, a single SWU should cover up to three flights, so I expect a single SWU to cover this route.
HND-LAX is waitlisted but LAX-DFW and DFW-GRU can be confirmed immediately.
Here is the surprising part: The agent says, "I can confirm the two segments now, but if HND-LAX opens up later, it will require an additional SWU." I ask her if there is any way to verify that, as I do this sort of thing all the time, and when the waitlisted segment opens, it gets covered under the already-used SWU... She not-so-patiently says, "That's not how it works." She is insisting that this one-way trip would require two SWUs if the waitlisted flight becomes available later.
I'll call back tomorrow to see what is in the record, but is there anything that I am missing here? Thanks.
It's one thing to not have proper training but being pleasant helps. What bothers me more than anything are EXP agents that angrily tell me things that are wrong. It seems to happen more often than not these days.
May 29, 2016, 8:38 pm
#48
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: New Orleans (MSY)
Programs: AA EXP, IHG PLT, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Explorist, Amtrak, WN
Posts: 2,617
Called in >6mo ago to waitlist a SWU. Per the Agent at the time, "all is well."
Sure enough, I get to the airport and there's no record of my request. The helpful AC agent searched and searched, and eventually put me on the list, but no dice.
It sure would be nice if SWU requests could be waitlisted properly...
OH-EMM-GEE, it's out of flipping control. 
Sure enough, I get to the airport and there's no record of my request. The helpful AC agent searched and searched, and eventually put me on the list, but no dice.
It sure would be nice if SWU requests could be waitlisted properly...
May 30, 2016, 12:08 am
#49
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 102
SWU with a companion, different position on list?
SWU with a companion, different position on list?
Well, I was able to clear one of my SWU's on a recent flight; however, something strange happened. The upgrade list opens up (day of flight upgrade list) and I'm in position 1 on the list (which eventually clears), my companion, travelling in the same PNR, is dead bottom of the list (position 9, IIRC). The US Air club in CLT told me that the list is arranged by status of the pax; however, that's not how I've heard this works. I thought that pax in the same PNR upgraded together (highest priority) not seperately.
So, question is; is this how it's supposed to work? If there were 2 seats, would they have cleared my companion before number 2 on the list? Or is there really no advantage to having a Exp in the PNR when applying a SWU? And, if so, it sounds like we should ALWAYS split PNRs, without question, when attemping to use a SWU; there's no advantage at all to having 2 pax in a single record even if one of them is an EP and the other is dirt?
Thanks!
Well, I was able to clear one of my SWU's on a recent flight; however, something strange happened. The upgrade list opens up (day of flight upgrade list) and I'm in position 1 on the list (which eventually clears), my companion, travelling in the same PNR, is dead bottom of the list (position 9, IIRC). The US Air club in CLT told me that the list is arranged by status of the pax; however, that's not how I've heard this works. I thought that pax in the same PNR upgraded together (highest priority) not seperately.
So, question is; is this how it's supposed to work? If there were 2 seats, would they have cleared my companion before number 2 on the list? Or is there really no advantage to having a Exp in the PNR when applying a SWU? And, if so, it sounds like we should ALWAYS split PNRs, without question, when attemping to use a SWU; there's no advantage at all to having 2 pax in a single record even if one of them is an EP and the other is dirt?
Thanks!
May 30, 2016, 12:26 am
#50
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Oakland
Programs: AA Explat, UA former 1K + PremExec, DL
Posts: 1,151
Once it goes to airport control it goes to individual status but prior to that a lower status companion will share your status. If only one seat opens up then you will be passed over as a pair. I don't know if that's common though. I've only failed to clear both persons twice.
May 30, 2016, 2:07 am
#51
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: LA
Programs: AA, DL, UA
Posts: 543
Yep unfortunately at the airport. The PALL list codes only have VIP1 (which you gain as EXP) but your companion will just be VIP (so behind even Golds using mileage and copay). Your best bet is to clear at booking or at a route that will more likely have C space open up.
May 30, 2016, 4:03 am
#52
Join Date: Mar 2015
Programs: AA EXP, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 394
Yep
This just happened to us, we booked months and months prior one side from NRT cleared right away but the outbound went to airport control. My fiancé was #2 on the list as an exp but I was #12 as plat. They would have given him the seat we had to request to have him skipped.
May 30, 2016, 4:37 am
#53
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Washington D.C.
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 131
Is there a way to double check online or via app if the SWU has been correctly waitlisted or do I have to call the EXP desk and talk to an agent?
May 30, 2016, 4:57 am
#54
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: AMS / LOP
Programs: HH Diamond, IHG Diamond Amb., Marriott Gold, FB Plat, BAEC Silver
Posts: 481
Yes. Go to AA.com. Don't log in to your account. Enter your Pnr and name and you see te reservation. If you are waitlisted you see this as an separate segment.
May 30, 2016, 5:02 am
#55
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Washington D.C.
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 131
May 30, 2016, 6:53 am
#56
Join Date: Jan 2005
Programs: AA EXP, UA Silver (Thanks Marriott!), Marriott Lifetime Titanium & Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 643
So, I'm curious about the SWU waitlist to confirmed seat process.
Recently I have booked three PHL to various overseas flights and have been SWU waitlisted for 6 of the various segments (Y>J).
I have been diligently checking expert flyer for "C" availability. On 3 of the segments, I have since seen availability AFTER already being waitlisted for the SWUs to clear. After seeing them, I call in to the EXP line and they have processed my upgrades without issue.
My question/comment is, why didn't this occur without my intervention? If I am on the waitlist and "C" seats become available, why are my SWUs not automatically processed? Do I really need to be monitoring this myself (The "FT anthem", I suppose) or am I just being too hyper-diligent? Is it expected that I call AA after using expert flyer on a semi-routine basis?
Recently I have booked three PHL to various overseas flights and have been SWU waitlisted for 6 of the various segments (Y>J).
I have been diligently checking expert flyer for "C" availability. On 3 of the segments, I have since seen availability AFTER already being waitlisted for the SWUs to clear. After seeing them, I call in to the EXP line and they have processed my upgrades without issue.
My question/comment is, why didn't this occur without my intervention? If I am on the waitlist and "C" seats become available, why are my SWUs not automatically processed? Do I really need to be monitoring this myself (The "FT anthem", I suppose) or am I just being too hyper-diligent? Is it expected that I call AA after using expert flyer on a semi-routine basis?
May 30, 2016, 7:22 am
#57
Join Date: Feb 2008
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 3,049
My question/comment is, why didn't this occur without my intervention? If I am on the waitlist and "C" seats become available, why are my SWUs not automatically processed? Do I really need to be monitoring this myself (The "FT anthem", I suppose) or am I just being too hyper-diligent? Is it expected that I call AA after using expert flyer on a semi-routine basis?
If you are on a hair-trigger you will end up calling before the list has had a chance to be processed.
May 30, 2016, 9:00 am
#58
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Houston
Programs: DL DM/2MM, UA Gold/1MM, AS MVP 100K, AA Gold
Posts: 1,424
Exactly. I learned this the hard way. A non elite companion has your status ahead of time but once it switches over to the airport list, they become peons again.
May 30, 2016, 10:10 am
#59
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Durham, NC USA
Programs: AA EXP and 1MM, UA 1K, HH Lifetime Diamond
Posts: 424
I was not aware of this and just tried it for an upcoming trip to ICN where I have an SWU request from business to first. I pulled up the reservation as suggested (while not logged into my account) and see no separate segment notification. Called the EXP line and they assure me the SWU request is in the system. Has anyone else used this method? Should I b concerned and keep calling the EXP line until I see it come up as suggested in this post?
May 30, 2016, 11:55 am
#60
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: AMS / LOP
Programs: HH Diamond, IHG Diamond Amb., Marriott Gold, FB Plat, BAEC Silver
Posts: 481
This is what I see. Don't know if this works for anyone. Some people reported that you also can see this in Tripcase (although this method don't work at me).