GNRMatt

Since this failed two times in a row for me, what are the correct terms to use to the GA for this?

And is there a way to make this automatic so that I DON'T have to deal with GA's that don't know how to do this. If the way to do this automatically is tied to my previous questions, can someone please help me with that?

vasantn

Once you are at the airport, there is no automatic way to keep you and your companion linked for the purpose of the upgrade list. I am honestly not sure what the mechanics are or what the correct wording is. Someone who understands how the PALL list works may have the answer. I have had to get into arguments a few times but have always prevailed in the end. I usually say something like: "She is my companion but I am #2 and she is #9. Would you please move her up next to me on the list?"

No question there should be a better way.

GNRMatt

vasantn, what I'm asking though, is there a way to avoid confrontations with the GA on this? Would having my companion not have their AA number in their reservation make her appear on the list next to me? According to the GA's I spoke to (4 of them), they all said it would. If this is the case, I would rather do this than spend my time before a flight arguing with a GA about policy.

reeg2

I'm surprised this has been a struggle because i've never had an issue the 2-3 dozen times I've done it while traveling with my wife.

I usually just walk up to the GA well before boarding time and say "my wife is traveling with me, can you make sure she's marked as my companion?"

Never had an issue with a GA - but I could see how they might be peeved if you asked just moments before upgrades clear or boarding commences.

Your proposed method of not including the AA# may well work - but the idea of chasing miles afterwards sounds like more of a pain than it's worth. You'd have to save boarding passes, submit web forms, fight them when they're incorrect, etc.

GNRMatt

reeg2, when you've done this before, were you an AA Executive Platinum or an AA Platinum? I want to make sure we're comparing apples to apples here.

jordyn

I regularly have to fight with GAs on this same topic. For whatever reason, it seems insanely hard and not obvious for some agents to be able to re-link a companion and they often want to assert it's impossible or unnecessary or to explain to me that it's not a problem. As vasantn notes, in the end I can usually make this happen, but it's SUPER ANNOYING. Hopefully at some point once the reservation systems are merged, AA will fix this to rationalize the behavior between the main upgrade list and the airport list.

scottymagouf

I know there are lots of discussions about companion upgrades and I have literally read everything. This scenario we experienced this week just doesn’t make any sense.

Here are the bullets:

-I am Gold, my wife is Executive Platinum
-7/4/15: The two of us booked LAX-JFK on the same record for 9/4/15, Flight 292, requested electronic upgrade (500 mile) from coach to business.
-Split the records in July because it's the only way to "yes split" for the upgrade request.
-We have been doing "yes split" for the UG requests because lately we have been having issues where the automated system releases the electronic upgrades one at a time and Exec Plat’s with later time stamps jump us
-At the 100 hour window this week, my wife gets upgraded, we call and are told only 1 electronic upgrade (R Class due to 3 cabin plane) was available during the first "sweep" but the cabin is wide open and I'm listed as her companion and should clear next. So all seems fine.
-Between 100 hours and 24 hours we are watching the cabin fill up and it goes from J7 to J2.
-We call Executive Platinum today 3 times and are told all 3 times that the other Executive Platinum and Platinum need to get upgraded before I do because I'm gold. I ask what's the purpose of being an Executive Platinum companion then? Their response is: "so you don't have to pay for business class". I said that doesn't make any sense and they said: "well it's so you can use your wife's 500-mile upgrades" which also doesn't make any sense.
-There is one C-Class seat remaining per Expert Flyer so we grab it but not without feeling perplexed.

I'm sure there are lots of Executive Platinum who strategize to get their companions upgraded using the electronic (500 mile) upgrades. Do any of you have a clue what went wrong here? And what the hierarchy is for where an executive platinum companion falls who is traveling on a separate record locator?

Let me know if I skipped over any pertinent details.

Best,
Scotty

reeg2

Unless I'm missing some nuance- if you split PNR's from your EXP wife, you no longer have any claim to her EXP status.

scottymagouf

I don't think that's the case because in past when a no status friend was traveling with us (3 PNR's), I linked our friend with her as a "yes split". She got upgraded at T100, then our friend was upgraded T90 and finally me T72 (I was Plat at the time). Essentially our friend trumped me. Maybe this is because he had no status?

jordyn

I don't think this is right--you can link and upgrade a companion on a separate PNR.

But I've also believed (rightly or wrongly) that "yes split" could result in breaking the link if the elite gets upgraded and the companion does not--I would assume in that scenario the companion is now on their own to get upgraded. OP's past experience seems to contradict this, but current experience seems to confirm it so I'm not sure what the answer is. Maybe someone with a better knowledge of the upgrade computer can confirm. In any case, maybe a good time to use a SWU and lock in the upgrade?

JJeffrey

This is definitely NOT correct for EXP complimentary and 500-mi. domestic upgrades. A companion on a split PNR also inherits the status. I've done this many, many times over the years to avoid the '2 seats must be open at the same time' issue. Of course the caveat is that you could possibly be split up if only 1 upgrade opens up.

Thumper

When my wife travels with the same PNR, she is the same as me and always appears with me in upgrades. I agree that the single seat release is an issue, but the system will recognize 2 aisle seats as a pair. (CLT BDL last week)

When traveling on different PNRs, I had no luck until an Angel at the AC did something and poof she and I were 1 & 2 on the list.

Superguy

Will they still add your companion to the wait list at the airport, and is your status still on them?

remedy

This AM - Me (EXP) #1 on upgrade waiting list; Mrs. Remedy (Gold) #5. Same PNR.

Superguy

So Mrs. Remedy will be riding up front?

But thanks, that answers my question too.