Grunion

Howdy - a couple of questions for the experts on here.

Background - Scheduled to fly LAX-LHR in several days (Flt 136 @ 7 pm). I requested SWU's for myself and husband several months back, when booked. ExpertFlyer still showing plenty of Biz availabilty with 20 plus seats (J and other biz fare classes....but of course no "C"), so "hopeful/optimistic" about the upgrade(s). I am EXP with 120k plus miles this year and $12.5k of spend so far (so re-qualified for next yr.).

Question 1 - if for some reason there isn't inventory to upgrade on the 7 pm flight does AA permit a same day "move-up" to the 5:30 pm flight (#108) if that is showing inventory for the SWU's to clear ? I have "moved up" many times domestically, but never internationally. Also, as an EXP I know I am able to go to Flagship Check-in if there are thoughts that they would have added skills in this area for SWU processing or move-up.

Question 2 - the mother-in-law just "surprised" us today with an announcement that she has purchased a ticket to join us on the trip and will be taking BA Flt 280 from LAX-LHR (departing at 5:50 pm). As AA/BA have the JV, any shot at getting the SWU cleared to biz and then moving from AA to the same BA flt as mom-in-law ? My assumption is this is a hard "no" but figured I would ask for a sanity check from the AA gurus.....

For what its worth, I've had very good experiences with SWU processing to date, albeit never on a LAX-LHR routing.

Thanks for the guidance
Grunion

stephem

(1). Nope, only JFK-LHR can be same day confirmed.
(2). Nope, absent irregular ops, not gonna happen

BillBurn

On 1) I was able to move the same day from the late to the early departure on LAX-LHR when traveling in J and waitlisted with an SWU for F. I did it for schedule reasons, but they also moved my SWU F upgrade request (it didn't clear though). If I remember correctly it was one of the LAX Admiral's club AAngels who did it, but they had to call someone in Dallas to get approval and it took some cajoling. There was plenty of open space on that flight so it was a little odd that they didn't just move me right away. Given the hoops I had to jump through I don't know if they would show the same flexibility for a request that was just based on trying to improve upgrade chances but maybe others have had success doing so.

FWIW, I have also tried doing an SDFC on LHR-LAX about 12 hours in advance via the EP desk but that was denied.

Net, net seems that at the airport/admirals club there is potentially some flexibility depending on loads and who you talk to, but it doesn't seem like its easy or standard operating procedure.

As to 2), I agree that is a flat "no".

BTW, for that route in my experience they usually open up some C availability 48 hours prior to departure when there are 20+ open seats. If open seats are less than low teens it seems like they will wait until the gate to process upgrades. Given your status and the # of open seats this close to departure I would think you stand a good chance of both clearing. Good luck!

Grunion

So based on Stephem's response is there a rational why this would be permitted from JFK but not LAX ? just trying to understand context.

CloudCoder

Availability is the Highest individual number shown (rather than the sum of all the numbers).

Example: J7 D5 I3 ... means there are at least 7 biz-class seats (not 15).

It's like if a car dealer has three cars for sale. The first car will go 150 miles per hour, the second one will go 120 mph, and the third will go 90. If you buy all three cars, you can go 150 miles per hour (not 360 mph).

rjtfdx

JFK-LHR is the only non-domestic route allowed by AA same-day flight change policy.

deeruck

Perhaps it's the frequency of services on that route that led them to allow this, but it's the one route they've included that's not a "domestic" flight.

iadisgreat

I think it's more that they have knowledge that New York travelers are more likely to need flexibility and think it's a differentiator from the competition (despite the JBV, I don't think you can change to a BA flight for free).

For example, there are 4 flights JFK-LHR and 3 flights ORD-LHR (one morning flight each and the balance in the evenings) tomorrow. Is one really to believe that one extra flight a day is the cutoff to make confirmed flight change worth it for AA? I doubt it.

Grunion

We left-coasters sometimes need flexibility too. I do find it odd to restrict it to the NY market only - seems similar to the "Mexico City" exception for AA & OW lounge access. Presumptions abound, we just have to learn to work and live within them I suppose.

Thanks for the guidance thusfar
Grunion

Astronomer

While 2) is a no the way you have stated it, what you could potentially do is change your mom-in-law to the AA flight that you're on (ticket change fees may apply) and add an SWU for her.

carlosdca

For 1)...

Even if the same day change was possible.

How can you predict that at the moment you are finally ON the earlier flight, there will still be plenty of inventory for a SWU? A lot of things can happen between the time you saw the inventory availability (on EF I suppose) and the time the change to earlier flight happens.

Also, how do you know how many people who are booked on the earlier flight are waitlisted for upgrade, decide a last minute upgrade (by paying whatever the fare difference is), or are offered an upgrade for cash at check-in? A lot of things happen day of flight and probably the reason that upgrade at gate process exists.

My assumption is that you will first be booked in economy on the earlier flight (if at all possible), and then added to the upgrade list to be processed at the gate?

Even if I was a CK with plenty of EQDs, I would not try this. It might back fire (upgrade seats open up in the original flight)

Grunion

Good news - SWU's cleared for both me and husband at about 48 hours out. All's well that ends well !
Thanks again for all the guidance
Grunion

LINDEGR

Congrats. I hope you MIL doesn't impede a great trip!