Requesting a downgrade?
Sep 10, 2019, 8:21 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2009
Location: PHL
Programs: AA EXP, DL DM HH Gold, Marriot Titanium
Posts: 1,298
Requesting a downgrade?
Good morning FT. Is there a means by which I can request a downgrade? A bit about the situation, I'm booked to fly tomorrow with my wife - I booked with cash, booked her with miles (work trip for me) and asked for the PNRs be linked and my upgrade un-requested. Unfortunately, I saw at check-in that I've been upgraded. On a call to the AAdvantage desk I was told it's not possible to downgrade me. Is this a HUCA situation or should I gift my wife's seatmate with my BP on boarding?
Sep 10, 2019, 8:45 am
#2
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2006
Programs: AAdvantage PP
Posts: 13,913
Good morning FT. Is there a means by which I can request a downgrade? A bit about the situation, I'm booked to fly tomorrow with my wife - I booked with cash, booked her with miles (work trip for me) and asked for the PNRs be linked and my upgrade un-requested. Unfortunately, I saw at check-in that I've been upgraded. On a call to the AAdvantage desk I was told it's not possible to downgrade me. Is this a HUCA situation or should I gift my wife's seatmate with my BP on boarding?
Sep 10, 2019, 8:49 am
#3
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: South Park, Metropolis
Programs: AA LT PLT 3MM, Hilton/Marriott/SPG/Club Carlson GLD, IHG PLT
Posts: 4,608
if you want to sit together, 2 choices, either up fare her ticket to be next to you (if seat are available in First), or just swap with her seatmate, provided they will like to swap. Just because you request to downgrade, does not guaranteed you will be seated next to her. When both of us where EXP, we've had numerous occasions where we sat apart and in different cabins and survived. On short flights, we really do not care, more of a comfort thing, but long flights is different. Good luck.
Sep 10, 2019, 9:18 am
#4
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Roswell, GA
Programs: AA EXP 2.8m,Lifetime PLT, Hilton Diamond, IHG PlLT, SPG Gold
Posts: 3,191
Just wondering , how long is the flight?
make your wife happy and just give her your seat.
I did this recently DFW to HNL. we are both EXP, but I cleared at the gate for the last seat in F
(only 1 seat left), just handed her my seat... FA came back to me in coach to say what a great husband I was...
make your wife happy and just give her your seat.
I did this recently DFW to HNL. we are both EXP, but I cleared at the gate for the last seat in F
(only 1 seat left), just handed her my seat... FA came back to me in coach to say what a great husband I was...
Sep 10, 2019, 9:20 am
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2009
Location: PHL
Programs: AA EXP, DL DM HH Gold, Marriot Titanium
Posts: 1,298
Just wondering , how long is the flight?
make your wife happy and just give her your seat.
I did this recently DFW to HNL. we are both EXP, but I cleared at the gate for the last seat in F
(only 1 seat left), just handed her my seat... FA came back to me in coach to say what a great husband I was...
make your wife happy and just give her your seat.
I did this recently DFW to HNL. we are both EXP, but I cleared at the gate for the last seat in F
(only 1 seat left), just handed her my seat... FA came back to me in coach to say what a great husband I was...
Last edited by timmy83; Sep 10, 2019 at 9:28 am
Sep 10, 2019, 9:26 am
#6
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Roswell, GA
Programs: AA EXP 2.8m,Lifetime PLT, Hilton Diamond, IHG PlLT, SPG Gold
Posts: 3,191
How long is the flight? dont worry my wife would always prefer that we seat together.. but I just tell her..do you want to be stuck with me in coach or relax and enjoy .. she is fine with the upgrade
Sep 10, 2019, 9:28 am
#7
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
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Posts: 100,404
Remember that requesting the downgrade doesn't guarantee that you'll be seated together.
Sep 10, 2019, 9:31 am
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2009
Location: PHL
Programs: AA EXP, DL DM HH Gold, Marriot Titanium
Posts: 1,298
Sep 10, 2019, 9:33 am
#9
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
Swap with her seatmate. While there are sometime reasons another person might not want to swap, being downgraded does not assure that you will be seated together or it may mean that you both have to be moved to lousy seats to sit together.
If the seatmate won't do it and she really won't take the F seat, go ahead and ask the GA to see what he can do.
If the seatmate won't do it and she really won't take the F seat, go ahead and ask the GA to see what he can do.
Sep 10, 2019, 11:35 am
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 27,231
What are the logistics of arranging an inter-cabin swap like this, particularly on a domestic/narrowbody flight?
Do you make the swapee swim upstream all the way to the front while boarding is underway? Do you swap boarding passes so the swapee doesn't get accused of poaching by an FA (or busybody FTer)? What about privacy? (name/AAdvantage #)
Do you try and get the GA to arrange this in advance? I presume they might prefer to give the upgrade to the next pax on the list but then two pax have to be re-seated in the system, and if the flight is full that sounds complicated. Maybe they can be easily convinced to page the potential swapee?
Hmm...lots to think about!
Do you make the swapee swim upstream all the way to the front while boarding is underway? Do you swap boarding passes so the swapee doesn't get accused of poaching by an FA (or busybody FTer)? What about privacy? (name/AAdvantage #)
Do you try and get the GA to arrange this in advance? I presume they might prefer to give the upgrade to the next pax on the list but then two pax have to be re-seated in the system, and if the flight is full that sounds complicated. Maybe they can be easily convinced to page the potential swapee?
Hmm...lots to think about!
Sep 10, 2019, 12:19 pm
#12
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2006
Programs: AAdvantage PP
Posts: 13,913
What are the logistics of arranging an inter-cabin swap like this, particularly on a domestic/narrowbody flight?
Do you make the swapee swim upstream all the way to the front while boarding is underway? Do you swap boarding passes so the swapee doesn't get accused of poaching by an FA (or busybody FTer)? What about privacy? (name/AAdvantage #)
Do you try and get the GA to arrange this in advance? I presume they might prefer to give the upgrade to the next pax on the list but then two pax have to be re-seated in the system, and if the flight is full that sounds complicated. Maybe they can be easily convinced to page the potential swapee?
Hmm...lots to think about!
Do you make the swapee swim upstream all the way to the front while boarding is underway? Do you swap boarding passes so the swapee doesn't get accused of poaching by an FA (or busybody FTer)? What about privacy? (name/AAdvantage #)
Do you try and get the GA to arrange this in advance? I presume they might prefer to give the upgrade to the next pax on the list but then two pax have to be re-seated in the system, and if the flight is full that sounds complicated. Maybe they can be easily convinced to page the potential swapee?
Hmm...lots to think about!
Sep 10, 2019, 3:01 pm
#13
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: New York
Programs: AA Exp / Marriott Titanium / Hilton Gold / Hyatt Globalist / United Silver
Posts: 958
I've been solo-upgraded many times when I was traveling with my wife. To this day, not a single person said no if i asked that person if they wanted to swap their middle seat w/ my FC seat.
Sep 10, 2019, 3:18 pm
#14
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: SFO/STS
Programs: AA EXP, HH Diamond
Posts: 396
I have been able to call and get downgraded but have done so as soon as I get the email. They probably don't have any more space in the back so trading with the person who got your seat is probably the best or only option.
Sep 10, 2019, 4:17 pm
#15
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Arizona
Posts: 5,689
1. GIVE THE SEAT TO YOUR WIFE!
2. GIVE THE SEAT TO YOUR WIFE!
3. GIVE THE SEAT TO YOUR WIFE.
4. As previously posted just seat next to your wife and tell the lucky person who walks up to their seat if they would like a First Class seat.
5. GIVE THE SEAT TO YOUR WIFE!
6. Or GIVE THE SEAT TO YOUR WIFE!
2. GIVE THE SEAT TO YOUR WIFE!
3. GIVE THE SEAT TO YOUR WIFE.
4. As previously posted just seat next to your wife and tell the lucky person who walks up to their seat if they would like a First Class seat.
5. GIVE THE SEAT TO YOUR WIFE!
6. Or GIVE THE SEAT TO YOUR WIFE!