PHX_Flyer16

I've been a Platinum Pro AAdvantage member for several years. My fiance and I are getting married in August and booked a Honeymoon to Paris for September. We booked our tickets back in February and what's happened since doesn't seem right at all. We booked Premium Economy tickets from PHX to CDG (via DFW).

- After booking, I immediately called to use a systemwide upgrade for myself, and upgrade with mile for my fiance
- The agent told me she must first split our reservations into two, she then submitted the upgrades and said they should clear shortly
- After about a week, they did. We were both able to select seats next to each other in business class
- About a week later, my fiance's upgrade to business class disappeared from her reservation and she was reassigned to premium economy
- A friend of mine who is a Concierge Key member called to offer up a systemwide upgrade for her, knowing that it would take priority over the mileage upgrade
- A few days later and her reservation still showed a "mileage upgrade request" in the system
- I called back and was told that yes, it's showing as a mileage upgrade request
- He called again and it then showed systemwide upgrade request
- I called back to confirm my upgrade and her systemwide request and was told it should clear shortly with his status
- My systemwide upgrade had been confirmed for the DFW-CDG leg, but for some reason, they wouldn't tell me why, my PHX-DWF leg is STILL not upgraded (four months later), the entirely of first class is open on that flight
- It's now been three months since her systemwide upgrade was requested (via Concierge Key member) and she's still in premium economy

I'm incredibly frustrated as the entire reason I am loyal to American is so that I could upgrade on the most important trip of my life, which I booked WELL in advance and the upgrades actually cleared, then one was rescinded. If I can't get upgraded for this flight then really what is the point of my loyalty?

The entire situation just seem incredibly weird and I get the sense that a lot of the agents have no idea what they're doing, hence the multiple errors that seem to have been made through this process. Any advice or experience any has to share would be helpful. Now face the likely prospect we'll be separated on our honeymoon flight, not even in the same class.

Thank you!

777lover

The first question is why was the upgrade rescinded? That’s what I would be focused on. Did u receive a new ticket after it cleared?

PHX_Flyer16

Thanks for the response. Unfortunately we never got an answer from American on why this happened. I can tell you what the user experience was though:

- Reservation showed "Mileage Upgrade Requested" after call
- A week later, about 4 extra boarding passes (for the two legs) appear in her app under the record indicator
- With the business boarding pass she was able to go and select a seat in business class
- A week later, the boarding pass was removed
- Mileage was never deducted and card was never charged

PHX_Flyer16

I should also mentioned that prior to booking I used SeatGuru to confirm there were at least 6 available upgrades in business.

JJeffrey

Anytime an agent tells you that the "upgrade should clear soon" they are just making things up.

Upgrade space either exists or it doesn't. It sounds like they just put you both on the waitlist from the get go.

Months later it's really hard to tell exactly what happened, but we have seen instances where your reservation may appear to show business class even when you're just waitlisted. EDIT: And based on what you just mentioned in your subsequent posts this is almost assuredly what happened, the upgrade never cleared in the first place.

Also even though she is waitlisted with a CK's SWU (supposedly) her waitlist position is based on her status, which sounds like none.

The last thing I'd be worried about is why your PHX-DFW segment hasn't cleared yet, it is 100% normal for AA not to release any C space months in advance for a route like that. Calling over and over is just going to solicit bogus responses from clueless agents.

Unfortunately devoting years of loyalty just so you can get upgraded on one special trip where you have zero flexibility on dates etc. is always a recipe for disaster.

JJeffrey

Oh no, that's not how this works. Not sure what you were looking at but SeatGuru does not have access to AA upgrade space.

PHX_Flyer16

I'm sorry, I couldn't remember the site's name. Not SeatGuru, it was Expert Flyer.

JJeffrey

Ok, that's better, but are you 100% sure you were searching EF correctly? It is VERY strange to find a DFW-CDG flight with lots of upgrade space months in advance.

If there was actually upgrade space available then the agent should have been able to confirm both of you while you were on the phone the very first call, none of this "the upgrade should clear soon" nonsense.

PHX_Flyer16

The frustrating part was that we did have some flexibility, which is why I used Expert Flyer to confirm there were at least 6 seats in business available for upgrade. Also, wouldn't she have been on my Platinum Pro status for the mileage upgrade priority? Or did the agent screw that up with when she split the reservations?

In theory then, shouldn't they have used the systemwide upgrade on her, then the mileage upgrade on me to leverage my priority?

Final thing, does a the status of a Systemwide upgrade really depend on the flyer's status and not the status of the Concierge Key member who requested it on their behalf? That is definitely NOT what the reservation agent told us when we called.

Any advice on anything that can be done now, or are we screwed?

Antarius

Systemwide and mileage upgrades have the same priority. They come out of the same bucket.

And the priority is that of the flyer, not the person giving the system wide. She should have inherited your priority. Whether it came from a concierge key or an executive platinum or platinum pro etc. doesn't affect your upgrade.

I'm also confused as to why they had to split the reservations for systemwide upgrades. The only time I've had to do this is for business extra.

PHL

When you searched EF, did you specifically use the "Awards and Upgrades" search, where you then have to choose AA from a drop down and then click the "C" business class bucket? It's extremely unusual to have 6 seats on a flight like DFW-CDG be available for upgrade months in advance. Maybe you were just searching hte Flight Availability option and saw C6 along with the other buckets like J W Y, etc. In that case, it's not reflecting upgradability.

What is odd is why you were both able to select seats in biz a week later, and then your fiancé is now back in PE. You've probably had numerous calls with AA already, but did you try to find out why she was moved from J back to PE? They can go through the record history to see what happened and - maybe - move her back if an error was made. That notwithstanding, you can also ask to make sure she is associated to your PNR for elite benefits and - in particular - upgrade priority. She would at least inherit your status when it comes to the waitlist.

It's disappointing that this happens on an important trip. I'm not saying this to be harsh, but if you really wanted to be assured seats in J, you might have just paid for them. If her seat is not looking like it will clear, consider just upfaring her to J since you already got the upgrade.

Antarius

Wasn't there a glitch a few months ago where a bunch of C space showed up? A ton of flights were showing c7.

scubadu

If you read the OP more carefully you will find that the OP used a SWU for one passenger (himself) and mileage+copay for the other passenger (the fiance). Since these are two different types of upgrade instruments the PNR had to be split.

I believe splitting the PNR was a huge mistake, that effectively leaves the finance with no status. I assume the OP did this because as PPro, they didn't have enough SWUs for both tickets. If that is the case, I'd have done miles+copay for both in order to stay on the same PNR.

Regards

Antarius

I read it carefully...I didn't realize that you had to split a PNR to use a SWU and miles+copay.

PHL

I've used Miles+Copay for 2 of us on same PNR and they still had to split the reservations. But they were able to associate companion with me for the upgrade priority and MCE seat selection while we waited.