5 of 21 CW seats going out empty?
Apr 29, 2019, 9:13 am
#16
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Mexico
Programs: BAEC Gold / Marriott Platinum
Posts: 3,542
I have a quesiton on this. Last year flew long haul AA from MIA to MXP. What was the upgrade list that they had at the gate? Is this just for people who have applied for system-wide upgrades? They seemed to clear about 4 people on that list.
Apr 29, 2019, 10:17 am
#17
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
Anybody on the upgrade list was "supported" in some manner such as a SWU, miles or possibly had paid F but there was no space at the time.
Apr 29, 2019, 11:36 am
#19
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Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
They are people who are supporting an upgrade with a SWU, miles, or a ticket and are still standing by at the time the gate opens.
Don't try to equate this to other systems used by other carriers.
Don't try to equate this to other systems used by other carriers.
Apr 29, 2019, 11:49 am
#20
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 4,477
1, E-VIP upgrade (System-wide upgrade given to EXP members)
2, Mileage upgrade
Cash upgrade will be confirmed, no need to be on upgrade list.
Also do not misunderstand the whole list thing. There is one 'upgrade list' and there is one 'standby list'. If you don't look carefully you may think there is only one.
On Intercontinental flights like the one you said, you normally have about 3-8 people on E-VIP upgrade and 5-10 people on mileage upgrade (obviously every day is different). Then you have 7-25 standby in any given time. So the list is big combined. But if flight is easy, upgrade normally cleared 2-3 days in advance. There is normally not much chance to get upgraded if your name is on the list.
Apr 29, 2019, 11:54 am
#21
Join Date: Jan 2019
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 91
Our flight back from Boston on Tuesday (the last of the three evening ones) was less than half full in Club, and it looked the same in F. Despite that, there was no F availability for upgrades with Avios, which was a shame!
Apr 29, 2019, 12:10 pm
#22
Join Date: Apr 2015
Programs: Some
Posts: 5,233
Just to compound this, the seats given to upgrades are often the worst seats in the cabin as the best seats are usually chosen at an earlier time by those who actually paid to be there, therefore whenever they request/demand to switch the seat they offer in return is almost always bad!
Apr 29, 2019, 12:21 pm
#23
Join Date: Jan 2019
Programs: BA GGL
Posts: 91
And as a build to my half empty but un-upgradable with Avios inbound flight from Boston we were upgraded on the outbound flight a few days earlier, again when no Avios upgrades where available and we had tried over a few weeks to upgrade!
We were both upgraded (around 12 hours after we’d checked in online) on the BA203 which, having gone for a wander mid flight was full in F, J and W. Traveller looked full. We were on a BA holiday booking in J, but ended up in First. We only found out we’d been upgraded when I checked the app before leaving for the airport. Good job I checked...as leisure only traveller nowadays who bounce between sliver and gold, we are currently silver so I hadn’t planned on going the First wing. But, since we’d booked valet parking it worked out pretty well
An odd upgrade though, as were approached by the CSD who apologised for a service on a previous flight and that this was a ‘service recovery’ action. But, while we flew in paid F to Australia via SIN and back via HKG last month, we hadn’t complained...though, the requested assistance was a few minutes late at LHR. This is the third BA flight in two years I’ve tried to upgrade with Avios, failed, and been upgraded on one sector anyway!
We were both upgraded (around 12 hours after we’d checked in online) on the BA203 which, having gone for a wander mid flight was full in F, J and W. Traveller looked full. We were on a BA holiday booking in J, but ended up in First. We only found out we’d been upgraded when I checked the app before leaving for the airport. Good job I checked...as leisure only traveller nowadays who bounce between sliver and gold, we are currently silver so I hadn’t planned on going the First wing. But, since we’d booked valet parking it worked out pretty well
An odd upgrade though, as were approached by the CSD who apologised for a service on a previous flight and that this was a ‘service recovery’ action. But, while we flew in paid F to Australia via SIN and back via HKG last month, we hadn’t complained...though, the requested assistance was a few minutes late at LHR. This is the third BA flight in two years I’ve tried to upgrade with Avios, failed, and been upgraded on one sector anyway!
Apr 29, 2019, 2:06 pm
#24
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: Mexico
Programs: BAEC Gold / Marriott Platinum
Posts: 3,542
Brilliant, thank you for clearning that up. I understand now. Yeh, I noticed there was two lists, one for upgrades and one for standbys. I was amazed at the number of people on standby. I think the outbound from Miami had some 45 people on it. Perhaps there had been a cancellation of other flights or something.
Apr 29, 2019, 2:23 pm
#25
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: New Orleans (for now)
Programs: DL PM, WN, SC, various other programs of lowly status
Posts: 1,673
Interesting. This was my first BA trip as I usually fly DL. There is such a hue and cry on the DL board when someone couldn't use their Global upgrade cert and discovers an empty seat upfront. I like BA's approach better....but don't tell anyone on the DL board I said that . 
Apr 29, 2019, 5:14 pm
#26
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2014
Programs: Top Tier with all 3 alliances
Posts: 11,647
There is no priority difference for AA SWU vs. Miles and Co-pay upgrades for international flights, they are both equal upgrade instruments and are listed together, flyer elite status is the main prioritizing factor.
Apr 29, 2019, 5:33 pm
#27
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 1,271
I'm not saying this applies to you, but sometimes I wonder...is it really this, or is it that people get upset that someone else gets something 'for free' when they or their (tax-avoiding) employer has paid for it?
Apr 29, 2019, 5:43 pm
#28
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 557
As far as I know UA, AA and DL all require a payment or upgrade instrument for TATL flights into J or F - now just AA - the difference I think as to why the US cabins generally go out full is they seem to be fill with staff and pass travelers. I wonder if BA has more restrictions on staff who can fly in premium cabins, or if there is a reason you don't see the long-haul premium cabins getting filled by staff and passes?
Apr 29, 2019, 6:45 pm
#29
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2014
Programs: Top Tier with all 3 alliances
Posts: 11,647
I actually prefer the European model since it means that J or F cabins are not always completely full, meaning that service can be more personalised (YMMV, however, depending on the crew). In this case BA are willing to let a few seats go empty without destroying their yield.
To be fair, the only benefit that the European model has over the American one is this: Lounge access for elites/J passengers in their own country.
Last edited by nk15; Apr 29, 2019 at 6:54 pm
Apr 29, 2019, 8:31 pm
#30
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 3,190
Interesting. This was my first BA trip as I usually fly DL. There is such a hue and cry on the DL board when someone couldn't use their Global upgrade cert and discovers an empty seat upfront. I like BA's approach better....but don't tell anyone on the DL board I said that .
rb211.