Tier Upgrade Response
 

I've earned the miles I need to upgrade to GO from SL, and my MPC account summary is showing 60,115 miles "current" Club Miles and "-" remaining needed for Gold. The last miles required for the GO upgrade were posted today, 12 March, however it is still showing me as a Silver.

I'm going to be travelling again on Monday 15 March and am wondering when my tier status is likely to update to Gold. I am travelling on AA and as a OW Ruby I am a "nobody" but would get useful benefits as a OW Sapphire.

Will my status probably be updated on time?

I think your best option is to ring MPC and tell them about your situation so they can change their system reflecting your current status. With that said, you have to update your status here on FT as well :)

Thanks for the reminder to update my profile.

Generally I think the MPC system does a "refresh" every night so I'll wait until Saturday morning HK time before calling MPC about it.

Definitely call them ASAP as I don't trust CX IT.

It's updated to Gold already without any intervention on my part.

Make sure you call AA to ask them to remove and add back your FF info. If they still see you as **RUBY**, get a fax from MPO to prove your Gold / Sapphire status.

Thanks. Can I ask AA to do this at check-in or must I do it on the phone beforehand?

Also, is it necessary to do this for CX or will they automatically have the latest status?

Unless "refreshed", the status on record will be that at the time of booking. Even bookings on CX are not updated automatically.

Can I do this for AA/CX at the airport while checking in or must I do this on the telephone beforehand?

I did that at check-in for CX before. I did not have the new card. So I asked the check-in agent to update my booking.

AA can be a different story. I do not know how that works. I purchased a ticket on line about three years ago. AA on-line booking did not allow me to enter my CX # (at least back then). I called them. They said they would add it. However, I still could not see my CX number and tier status when I got my BP on the outbound flight (even though the check-in agent saw my CX card and entered my CX #). On the return trip, the big EMERALD was printed. I would suggest you have some proof handy at check-in just in case.

1. I would suggest you to do it over the phone.
2. In my recent experience, CX seems to automatically update its own PNRs with FF status change. In the past, you needed to call them.

So I flew the sectors.

ORD-LAX (AA): They had not automatically updated my status and the BP printed out Ruby. After asking them to update it (and they didn't immediately know how - I suggested that they remove and add again the number) they managed to print out with Sapphire instead.

On another topic, the new AA lounge in ORD T3 is very nice and has excellent showers, as good as a 5 star hotel. Never thought that Admiral's Club would be so good.

LAX-HKG (CX): They already had my Gold status on record. Interesting as I got both my BPs at ORD, my first BP said Ruby and my second said Sapphire (and I then asked them to change the first, as above).

This flight (my first CX flight after qualifying as Gold) was severely underwhelming. Although the service was quite satisfactory there was absolutely no mention or recognition at any point (during boarding or inflight). Perhaps that's reserved for DM only.

LAX boarding is terrible anyway, the line for J boarding was as long as the Economy line as there are a huge number of MPC members on the flight. As they also allow GR members priority boarding (WHY!?), it gets pretty crazy.

My experience is that only DMs are routinely singled out for recognition and extra service, while with GOs it happens sometimes but definitely isn't a guarantee. I imagine this is exacerbated on flights with large #s of DMs.

LAX boarding is indeed a disaster. I only do LAX a few times a year but hate it every time. Last week I was flying back LAX-HKG and CX staff went through the line and pulled myself and other F pax out, as well as all Diamonds and AA Ex Plats. The staffer then brought us as a group to the front of the line, effectively cutting everyone. Nice gesture, I thought, but I would've been pi$$ed if I was GO. I recall this happening before at LAX - is that normal?

Finally, on GR members, I do think being able to board early is an important benefit...even though most of us on this board are impacted as CX elites. It is a way for CX to stimulate demand for their FF program and generate loyal customers, without much cost to us. And I know I certainly appreciated it myself when I started as GR. The situation is very tolerable in a nice airport like HK, where even the general waiting area is huge, airy and there are always plenty of seats. TBIT at LAX just sucks.

You're probably right, but I was a little surprised at the omission because as an SL I was also recognised somewhat regularly (maybe 50% of flights) and so I thought perhaps at GO it would be more regular. Not a big deal, but it's a nice touch when it happens.

Odd that this should happen, because at LAX they have a separate boarding queue for F passengers (and DM/Emerald pax) which they board first before J. At other ports this is usually not necessary but I guess it necessary at LAX because of their terrible terminal facility.

I'm not really convinced by this argument. Benefits should be earned, not something you pay $50 once in a lifetime to get. Maybe if GR had to pay $50 per year it might even be OK but with CX not bothering to enforce the 4 sector renewal rule, it's kinda too lenient.

But you're right that in airports like HKIA, the F/J boarding queue is always pretty light and quick to pass through.