First time upgrade standby - Disappointment & Question
Dec 4, 2009, 2:51 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Blue Bell, PA, US
Posts: 298
First time upgrade standby - Disappointment & Question
CO#327 12/03/09 SAN-EWR red-eye B739
This is the first flight after becoming a lowly Silver. Four hours before the flight, the standby list shows 20FC, 11 booked, and I was No 10 on the standby list. It did not look good, and I did not give too much hope at that point. However about 1 hour before the flight, it shows 20FC 13 booked 13 checked-in, and I was No 7 on the standby list. Suddenly it looked like I could make it. That was when the GA started to clear the list one by one at about 2-3 minute interval. I was refreshing my blackberry after each clearance, everything went normal up to last two. After 18 seats were taken, I was still No 2 on the standby list and seasts 3F and 5F were available. But FC#19 (3F) went to someone without any annoucement, and nobody from the standby list was cleared. The person in front of me on the list got the last seat 5F. And I, together with 2 others, were still on the list when the plane left.
I was more curious than upset at this point because as a Silver, I did not expect to score an upgrade on a transcon, but I did not realize I could be this close either. I am more interested to find out if there is any legit reason somebody could claim that FC seat (3F), or is this simply another GA manipulation at play. Thoughts?
This is the first flight after becoming a lowly Silver. Four hours before the flight, the standby list shows 20FC, 11 booked, and I was No 10 on the standby list. It did not look good, and I did not give too much hope at that point. However about 1 hour before the flight, it shows 20FC 13 booked 13 checked-in, and I was No 7 on the standby list. Suddenly it looked like I could make it. That was when the GA started to clear the list one by one at about 2-3 minute interval. I was refreshing my blackberry after each clearance, everything went normal up to last two. After 18 seats were taken, I was still No 2 on the standby list and seasts 3F and 5F were available. But FC#19 (3F) went to someone without any annoucement, and nobody from the standby list was cleared. The person in front of me on the list got the last seat 5F. And I, together with 2 others, were still on the list when the plane left.
I was more curious than upset at this point because as a Silver, I did not expect to score an upgrade on a transcon, but I did not realize I could be this close either. I am more interested to find out if there is any legit reason somebody could claim that FC seat (3F), or is this simply another GA manipulation at play. Thoughts?
Dec 4, 2009, 3:15 pm
#2
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: EWR
Programs: UA Plat, KE Morning Calm, Hertz Gold, SPG Plat
Posts: 57
CO#327 12/03/09 SAN-EWR red-eye B739
This is the first flight after becoming a lowly Silver. Four hours before the flight, the standby list shows 20FC, 11 booked, and I was No 10 on the standby list. It did not look good, and I did not give too much hope at that point. However about 1 hour before the flight, it shows 20FC 13 booked 13 checked-in, and I was No 7 on the standby list. Suddenly it looked like I could make it. That was when the GA started to clear the list one by one at about 2-3 minute interval. I was refreshing my blackberry after each clearance, everything went normal up to last two. After 18 seats were taken, I was still No 2 on the standby list and seasts 3F and 5F were available. But FC#19 (3F) went to someone without any annoucement, and nobody from the standby list was cleared. The person in front of me on the list got the last seat 5F. And I, together with 2 others, were still on the list when the plane left.
I was more curious than upset at this point because as a Silver, I did not expect to score an upgrade on a transcon, but I did not realize I could be this close either. I am more interested to find out if there is any legit reason somebody could claim that FC seat (3F), or is this simply another GA manipulation at play. Thoughts?
This is the first flight after becoming a lowly Silver. Four hours before the flight, the standby list shows 20FC, 11 booked, and I was No 10 on the standby list. It did not look good, and I did not give too much hope at that point. However about 1 hour before the flight, it shows 20FC 13 booked 13 checked-in, and I was No 7 on the standby list. Suddenly it looked like I could make it. That was when the GA started to clear the list one by one at about 2-3 minute interval. I was refreshing my blackberry after each clearance, everything went normal up to last two. After 18 seats were taken, I was still No 2 on the standby list and seasts 3F and 5F were available. But FC#19 (3F) went to someone without any annoucement, and nobody from the standby list was cleared. The person in front of me on the list got the last seat 5F. And I, together with 2 others, were still on the list when the plane left.
I was more curious than upset at this point because as a Silver, I did not expect to score an upgrade on a transcon, but I did not realize I could be this close either. I am more interested to find out if there is any legit reason somebody could claim that FC seat (3F), or is this simply another GA manipulation at play. Thoughts?
Dec 4, 2009, 3:17 pm
#3
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Dec 4, 2009, 3:24 pm
#4
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Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Blue Bell, PA, US
Posts: 298
I thought about those scenario too, but that was 15 minutes before the scheduled flight. I was standing close to the podium, did not see anyone making such transactions.
Dec 4, 2009, 7:16 pm
#5
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: midwest
Programs: Marriott Plat National Executive Amtrak Select Plus
Posts: 288
maybe a gold/plat companion was added at the last minute... or perhaps a gold/plat stopped by the service desk and did a same day change to an earlier flight and got a seat in F.
Dec 4, 2009, 8:18 pm
#6
Join Date: Oct 2008
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Dec 4, 2009, 8:26 pm
#7
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: retired from SFO Terminal 3
Posts: 7,437
Although I have no idea what happened in this case, it isn't always a case of shenanigans.
Dec 5, 2009, 6:31 am
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Blue Bell, PA, US
Posts: 298
Thanks for everyone's reply. The companion's scenario does make most sense.