JpMaxMan

Earlier today I had a flight from Pittsburgh to IAH. I was monitoring the upgrade standby list a few days out. Checkin in 24 hours in advance. Booked in K class. Am CO Gold. There were 5 spots available. I was first on the list. I kept expecting to get an upgrade notification, but instead more people were added to the upgraded list and I was stuck in first standby slot.

I had been upgraded on the outward bound flights. This was the return. Does it knock you down or are you no longer eligible if you were already upgraded on one part of the journey? Anyone else had this type of thing happen to them?

channa

The upgrade list only reflects checked in passengers, and is only used for airport processing. Advance upgrades do not come from the upgrade list.

EUA runs and processes customers in the correct order, regardless of checkin status. So it's likely that you were the highest priority customer of those who checked in, but there were other Elites ahead of you who were not yet checked in. They were probably upgraded via EUA.

JpMaxMan

So, you don't go on the upgraded list at PDA.continental.com when you get the elite upgrade notification? It only happens on check in?

channa

The upgraded list reflects everybody who has been upgraded. The upgrade standby list reflects only those who have checked in and requested an upgrade.

So the people who were on the upgraded list were probably never on the upgrade standby list since they were upgraded by EUA and had not checked in prior to receiving the upgrade.

benjy

Does the list of upgraded passengers reflect those who upgraded using miles as well as EUAs? I assume that it does not reflect those who travel on reward ticvkets.

JerseyCityS

It could have also been non-elites who did a $99 upgrade, or $79, or whatever offer they happen to have upon checkin.

I have seen several times where there are elites on the standby list, that are checked in, and after that non-elites do online check in and are offered an inexpensive buy-up to F.

As an elite that irritates me, but if definitely happens.

I've also seen where I've been #2 on the upgrade standby list, and the fligth has been booked full in F, and I've checked back in an hour or so, and I was upgraded, jumping over #1 after somebody obviously booked in F cancelled their seat, but I went over #1. I have no explanation for that one. It was TPA EWR.

flyboy_421

I routinely buy tickets a day or two out that are in B class and get auto-upgraded despite the existence of folks on the upgrade list. You where probably nailed by the last min travelers.

Scott

channa

It's a similar explanation as the OP's issue.

For two same-level Elites on the same fare class, the tiebreaker on the upgrade standby list is the time you were added to the upgrade list (usually time of checkin).

For the same two Elites on the same fare class, the tiebreaker for EUA is date of ticket purchase.

So it really depends how you got the upgrade.

It's possible that you (#2) and #1 had the same Elite status and fare class. You bought your ticket before #1, but #1 checked in before you did, securing the #1 spot on the airport upgrade list only. However, you were not upgraded at the airport. Rather, you were upgraded by EUA, which runs irrespective of that list. EUA saw that you bought your ticket first, and upgraded you. #1 may have been the next person to get EUA, but there was only space for one, and you won the EUA tiebreaker.

Had that final seat been given away at the gate, #1 would have got it before you, because he would have won the checkin time tiebreaker.

IAHtraveler

This has nothing to do with it. They don't 'knock you down' if you're upgraded on one (or multiple segments)... they're all treated individually for EUAs.

What these folks are being offered is a 'buy-up' from their fare class to the lowest First Class fare currently available. Sure, this is annoying, but they are actually paying for an FC seat. As an elite, you should be offered the same thing.

snod08

I dont think Elites are offered the buy-up-to-F once the T-24 OLCI period rolls in.
Only the non-elites get that offer within the T-24 to departure.

Someone please correct me if I am wrong. I have never been offered a buy-up once the check-in process is open.

JpMaxMan

Interesting - that was actually a followup question... I got an e-mail (had never gotten this before) a few days out asking if I wanted to upgrade for $62. I probably should have done it, but instead took my chances. Who else got that e-mail? And, I guess they trump the elite upgrades? What percentage of F is kept open waiting for the paid upgrade option - given that I should have gotten the EUA 48 hours out?

sbm12

Consider yourself corrected. The Fare-Up option is offered based on the price delta and availability of seat, even inside the 24 hour window. It is changed a bit as of a couple weeks ago in that it is now segment-by-segment for pricing rather than for the full itinerary but otherwise it is the same policy.