I'm a CO Gold and my spouse is a CO Silver. Based in Seattle we've had pretty good success in securing upgrades this year back and forth to Houston. Last flight some odds things happened and I'm wondering if proper CO policy was followed...

We attempted to fly standby on Sept 2 - SEA-IAH 7AM. When I arrived at the airport counter I asked to be put on the Standby List AND the Upgrade list. The agent (the most surly I've encountered at CO who insisted I use the kiosk and change to an 8AM flight THEN talk to him about the 7AM flight even though he was standing there doing nothing...but I digress..) told me he listed us on both lists.

Yet when I checked the PDA site, I saw us listed ONLY on the Standby and NOT the upgrade list. This seemed odd because I knew in the past I had seen people on both simultaneously. I asked him, and he said we were "on both lists".

First question. Since the flight wasn't full and there were 6 open FC seats (no standby list for FC), should this counter agent have confirmed us on the flight and upgraded us on the spot, or at least blocked 2 FC seats for us?

When we go out to the gate there are roughly 6 FC open, not booked. Still neither of us showing on the PDA list for FC.

Flight isn't oversold - plenty of room and no doubt we'll get on.

I confirm with gate agents and ask why we aren't on the FC list - they say we are - still nothing on the PDA site.

Then - I watch them give away all the FC seats except one and give that one to me - my spouse stays in coach. I suspect they are giving them to nonrevs...

When I question the situation they tell me people bought the FC seats at the counter and they gave one seat to a uniformed service member (all this while we are sitting in the departure area..)

So here's my question:
1. Can you be on the standby list and the FC standby list simultaneously?
Should this show up on the PDA site? If so, does CO still try to sell the FC upgrades at the counter?
2. Since it didn't show me on the PDA site as being on the upgrade list, is this a sign of shenanigans on the part of the co staff?
3. Are uniformed service members a higher priority than elites waiting for upgrades on a standby basis? Note I don't object to service members recieving perks, I'm just wondering what the policy really is...
4. Are CO gate agents allowed to basically "sit" on an elite standby passenger (not give them a seat in coach) and fill FC with whomever they want THEN put the standby passenger into coach? It seems like this happened to us...

Something smelled bad during this whole experience and I'm just wondering if procedures were followed.

Thanks for any help.

The kiosk is the best way to check in. It doesn't make mistakes like agents do.

No you can not be on the standby list for a seat on the flight and the upgrade list. Once you are cleared into a seat in Y you need to be added to the upgrade list.

Note: Bolding Mine

As SFO says you must clear standby to coach before

you can be placed on the upgrade list

ALL front counter folks are under GREAT pressure

to send ALL us chickens to the machines

It drives me crazy (but I already am)

Your approach can make a big difference

As others have mentioned you first clear into Y, then into F and there's obviously a timing issue that'll affect your upgrade chances.

FWIW UA allows one to standby for the upgrade seats (NF in UA land most of the time) so if you clear, you'll be in F.

OK - so I know I have seen people on the flight standby list AND the F standby list simultaneously - are these typically nonrevs since revenue passengers must be cleared into Y before they can be on the list for F?

Lastly - what appears to have happened then is that the gate agent simply left us on "standby" after we'd checked in, and then processed non-elites into F (such as the service member in uniform) before moving us from standby into Y. Is this considered OK at CO?

Again - really just trying to understand what CO's policies really are...

What I found objectionable was the fact that the Kiosk couldn't (or wouldn't) even do what I wanted - it could move me to a flight I didn't want, then only the agent could put me on standby for the flight I really wanted... it seemed like a waste of time and something he could have done with a few keystrokes (which he wound up doing anyway....)

Mmmm don't believe it's simultaneous - pretty sure you have to clear into Y before you go on the F upgrade list on UA. Trust me, I've tried it many times.

The trick is making sure the GA lists you for the right class of service.

On the DM card it should say something like:

You have to specify it with the agent. "I only want to get on this flight if I can preserve my upgrade." It should not be a problem. I've done it many times.

This simply means the fare bucket you purchased was not available for a SDC processing. At that point you are at the mercy of the GA to clear you from Standby, and cannot be on the UG list.

While at the same time, the other flight had the fare bucket available.

One example I know for sure is BusinessFirst on International flight, where non-rev can be on both Flight Standby List and Upgrade Standby List at the same time.

Yes. Employees can list themselves for first class. You are on both lists then, domestic or international.

Non Revs are standing by for the flight in either F or Y depending on how they list themselves. The system is automated when they clear the list. If there are no remaining F seats they will be cleared in Y based on their pass classification and seniority. You can stby for F if you purchased a F ticket, if you were upgraded from a Y ticket, you stby for coach, then you can be upgraded after that if seats are available. By the way, non revs cannot be cleared until all rev stbys are cleared first.