Hi all,

Although I've read many posts on this forum (and learned a lot, thank you), this is my first post. While I thought I understood the automatic upgrade process, I can't seem to figure this one out...

With a flight only 36 hours away and 5 seats open in First Class, how does a Presidential Platinum (on a separate reservation) not get upgraded, yet 6 others have? I was on hold for 5 minutes before reaching an agent on the "special" line, and got the standard answer about fare class, i.e. maybe 6 other Presidential Platinums on the flight (yea, right) or 6 Golds bought tickets recently and had a higher fare ticket. ??!!?? I thought elite level was the first criteria for upgrades, then fare class. It's hard to keep up with all the changes lately - is this one of them?

Thanks for your input.

Welcome to FlyerTalk!

All elites on Y/B fares (and Plat/PPlat on M fares) can upgrade out of different inventory than the EUAs come from but are still listed on the website that you can see.

it goes by fare class and in each fare class it goes by status. it is confusing

This is not true (well, the confusing part might be ).

Welcome to FlyerTalk!

While Presidential Platinum is CO's highest status, it's not CO's highest criteria for upgrades.

A Gold or Silver on a Y or B fare, or a Platinum on a Y, B, or M fare will trump a Presidential Platinum on a fare other than Y/B/M.

It's possible there were lower Elites on a higher fare bucket than you on the flight.

That said, with five (5) open seats, it's possible that you'll still get the upgrade anytime between now and departure.

Though it's still possible that you may fall victim to CO's "tens of dollars" upgrade program. CO will sometimes aggressively market Y/B/M upfares to Elites at checkin, sometimes for as low as tens of dollars, so if there are enough of these takers, they could possibly trump your more than $30,000 in annual business.

Good luck!

Thanks to all for the info!

I wasn't aware that the Y/B upgrades were included on the website list. That explains a lot! Thanks sbm12.

Channa, you must be right about the aggressive marketing. The upgraded list went from 6 last night to 9 this morning, with 6 more on the standby list, but still no upgrade here.

I should clarify - my husband is the Presidential Platinum, not me. I'm just the "business widow" that likes to take advantage of any perks available. I view it as payback for all the sleepless nights alone. Not that I feel entitled (so please don't bash me), but with 200K & $40K this year alone, I'd like to think the advertised "rewards" would actually happen.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday!

my bad i read the website wrong

Checked in at the gate 1-1/2 hours before flight departure and was given the "opportunity" to upgrade for the low low fee of $269. !!! Never did get upgraded.

Sorry to hear you did not get the upgrade.

If they were offering it for sale, it means there was upgrade space. But it's possible that someone else bit on the offer (which could have been more or less than your offer based on their fare classes or markets). Either that, or it was given away for free but to someone higher in the pecking order. Remember that a Silver or Gold on a Y or B fare or a Plat on a Y, B, or M fare will trump a Presidential Platinum on a lower fare.

At least you now know where you stand with your $30,000 in annual business. Clearly CO thinks it should have been $30,269.

man am I the only hoping Jeff somehow will have to step down before very long or its getting to look like I will be going shopping once again for a new carrier. CO simply cant stop coming up with ways to Tick off its customers

Now I fully understand that CO isnt a Charity or non-profit company but if a PP who spends $40k a yr ends up not being UPed what chance do I stand who spends less than 10% of that amount and is a 1K. Yes Im safe for 2011 with UA but once Jeff is fully doing his thing and if its anything like what he has done at CO , it sure looks like I'll be walking once again

Now if JetBlue would only start up TATL & TPAC eveything would be OK

Beautiful

Help us out here - is the chip on your shoulder about the fact that Y/B/M ticket holders can trump the PP here, or that they also offered it for sale?

If it's the former, isn't that exactly what CO should be doing - rewarding higher fare paying pax on that flight? In many / most cases these will be the PPs anyway, since that's the only chance of actually getting to that level.

I noticed the absence of your trademark "tens of dollars" diatribe when the buy-up offer was actually relatively substantial

First off, "tens of dollars" is not my trademark, that was coined by another FTer.

That said, I'm not playing CO's technicality and legalese game with this. There are multiple issues here. The whole issue of Y/B/M-Ups is questionable to begin with. After all, who would buy a Full F fare when you could score an M-Up? There is quite possibly significant revenue erosion going on there.

Second is the aggressive marketing at checkin resulting in an overall lack of transparency in the whole process. CO is hawking these things at checkin for whatever they can get, and as a result their repeat customers are paying the price. In this case, they've left one of their $30K customers behind in exchange for what might have been (here you go) tens of dollars from someone else). It could have been more, it could have been less, who knows. The point is they're no longer valuing the customer relationship, and shifting their focus to a transactional relationship. I doubt that's the right business move.

Now granted, CO is well within their rights to do that, but shouldn't they also mention that this is how the game works? CO has an entire page dedicated to complimentary upgrades, and nowhere on the page does it say that CO will attempt to sell those upgrades before processing them.

There's even a tips section on how to help ensure an upgrade. And nowhere there does it say that CO can elect release upgrade seats for Y/B/M-Ups but withhold them from Elite upgrades, so consider paying a fee-waived fare differential online or at checkin to get a better chance at your upgrade.

We all know what they're doing. Why not come out and say as much?

Its very simple why; as long as you can FOOL most of the people most of the time , you will make a good Buck

CO knows FT is but an extremely small population of the flying public and that the Vast majority wont have the slighest idea of what CO is up to

just look and you find time to time a newbie come along complaining hey why didnt I get UPed as a Silver when my EUA window came along there are empty seats in FC

so CO has no reason to spill its guts on how it has set everything up to Only give a free UP if they feel no way will they sell that seat even for TODs

and to do so at the very last min now at the Gate

It's not a chip, it's actually how many frequent flyer's feel. Despite the fine print, the profit mandate and the excuses of the CO cool-aid cadre, I don't like losing a perk, especially when it's a "bait and switch" or at best opaque.

This is a famously cyclical business. CO currently can prevail in their efforts to marginalize the benefts to FFer's. In the future they will come back, begging for business and offer a whole new package of goodies, always have, always will.