devik

I just PMed COInsider on this but thought I'd toss it out here for input:

I'm CO Gold. I booked a mixed MR through co.com. I just found out that I was never placed on the auto-upgrade list for the CO legs: CO720 DEN->CLE 12/8 and CO535 CLE->LAX 12/8. I called the Gold line and they said if it doesn't run automatically, that there's nothing they can do, it has to be processed at the airport.

I'm pretty bummed that I'm not likely to get the upgrade on either of these -- flight 535 seems to have plenty of availability. Is there anything I should've done differently?

It also doesn't appear based on the united.com res that I'm properly waitlisted for the UA flights although I called UA just now and was told that I am. I thought it should show "waitlisted - pending" or something but it's not.

Here's the steps I took in case it matters:

- bought itinerary on co.com in Nov.
- checked upgrade list on the CO pda site yesterday and saw others had been upgraded but I was not listed; I assumed it was because I had not yet checked in.
- called UA to ask about the UA legs; they said I was waitlisted for first (not showing as such on united.com)
- at exactly 24 hours out, I tried to check in at co.com; it redirected me to united.com where I completed OLCI. UA seemed to put me on the upgrade list for the first two UA flights, and it told me it would "attempt" to check me in for the CO flights.
- this morning I went back to united.com and printed boarding passes; it gave me all 4 BPs (UA flights and CO flights)
- I went to the CO pda site to check where I was on the upgrade lists for the CO legs, and found I was missing entirely
- called CO Gold and was told I'm SOL on auto-upgrades, try at the airport (I think he said that at least one Gold had been upgraded on both CO flights; maybe that was just on CO535)
- called UA again and was again told I'm waitlisted though it's still not showing as such on the online res

So... what went wrong on the CO auto-upgrade?

And anyone with insights into the UA process, am I really on the waitlist for them?

Not holding out hope for either but it woulda been nice...

Red_Rob

I am a Continental Plat, and also recently did not appear on the upgrade list for one of my flights (SEA-ANC). It was a connection. I called, and was told that it had to be done at the airport. At IAH (my 1st leg) I asked, and was told they had to do it in SEA (there was another Plat asking the same thing). When we left IAH there were still upgrades available, they were gone when the plane landed (1 hour late) in SEA. The SEA agent (in the lounge) said it was "likely a bug with the recent upgrade" and offered to submit a report (so maybe it will get fixed).

Almost everyone on the upgrade list was upgraded. and while asking in SEA someone upgraded in the final hour mentioned that he felt lucky for the glitch since he got upgraded as a Gold (its more painful to know that I actually would have been upgraded if the system worked correctly).

Vermando

+1

Wasn't on the upgrade list either a few weeks back; called and they put me on it, apologizing.

belynch

This is an issue for flights that originate on UA and connect to CO, where the check-in occurs for CO.

The "elite desk" couldn't put me on the waitlist, but I got through to a great agent who had the manager at the airport I was connecting in add me. I would tend to think CO knows about this issue but I have no idea if there is a fix in the works or not.

If your flights starts with UA and goes to CO and you don't show up on the waitlist, call.

Steve GadFly

Same thing happened on one of my Expedia Vegas trips. Routing was (UA) LGA-ORD-LAS; (CO) LAS-IAH-LAS. When I checked in at LGA, my return was less than 24 hours out so the UA ticket vending machine gave me all four BP's. Both UA segments were upgraded (UDU for ORD-LAS and battlefield for LGA-ORD) and LAS-IAH had already been EUA'd however I wasn't on the list for IAH-LGA.

I called the elite line and the .com support desk but neither was helpful. When I got to the RCC in ORD, I talked to a UA agent who called a CO agent that she knows in a different RCC and she was able to add me. Wound up clearing battlefield for a perfect 4/4 in the pointy end on an itenerary that cost less than a dollar

Bottom line is that within 24 hours, it essentially has to be handled by an airport agent.

Good luck!

icydog

How can you check if the automatic upgrade list is correct. When I call CO they have no clue why anyone is on the list where they are.

We are flying tomorrow on the 11:42 flight out of LAS to EWR. We were numbers 1 and 2 on the waitlist. I am platinum elite using miles to upgrade. My niece has been on the Upgrade list since last Friday and I have been on it since yesterday.

All of a sudden, and out of the blue, two people are placed in the number 1 and 2 spots. How can I find out if they are platinum using miles-- but on a higher class of service than we are (S)--or if it was a fluke that they got ahead of us. It seems nobody knows what the computer is doing.

I was offered a "buy a seat" price of $440 for the next flight out, that would guarantee me a first class seat. I turned that down.

sbm12

Why do you have the expectation that you are due such an answer? Sorry that this might be considered offensive, but there is absolutely zero reason that anyone at CO should be telling other customers what I paid for my ticket, what my status is or why I'm ahead of (or, more likely, behind) you on the list.

The list is dynamic and will change as others check in for the flight. Maybe the other two folks waitlisted before you did but checked in after you. There are many reasons.

You also could have clicked the link on the page labeled "Why does this list keep changing?" and read all this for yourself instead of panicking and believing that the world is out to get you.


To the OP, I had issues with a mixed UA/CO itinerary where I wasn't on the PDA site after checking in until I had an agent at LAS do it manually. I was #6 at that point so I doubt I would have received the EUA anyways but I have no idea if I was "passed over" or just didn't get it.

icydog

I will be careful not to post things that will be construed as stupid, self serving, or ill informed. I will research all my questions before posting.

exupery

Devik - I just returned from a (near-)identical trip LAX-ORD-DEN on UA then DEN-CLE-LAX on CO and had the exact same problem.

When I checked in on UA.bomb, the website message stated it would 'attempt' to check me in on the CO segments.

checked the pda site and I wasn't on the UG list - called CO Elite line and they confirmed that I show 'checked-in', but do not see me on UG list. V helpful agent had me hold while she talked to tech support and after 15 mins it was resolved ^

However - in the meantime all the other mileage runners on L class fares checked in and I lost my early check-in advantage (even though boarding pass still showed 'seq 1')

Then I noticed my buddy, who I know to be a UA1K on an L fare, jump to the top of the 'Upgraded' list ahead of me (I'm CO Plat - on CO metal CLE-LAX). I was just about to blow a gasket on some poor soul answering the Elite line, when he admitted to me by email that he purchased the 'Upgrade for tens of dollars'

I was #7 on the UG list with only 1 seat remaining on board, and gate agent tells guy in 21C his upgrade came through - turns out he's a Plat on a $900 fare: we all got chatting after landing

my point is: you just never know fare class of your UG list 'opponents' and you never know who'll break down and buy the bloody upgrade, and on CO535 CLE-LAX I'm 0 for 2, for what it's worth

I'm happy that on CO you can at least check the pda site or iPhone app at T-48, whereas on UA you're left guessing until you reach the gate, which I find much more annoying