I'm a Platinum and I've got a V (discounted non Y) fare to ORD leaving tomorrow and returning this Sat. I dutifully called Mon morning to get my outbound upgrade and was confirmed (seat 2F). This morning when I called to get my return upgrade, I was very pleasantly surprised to hear "Oh, you've been already upgraded, seat 1A !". This also happened last week when I was traveling EWR-SF-LAS-EWR. At that time I thought it was because my outbound to SF was on a Y, but my return was a deeply discounted fare and I figured they just assumed it was Y round trip. But today, there was no mistaking a V r/t. Believe me, I'm not complaining, and I didn't want to question OP for fear they would cancel it--but what gives??? Is this a new policy similar to NW auto upgrading?

[This message has been edited by mauld (edited 04-12-2000).]

For their alterations to the 2000 Elite Guide, America West has also implemented this technology to eliminate the midnight phone calls to upgrade. This software runs through the system and upgrades all elites for the next days flights, based first on availability, and then elite members status, giving preference to Platinum down the line.

I like this decision, and it is a nice step forward for HP. Now let's see if they can join the rest of the industry and post online mileage balances..

Having automatic upgrades would have nothing but advantages:

1) They (CO) don't need to keep as many people on a midnight every night.
2) They will save on long distance charges.
3) All of the upgrades will be legit - not given to people who aren't elite but pretend to be (not like I would know anything about that....)
4) We (travelers) don't have to stay up past our bed times.
5) We would like CO very much and give them more of our business.

6) It would reward people according to elite status. In the current system, a silver calling just after an A goes to an F can snag a seat before a platinum.

But CO would need lots of res. agents for silver elites who, after learning that we didn't get our upgrades because the computer upgraded some platinum or gold who forgot all about it, would want to spend 20 minutes re-working our itinerary looking for F seats.

What?!? No more staying up until midnight to call for an upgrade?

Ratings of David Letterman and The Tonight Show will plummet.

The Silvers really couldn't change their itin, because they are on probably on discounted tickets (which is why they are presumably calling in at midnight on the day of departure).

Would they really want to pay the change fee plus the difference in fair (which could very well = Full Y)?