Recently, I have had a number of trips come up with just a few hours notice and I have been forced to book on the phone for airport pickup and ticketing the next day. The fares are usually unrestricted Y fares.

As a Silver, I cannot confirm a Y fare upgrade to F at time of booking, even though it is within the 2 day window. I am told that the EUA system has to handle this at its next running. Two weeks ago out of DFW this led to a situation where I called at 1am to make the reservation for a 7am flight, but was told that they could not confirm my upgrade DESPITE availability and that the EUA system would process it at midnight the next night. I told them that I would have already completed my journey by then, but received only "I'm sorry sir, but that is the way it works" as an answer. Fortunately the flights were wide open and I got the upgrades at the airport.

Anyway, on Sunday I flew PHX-EWR-BOS on another Y fare booked around 8pm for a 9am departure the next morning. I went down to the PHX airport to ticket on the night before, but the counter had closed early because the redeye to EWR doesn't operate on Saturday nights. This meant I was stuck with having to ticket at the airport on the morning of the flight.

When I called before leaving the hotel at 6am to check if the upgrade had indeed arrived, I was told that I HADN'T been upgraded, despite availability of upgrade seats. The agent explained that since I had not ticketed the reservation yet, the EUA system would not consider it. I rushed down to the airport, but was placed as #3 on the standby list for the upgrade behind a Gold Companion and a Platinum Companion. Both of their upgrades cleared, but I was stuck in 25B for the 4.5 hr transcon.

This is a serious flaw with the EUA system. When an Elite on a Y fare is stuck in the non-reclining middle seat of the last row of coach while Joe Gold's bimbo friend making her first CO flight on a $198 RT rides up front, there is something that needs to be changed.

<end of vent>

This has ALWAYS worked for me and others in my office. When I purchase a last minute ticket (ie "Y", YONEPASS etc), I request an E-ticket, and I give my credit card info to actually purchase the ticket (and get the nice 50% mileage bonus to boot). If seats are available for upgrade, you can request them right then.

MisterNice

Mr. Nice makes a good point. In the old days (3-5 years ago) sometimes you ran into problems with the accounting folks for flying on e-tickets because you did not get a real ticket receipt. Now everyone excepts the e-ticket receipts. The only problem is that most large companies still require you to use their "corporate" travel agency who can ticket you on the negotiated discount (as well as enforce corporate travel policies) but nowadays even they can issue you a e-ticket!

I can't blame CO for not upgraded a non-ticketed reservation. However, you really should be able to get an immediate upgrade on a Y fare within the 2 day window with silver elite status and thus avoid the waitlist. I would think CO would do whatever it could to promote Y ticket sales.

CO has become a slave to its system and thus cannot maximize customer service. This wait for EUA bunk is really hurting CO in some respects. You Y folks should not get jipped.

SILVERS should go before gold and plat companions...isn't that the rule? If so, bad CO! Sorry to hear of the situation, B747.

Go out on a limb here: I honestly think that CO expanded the 3 to 5 day upgrade window for platinums, etc. NOT because it is an improved benefit for elites but because it accomodates their rigid EUA system which I suspect was incapable on some days of upgrading or being tweaked to work correctly, thus the expanded windows somehow accomodate the problems. The amount of "let the system work" dreck is a faithless commitment to a bugged system--it still seems to me. Just a speculation.

JL2

OHHH how ironic. Mr "I LOVE AUTO UPGRADES" now admits... that there is a customer service problem. Remember how we said it could only get worse... and you told us we were wrong? I can tell you the thing is broken. I keep getting not upgraded with basketfuls of upgrades available.

Same ****, different day.

Just booked a full fare PHX-EWR-BWI on the redeye due to leave in a few hours. Ticket is set for airport pickup.

I was informed that the only way I can be upgraded is to standby for the upgrade at the airport. I was also told that my chances were "not that good" because there were a number of Platinum and Gold companions on board.

This is a lump of baloney IMHO. The ONLY seat they had available to assign me was 23B again. If I have to ride in a middle seat in coach again after shelling out big money for this ticket, I will be taking my business elsewhere.

Silvers should trump companions for the airport upgrade, especially Silvers on full fares.

Your flying the same day and you want a upgrade processed by EUA?

I take it that your company must have negotiated discounts, hence the inability to e-ticket (instead you are on a prepaid ticket).

I believe that EUA normally runs full Y tickets 2 DAYS before departure. If you buy after that you may get run at midnight, but when you buy the day of the flight you may be in the middle on ANY airline not just CO.

I'd suggest trying to ask for a better coach seat at the gate as well as getting on the standby list. From what I understand you will get on before the companions if it comes down to the standby list at the airport.

Actually, CO's official policy (clarified to me a few minutes ago) states :

CO Plats
CO Plat companions
NW Plats
NW Plat companions
CO Gold
CO Gold companions
NW Gold
NW Gold companions
CO Silver
NW Silver

"coach while Joe Gold's bimbo friend making her first CO flight on a $198 RT rides up front"

Well B747, I can assure you what goes around, comes around. I was Joe Platinum last year and got my gf (non-elite) upgraded pretty much everytime we flew. But worry not, for I am but a lowly Silver now and I've already prepared myself for a whole year of being trumped by platinum and gold companions and enjoying the view from the back.

Interesting note, I was at the PC club in EWR with her and asked how it looked for her to get upgraded as my companion. The girl behind the counter said "she's up there, (meaning on the list) but it depends on the people working the gate. It's not fair to our true golds and silvers." She was one of two that got upgraded anyway.

cigarman:

Or perhaps, "oh" how ironic, Mr. "I LOVE TO MAKE IRRELEVANT POSTS" posts another irrelevant and unfounded post/point. I'm laughing . Let me remind you, once again, that we are supposed to further the discussion of the thread topic, not simply attempt a personal shot. Can you not do this, cigarman? (me, too).

Let me clarify in case anyone else has drawn such a ridiculous conclusion about advocacy for EUA. If EUA doesn't work reliably or is not well designed ( my major point ), why would anyone want it? Where/when have I ever advocated an EUA system that doesn't work well? Yes, I'm the "I LOVE AUTO UPGRADES, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY DON'T WORK AND CREATE A CUSTOMER SERVICE PROBLEM" person.

Sorry, folks, for the irrelevant post that addresses irrelevance. It will be the last on this thread.


B747:

That's new to me. I didn't realize that P/G companions trumped silver elites.

[This message has been edited by JeffLewis2 (edited 03-08-2001).]

And really that's not so terrible if those are the rules since it's really only relevant within the 2 hour window (I'm sure we could debate the merits of higher elite companions vs. lower elite flyers, but I do see merits on both sides). However, the idea of not being able to get an upgrade on a "Y" fare outside of the 2 hour window on the day of departure is a horrible oversight by CO. It really shouldn't matter where you buy the ticket or whether or not it is an e-ticket.

JeffLewis2, said "once again, that we are supposed to further the discussion of the thread topic, not simply attempt a personal shot. Can you not do this, cigarman? (me, too).".
Jeff pointing out that it is ironic, that you got what you wanted and are now unhappy is not a shot. It is simply the realization of the phrase "be careful what you wish for... you might get it." I believe it is relevant to the topic. I say this because you were convinced that electronic upgrades would improve things for Platinum elites. Boomer and I were often attacked, ridiculed, and told we were wrong by you. We felt that messing with a system that worked was only inviting trouble. That our percentages of upgrades could only go down. You told us we are wrong. Now you have execptions... "Where/when have I ever advocated an EUA system that doesn't work well? ". Now that it turns out Boomer et all, were correct... it could get worse, you can't even see the irony of your complaining?
As much heat as the Tastes Great Less Filling debate generated... if should be able to stand a very minor jab (a "see we told you so..."). You might notice I have made errors myself. I then admit I was a huge babbling bonehead and laugh at myself. If you would like to go back to having fun Jeff, I'll throw you a bit of irony at my expense...
Remeber all the complaining I did about Tri-Color Pasta. Last friday I had to order pasta at the hotel (couldn't eat meat due to lent). The only pasta choice was... sauteed with garlic and shallots tossed in alfredo sauce and TRI-Color Penne.
Talk about IRONIC... next time you stay at the Sheraton music city nashville check out the room service menu!

I figured I would update the situation.

Thursday night I arrived at PHX airport at 9pm to check-in for the 1049pm flight. There are 2 seats available in First Class (A2F2), but they can only put me on the standby list since they can no longer manually upgrade people.

Around 1015pm, two kids travelling with their parents get the upgrades as Gold companions. I am stuck in 23C as a Silver on a Y fare.

Just before pre-boarding, I hear my name paged. I think that maybe an upgrade is in the works. Nope. It appears that 23B is a mother travelling with a 6 year old child, so they have to take 23C away from me to accomodate them together. I am reassigned 24C.

I quietly sit in 24C until a big guy trudges down the aisle saying that he too has 24C and since his family is in 24A and 24B the gate agents move me again, this time to the ONLY unassigned seat - the dreaded 25E once again.

So, once again the Silver on the Y fare travels in the non-reclining middle seat in coach while Joe and Jane Gold's little munchkins transform First Class into the flying daycare center.

I flew Delta home.

B-747, I sincerely empathize with you. This is one of the reasons I'm afraid to jump ship from NW to CO. For me it has been nice to call, find the open FC seat and get it right there then have to wait till "airport check-in roulette". I know for a biz traveler like you it's probably not an option, but have you ever though about doing 1-2 flights on NW and see what happens as far as the UG situation? Good luck otherwise.