Just checked in for my MR tomorrow and was placed on the standby list even though there are 9 FC seats still available.

I guess best would be if they actually said whcih flights so FF could plan accordingly.

Secondly, It would end endless speculation so rampant on these boards

Gotcha, agree with point #1. In terms of #2, it would take all the fun away from this forum... :)

The few times I have flown to MCO(always on my own dime) I have cleard at the 5 day mark. (Sundays and Mondays MCO-EWR and Thursdays and Fridays EWR-MCO).

I have also always cleared IAH-MSY and ATL-IAH and EWR-MIA (when on cheap fares on my own dime).

Dan

After a while you learn what flights are held back for EUA. When you have A9 and no EUA at the appropriate time, you know they hold back. You can check the seat maps (print out) and compare after EUA to see if anyone moves up - particularly if you are on a low fare code.

If you live in a multi-airport city, you have two choices - use the more convenient airport (saves commute time and traffic) with held back EUA or go to the remote airport where EUA's are issued on time. Lately I go the first route to save time.

I just got another EUA for the EWR-MCO segment.... 2 aint bad at all for a Gold. Do I hear 3?

Dont jinx it man!

Did you get the up? It's frustrating not getting the upgraded in advance, but my experience this year is that if they are holding that many seats back, you will get the EUA the night before the flight.

I've been getting EUA'd the night before my flights on all of my non-Y fare trips this year, rather than 5 days out. I even managed to get my non-elite wife upgraded on both legs of an EWR-MSY trip last week, even though I did not get upgraded until 3 hours before the flight. I'm also 6 for 6 on EWR-DCA for the year.

I did my MR yesterday and checked in at 1:00 pm for a 3:20 departure to LAX. It was a ZFV - EWR - LAX and return on the red eye. I actually went to ZFV on NJ Transit and SEPTA because I know the computers talk to each other now. No upgrade on checkin even thought it was a 767-200 with only 16 of 25 seats sold. So there's 9 empty FC seats and I checked in #3 as a PLAT, I call the WE-CALL2 number and they really don't care. I'm told that even though I'm PLAT there could be another PLAT on a higher level fare. I stated that I did think that went in effect untill March 16, silence. It's interesting to note that the person sitting next to me in the back of FC is on a full paid H fare and he did not get an upgrade until right before boarding. They are playing games with the upgrades ever since Larry took over. Hopefully during the big bash in IAH, this issue could be brought up. If not, if I going to sit in the back of the plane, it won 't be on CO.

My clock is a tickin' counter-clockwise
 

I'll keep this post up-to-date for the next couple of days:

I'm going IAH-ATL-EWR-PDX this Friday. All things at their best, the EUA would of come through around 7pmish Central time on Saturday (3/5) as that would be the Plat. window. NO EUA.

Expertflyer Stats of 3/6:

• CO 1220, 735, (IAH-ATL) A5 D5 Z5 Y9 H9 K9 N9 B9 V9 U9 Q5 I9 S0 W9 T0 X9 L0
• CO 1162, 735, (ATL-EWR) A1 D1 Z1 Y9 H9 K9 N9 B9 V9 U9 Q9 I9 S9 W9 T0 X9 L0
• CO 784, 738(No mid lav.), (EWR-PDX) A6 D4 Z4 Y9 H9 K9 N9 B9 V9 U9 Q9 I9 S9 W9 T9 X9 L9

dfw-iah-ord on Tuesday - IAH-ORD cleared at 5 day mark
ORD-IAH-DFW on Thursday - Both legs clear at 5 day mark

All on X fares.

I'll take it...

My up % is pretty good this year - but my battlefields have been WAY higher. I agree - Jan 1 - the EUA system has been manipulated by holding R seats until take-off. Pretty crappy - but hey they got to make money somehow. I'd pay $25 per trip for better odds. (like AA).

Mine is not that great -- I guess it it relative. I do mostly transcons, EWR-LAX or EWR-SFO. So far this year I am 50% EUA, and it seems to be getting steadily worse. I have noticed a significant change (for the worse) in both upgrades and service (employee attitude) since Larry tookover. This is not good. JetBlue is even looking better these days - if I am going to be sittin gin coach, might as well have friendly service and DirecTV.

The statement in question begins with the words "I guess", which should indicate to any freshman english student that it is NOT a "definitive " statement, as you assert.

Anyway, I stand by my assertion that the Platinum EUA's are working - for me! As to the route/date/ time being a factor, that's obvious. CO clearly states that upgrades are subject to capacity controls as well as a host of other restrictions. Issue is most people don't bother to understand them, and that in certain markets, clearly such as DCA or transcon, they just won't happen.

CO has figured out where they can attract a higher percentage of F & A , or Y & H fares and those are the routes the upgrade capacity controls will be more restrictive. And where they can't they'll just reduce the number of F seats. That's CO's model, and it's naive to think they'll miss you for moving over to AA or UA.

CO wants the people expecting an upgrade on a $203 fare to take their business to UA, and become UA's headache. CO's behavior is quite obvious - it's just like a bad marriage when one party finally figures out the other one really doesn't care. CO really doesn't care - if you stay, fine, if you leave, there always seems to be someone else waiting to sit in your seat. Buh-bye.

And just like a bad marriage, it's easier to sit on your butt and gripe about your unresponsive airline program than pack up and move out, and because you listen to your friends gripe about their spouses, you realize , as bad as it is, the grass isn't always greener next door. It's just different grass.

Well said, bnrdad, after all business is business...and in CO's business you gotta play tough. But airlines are becoming such a commodity now, that CO's "what have you done for me lately" business plan is necessary for short-term survival. (I guess)...long-term strategies (like loyalty programs) are too strategically costly and unrealistic at the moment.

Hey BNRDAD - I don't know where 160 acres in paradise is but when your from the NY area, there's NY and then the rest of the country. What ever your smoking, I would like to get some.