COmitted

I'm flying to Asia Monday with a U-class ticket that I've been trying to upgrade using miles (+upgrade fee) since November. There are 5 J-class seats still open and no one was cleared from the waiting list by the 72-hour cutoff today.

Does anyone know of any way to have a shot at an upgrade at the airport should a J-seat remain unsold right before take off? It just seems crazy that CAL would let the plane take off with an empty seat up front and a customer in the back who was willing to give them some incremental revenue at the last minute.

Any suggestions would be very very appreciated. Thanks!

Live4Upgrade

This is no surpirse. I have had the same thing happen to me MANY times flying EWR<->NRT or IAH<->NRT where there were seats and even as PLAT on waitlist for miles upgrade had to ride coach. If you didn't clear at the 72hr mark, you're stuck in coach.

It's a stupid policy.

martinplas

I have had the same thing happen ,and the only time I got upped was if coach is oversold and they are giving out operational upgrades

chasbondy

I'm a lowly Silver and I scored a BRU-EWR upgrade without any notification and with coach not overly filled. I'm a CO customer for life

MBM3

Amazing! Every time I even politely ask when returning back across the pond they look at me like I have two heads!

eggepop

well, on NW, they were selling upgrades from JFK to NRT for $500.

they were oversold in coach.

too bad that doesn't happen too much on CO

Weatherboy

I flew NRT-IAH about a week ago and while Y was full, J was pretty much empty. I opted to sit in the second BF cabin ...where there was 3 other paying passengers and 1 non-rever. Everyone scattered and I ended up with an entire row to myself (I spent most of the time in the 2 middle seats and would go to the windows on either side to check things out after take-off/before landing.) I even had the IFE's tuned into different things; i.e.: I watched a movie (Team America: World Police --fantastic!) in one IFE, while I had the IFE next to me set to the flight information map. And when I got bored, I had a movie on one, the flight map on another, and a videogame on one.

The service was fantastic ...and the crew to passenger ratio was amazing. Even the FA's remarked at how unusually empty/light the plane was.

And as much as I hate Revenue Management's strict control of reward seats up there, it was such an enjoyable luxury to have that empty cabin in BF to ourselves.

So while some may see an empty seat up there and grimace, it's such a perk to be able to sit in that cabin and not have anyone sit next to you once the door closes.

jaa6921

If you are hoping for a full/oversold Y cabin and a "bump" - the chances of this are slim.

You need to pay your miles for the upgrade and have your credit card ready for them on file for CO to take the upgrade fee, and ALSO REQUEST to be on the upgrade waitlist. Providing the waitlist is not so long, and there are enough unsold seats in BF, and no-shows to reach you on that list, you will get an upgrade. Sometimes as you are boarding.... but its still an upgrade!

Its a nerve racking experience not knowing how sane you are going to be when you get to your destination, but its worth being "on the list" because there is NO WAY you will get a comp upgrade at the airport unles they are grossly oversold and need you to sit down the front. You really need to be PLAT to get the upgrades at the gate anyway even on standby/waitlist

The situation on Intl upgrades has improved since they implemented policies that actually allow gate upgrades - I repeat - providing you are on the list of pax who have parted with miles and are ready to part with the extra $$

Good luck. let us know how you do

COmitted

I've parted with the miles & am ready to part with the extra $$ but no one I've spoken with at CAL seems to know anything about a policy that allows gate upgrades. Is there somewhere I can direct them that explains that they're allowed to have a waiting list at the gate?

Thanks for giving me some hope!

Vulcan

"The situation on Intl upgrades has improved since they implemented policies that actually allow gate upgrades - I repeat - providing you are on the list of pax who have parted with miles and are ready to part with the extra $$"

AFAIK, there is NO such change in policy. If there is, please provide a link or documentation.
One must rememer why CO does not allow upgrades beyond 72 hours. It is simply to prevent people on the upgrade list from making phantom J reservations in fake names in order to ensure there would be unoccupied seats for them to upgrade into. This policy is one of the most customer unfriendly policy CO has, but it is the policy and it is their airline. DL has a similar policy.

Caber

Per their own policy you really need to be on a high econ fare, costar and then Plat in that order if they need oversale upgrade on intl BF.

Am with Vulcan on this, I don't think there is such a policy. In fact the ato can't take the cash from you for such a service and it is too late for onepass to assist at that point also (<72 hours).

stevetx5

I just flew HKG-NRT-IAH. I had used miles+fee to get upgrade on the CO NRT-IAH leg but the HKG-NRT on NW wasnt available (note CO cant wait list you on NW flights)

When I got to the airport (HKG) I asked about an upgrade and low and behold it was granted.

jaa6921

If you have not made set up the upgrade with miles and a credit card and in advance and go to the concierge at the gate, the answer is NO, but if you have have set this up, and you are "prequalified" for an upgrade, you will get it if there is space from unsold seats or no shows

None of the Concierges or gate agents will ever discuss upgrades since that would tend to start a "bun fight" at the gate for upgrades fro all and sundry. The upgrades were always done low key, but the fact that I was prequalified was always mentioned

I have done this several times, and got my gate upgrades so I know it can be done.

I think I have also got upgrades processed within the 72 hours when I am waitlisted. This has been true on the HKG-EWR route becuase I have turned up for check in and found myself in BF even after checking online the previous day

I would suggest that if no award seats for milage upgrade are available at the time of booking, you ask to be waitlisted for the upgrade, which requires you to part with the miles and have the credit card in place. However, I do know that on some flights - for example IAH- NRT and NRT-IAH they do not have waitlist upgrades on certain flights - usually Saturday departures. It is true that the waitlist may get closed at 72 hours, and maybe you have to have been waitlisted before then.

Remember being polite gets you a long way in all these situations.

Good luck

Vulcan

"Per their own policy you really need to be on a high econ fare, costar and then Plat in that order if they need oversale upgrade on intl BF."

Source???????????

jerseygirl

What I find maddeningly annoying is not having any information or specifics about what is happening. Adds an ENORMOUS amount of dissatisfaction. I would rather just let them tell me no chance or if there is a possiblility, by x date you need to do whatever. They could have a post on the site - x days before available, if x class costs certain amount = # of miles, if z, that amount, etc.

I agree it is ridiculous to fly with Fs empty when people are wanting to GIVE MORE REVENUE and/or miles for that seat. Isn't that the purpose of us cumulating miles, to get a reasonable "discount" on First/business or a free ticket in coach. I guess it is like our Federal tax - baroque and frustrating