As platinum, last 3 weeks:

13/16 upgrades (NO = IAH-SFO Sunday night; AUS-IAH Sunday night; SFO-EWR Monday morning - yes I know the two SFO flights are horriblly crowded with fullfares...but just for the record..platinums are NOT getting upgraded on them)...

Now, the interesting part...of my 13 succesful upgrades, SIX were "pull from coach after boarding." THIS SUCKS. Its no fun. I hate the stress of it, having to move all my crap or just wait for everyone to deplane and go back for it. It takes a lot of the fun out of this "benefit" CO is giving me.

They have always pulled people out of coach, but it seems the ratio of those is far higher than it used to be.

In the old days, I think the computer did a run at 30 minutes prior - if you hadn't checked in, then your seat was given away - both as a first class pax (to upgrades) and as economy (to stand-bys). I think now, since they seem to be boarding flights earlier (security and all), they have revised the policy to keep people from standing around in the gate area. I guess I can see what the issues are, but it's still a lot less pleasant.

My biggest gripe about EUA is that I rarely get the notification emails anymore. I get the upgrades OK and typically within a reasonable window, but the notification comes maybe once out of every 4 or 5 segments. Calls to CO Customer Care on this result in responses like "Well, it's a new system and they're still working out the kinks." Good thing the technology company I work at doesn't market its 18 month-old systems as "new." So, I have given up on EUA and just pull up my itineraries online each morning until the upgrade shows up.

Along these same lines, I have another minor, but irritating issue with the EUA process - for some unfathomable reason, I am ALWAYS upgraded to a window seat. I have indicated my preference for an aisle seat in every online and offline preferences list CO has and have called repeatedly on this issue, but to no avail. So far this year, out of 28 upgraded segments, I have been upgraded to a window 26 times via EUA. I have subsequently called CO 26 times to request an aisle and have gotten one without any problem all 26 times. This seems like an irritating (for me) and expensive (for CO) way to do upgrades. Anyone else experiencing this kind of thing?

I get the same thing. I have set everything to "aisle please" in their computers, but I always get a window seat. Always. And I always have to call to change it. The only time I am assigned an aisle seat is in the rare case where there are no remaining window seats.

Another annoying lapse in technology that could easily be remedied if they cared.

I hate to say it, but I'm getting the "gate upgrade" only nonsense from NW on a flight later today P3 F0 for the past 3 days.

Please don't tell me they're going to start this too although I am 6/7 on NW segments this week, that's the only holdout so far.

I should add that on NW last night, they also walked (3) people up from coach to first, similar to what they're doing on CO these days...

I've just learned to like 2A. My last four flights have all been 2A even though I have aisle requested.

Just request a window seat

It happens on NW too, got my UG at the Plat window and checked the seat map.. I'm the ONLY pax in the FC cabin ... and the computer puts me in 4F.

On the other hand, ALL my UG's on NW have come through at or before the Plat window and I always get the voicemail notifying me of my upgrades at 10am the day UG's go through... "Hello, this is Northwest Airlines confirming your upgrade on May 10, Flight 234 from DCA-DTW"... makes me smile when I get those calls!!

heh. NW usually gives me 3C. my profile says window. (sadly, i can't make it say "bulkhead window".)

i think CO has gotten tired of me calling--their computer put me in 1F IAH-DFW on sunday, and the seatmap is still fairly empty.

i've only had one NW flight in recent memory that failed to upgrade prior to arrival at the airport. It was SJC-MSP, and it showed P5 F0 Y0 for three days prior. the agent at the ticket counter bumped me up from V to P without hesitation.

i ended up in 1A, with 1B empty.

Just two days ago EWR-ORD I asked the agent if there was any chance of clearing the list (I was #1) and if I should board. She barked "first class is checked in in full--take your assigned seat." Well, just before pushback, she comes back and gets me and hands me a BP for 1A.

Moral: never give up hope for that upgrade