Alot of these agents do not know the rule. If you correct them they see it as a challenge - yet another thing CO needs to work on. Proper and Continued Training in CS.

I have yet to met anyone company in the service industry that has a 100% trained staff... It's an ongoing effort allt he time...

-Vincent

Wow! Are you sure you're not on CO's books as their FT cheerleader? ;) I like CO too, but I am still able to find a thing or two (or three or four) that need improvement. Just saying...

Hey hey ... I'll be the first to praise them, but I'll also be the first to call them on thier s**t...

Once you worked in retail or a customer service type position, your view is a little different. I too love th consistent product they 95% of the time deliver, but what I'm saying is that 5% of the time happens, and I make a note, and move one... If some inconsistency really bothered me I let them know (usually do), but as I said before they'll nbever ber 100% after all we all are just human...

-Vincent

I've been told by the Platinum elite support desk that the upgrade priority is

Plat > Gold > Silver > Plat Companion > Gold Companion

I'm reading people here stating with authority that it is instead

Plat, Plat Companion > Gold, Gold Companion > Silver

Can anyone provide a link to a rules page on the Continental web site that clarifies this one way or the other? Otherwise we're just debating hearsay.

The computer manages upgrades even at the gate, unless an agent overrides it. So it may be interesting information to know that agents try to handle this both ways, but "which way the computer is programmed?" has a precise answer, which I'd like to know.

I used to get upgraded more often by believing every word of the published rules as if I were a programmer responsible for coding from that specification. Most elites I spoke with on planes were rather murky on the details, which used to have a remarkable effect on the odds. Now that fare basis affects standby position, understanding the rules is less critical. However, that experience taught me to believe the printed rules, letter for letter, and distrust hearsay.

So what are the printed rules for companion upgrades?

The rules are posted in the News and Offers section of the CO website. To wit:


Effective March 16, 2005, the priority order for clearing Elite upgrades at the airport on the day of departure will be revised. The new priority order is below.

1 Full Economy (Y) Fares - Upgrades for Elites traveling on a full Economy (Y) class fare will be based on Elite status and time of check in.
2 Discount Fares - Upgrades for Elites traveling on fares other than a full Economy (Y) fare will be based on Elite status, then fare class and finally time of check in.
3 Companion Upgrades - Upgrades for companions will be sorted by the status of the accompanying Elite member and by time of check in. For instance, companions accompanying a Platinum Elite member will be upgraded after all Platinum Elite members have been upgraded.

It happens this way...

-Vincent

I can attest that this was the order followed on our last flight, SNA-EWR this past Sunday morning. My daughter and I were initially booked on D fares SAN-EWR, but changed our flight a few days before. While I was able to get the last avail A seat, my daughter was downgraded to Y and it cost me $150 MORE than the original F/D seat. Upon check-in, I asked if anything had opened up, and apparently there was ONE seat in F (and initially was told that she had no chance as there were 4 Plats ahead of her). As a Gold on a Full-Y fare, she trumped the Plats for the battlefield upgrade.

Robin