FA Upgrade Anarchy
Jan 19, 2006 | 5:13 pm
#31
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 319
They need to handle the tight connections the Frontier way. Everyone sit down and those who need off the a/c first raise your hands (just like third grade) to be identified for other passengers to give way upon exiting the plane. You miss a connection then it's a lesson in life not to book them so close, take it easy and enjoy the President's Club or something.
One thing I've learned to discipline myself in for sanity sake is that if you're ticketed coach, expect just that. Never expect an upgrade because when you don't get it, it will ruin your day. You only have a right to be upset about not receiving an F seat when you buy an F ticket.
One thing I've learned to discipline myself in for sanity sake is that if you're ticketed coach, expect just that. Never expect an upgrade because when you don't get it, it will ruin your day. You only have a right to be upset about not receiving an F seat when you buy an F ticket.
Jan 19, 2006 | 7:40 pm
#32
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: NYC, LON
Programs: *
Posts: 3,174
Originally Posted by RNE
It's possible they were elites. FWIW, they were not seated anywhere near the elite seats. And it's statistically unlikely theses two tight-connection-worriers were also the very elites "most deserving" of an upgrade. That would be me and my friend, of course! 
Jan 19, 2006 | 11:17 pm
#33
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,866
A few years back I asked the gate agent if I had cleared the upgrade list and he responded "no." He was acting suspicious so when I arrived in EWR I requested a print-out of my record from the President's club. Sure enough I had upgraded to first in the computer, but they elected to give my seat to someone else. Crap like this made me switch from CO as my primary carrier.
Jan 20, 2006 | 6:24 am
#34
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: NY Metro
Programs: DL DM
Posts: 2,910
Originally Posted by BF263533
A few years back I asked the gate agent if I had cleared the upgrade list and he responded "no." He was acting suspicious so when I arrived in EWR I requested a print-out of my record from the President's club. Sure enough I had upgraded to first in the computer, but they elected to give my seat to someone else. Crap like this made me switch from CO as my primary carrier.
Jan 20, 2006 | 6:40 am
#35
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: USA, Europe
Programs: DL Plat, NW Plat(x2), BMI Gold, IC Ambassador, etc
Posts: 1,685
A good question is how do elites rank (on SA upgrades) vs senior nonrev (also SA )
I won't take a position here - but it may be the case that the senior director (with 20 years of seniority ) may end up ahead of the LUT passenger / plat (with 1-2 years of seniority )
If anyone at CO is willing ( and allowed ) to give some perspective on this, probably would help clear up things
I won't take a position here - but it may be the case that the senior director (with 20 years of seniority ) may end up ahead of the LUT passenger / plat (with 1-2 years of seniority )
If anyone at CO is willing ( and allowed ) to give some perspective on this, probably would help clear up things
Originally Posted by BF263533
A few years back I asked the gate agent if I had cleared the upgrade list and he responded "no."
Jan 20, 2006 | 6:51 am
#36
Join Date: Aug 2005
Programs: United 1k ; SW A+ Preferred; Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 634
Originally Posted by RNE
It's possible they were elites. FWIW, they were not seated anywhere near the elite seats. And it's statistically unlikely theses two tight-connection-worriers were also the very elites "most deserving" of an upgrade. That would be me and my friend, of course!
Jan 20, 2006 | 1:13 pm
#37
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: LAX
Programs: AA Plat, Marriott Plat for Life, SPG Plat, United Silver, given up on Skypesos for good
Posts: 303
...I selected the steak. She informed me that the steaks were not available to which I replied "I guess I forgot how much non-revs love red meat." Shortly thereafter the lead FA informed me that a steak had become available. A meal choice isn't anything in the grand scheme - but at the same time as one of eight paying (either with a fare purchase or cash upgrade) BF passengers on the plane...
Pretty surprising. At least at AA (abeit 15 years ago), the official policy was that non revs were to lose their meal choice if a subsequent rev pax wanted that meal type.
Pretty surprising. At least at AA (abeit 15 years ago), the official policy was that non revs were to lose their meal choice if a subsequent rev pax wanted that meal type.
Jan 20, 2006 | 1:26 pm
#38
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: JZRO
Posts: 9,175
Originally Posted by ani90
I suppose they did not fit your elite stereotype maybe, but believe me there is no way you can tell an elite by how they appear or where they sit.
My point, as you well know, is the FA had no business upgrading anyone to FC, much less for the flimsy reason stated.
Jan 20, 2006 | 1:38 pm
#39
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: JZRO
Posts: 9,175
Originally Posted by ryerflyer
I'm Plat, but when making a last minute schedule change, I've had to sit in the non-elite seats in coach, so it really doesn't matter where they were sitting as to what their status may have been.
I did not imply that this couple's not sitting in the elite section is evidence that they are not elite. (Like that triple-negative?) I implied that there is no evidence that they are elite--such as sitting in the elite section. Yes, Hamilton Burger, I know non-elites can sit in the elite section. But while sitting there is not proof, it's at least a slight indication of said status. This couple didn't have even that. --RNE, channeling Perry Mason.
Jan 20, 2006 | 4:40 pm
#40
Join Date: Dec 2004
Programs: UA-1K, MM, Hilton-Diamond, Marriott-Titanium
Posts: 4,497
Tight connection upgrade?
Maybe that should be a new category of upgrades. How close can one get to minimum connecting time to get an upgrade? They had no business getting upgraded and the FA was wrong in putting them there. I wonder if she was a new hire and maybe didn't know the rules.
I have been on flights a number of times where the FA's announce we have pax with tight connections and can everybody stay seated when we get to the gate to allow them to exit. Short of musical chairs (all in the same class of service) that's the best way to handle.
Cheers
I have been on flights a number of times where the FA's announce we have pax with tight connections and can everybody stay seated when we get to the gate to allow them to exit. Short of musical chairs (all in the same class of service) that's the best way to handle.
Cheers
Jan 21, 2006 | 12:53 am
#41
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Current Micronesian, Ex Buckeye....
Programs: All My $$$ Went to CO (Plat) with a Lifetime PClub membership that got degraded to United crap...
Posts: 2,089
I'd really like to hear CO's answer to this. I'm on CO2 all the time, 1/2 the time out of GUM and 1/2 the time out of HNL. I've been delayed in GUM and knowing I'll have a 30 min connection or less in IAH CO's response in HNL is always we'll get you on a later flight.
Last week on the island hopper the computers were down and my friend was not given a companion upgrade; even though the up front was empty. They absolutely refused to upgrade him and let him sit next to me. Unfortunately this type of computer outage and such this way happens a lot. And we're talking about a 50 min flight w/o food service so what's the big deal? If they can't do it for those cases then how do they do it for HNL IAH??
Last week on the island hopper the computers were down and my friend was not given a companion upgrade; even though the up front was empty. They absolutely refused to upgrade him and let him sit next to me. Unfortunately this type of computer outage and such this way happens a lot. And we're talking about a 50 min flight w/o food service so what's the big deal? If they can't do it for those cases then how do they do it for HNL IAH??
Jan 21, 2006 | 3:06 pm
#42
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Frisco (Dallas area), TX
Programs: UA Lifetime 1K (MM), AA Lifetime Platinum (MM), Marriott Lifetime Titanium, Hilton Diamond,
Posts: 268
a suggestion
Just a suggestion: Contact the party who sent you the certificate or WE-CARE and point out that you are elite and ask that the cert be replaced with something you can actually use: a CARE POSITIVE SPACE UPGRADE CERT (GG-CARE UP). This one is not worthless and will function as a "get out of jail free card" for flights with R class avaliable at time of booking but not likely to still be there when it is time for EUA to kick in for Silvers.
If they will not do it, you can probably use it to upgrade cert you have for a traveling companion which you can not do with Silver status alone.
If they will not do it, you can probably use it to upgrade cert you have for a traveling companion which you can not do with Silver status alone.
Originally Posted by salex
Is it a rule for all flights that an FA is not supposed to upgrade people or just for overwater or something?
On a recent flight EWR-PHX, I'd been told that it "looked good" for an EUA when I made the reservation so didn't bother to try to use miles. Of course, when I checked at the gate, I was told that first had checked in full. I figured it was the luck of the draw and settled into my seat when boarding time came.
When it came time to close the door, apparently 1E hadn't actually shown up. One of the FAs invited a captain (in uniform) to move up. After a bit of a delay while he shoved everyone else in F's luggage around to make room for his, he settled into what by then I considered my seat.
Not having any idea that this might cause a serious problem for an FA, I wrote a letter to customer service saying that I was disappointed that they hadn't given the seat to an elite. I got a letter back saying that having the GA check the upgrade list would have delayed the flight so they decided not to check the list. Since the seat would have gone empty, they decided to upgrade the employee. (I'd have preferred the suggestion that others have made that the upgrade list be posted and, in this case, that the GA had brought it down to the door at closing time so as to tell the FA where I was sitting so that I could be upgraded , but figured this was reasonable given CO's procedures.) They did also send a space available upgrade certificate which I assume is roughly worthless.
On a recent flight EWR-PHX, I'd been told that it "looked good" for an EUA when I made the reservation so didn't bother to try to use miles. Of course, when I checked at the gate, I was told that first had checked in full. I figured it was the luck of the draw and settled into my seat when boarding time came.
When it came time to close the door, apparently 1E hadn't actually shown up. One of the FAs invited a captain (in uniform) to move up. After a bit of a delay while he shoved everyone else in F's luggage around to make room for his, he settled into what by then I considered my seat.
Not having any idea that this might cause a serious problem for an FA, I wrote a letter to customer service saying that I was disappointed that they hadn't given the seat to an elite. I got a letter back saying that having the GA check the upgrade list would have delayed the flight so they decided not to check the list. Since the seat would have gone empty, they decided to upgrade the employee. (I'd have preferred the suggestion that others have made that the upgrade list be posted and, in this case, that the GA had brought it down to the door at closing time so as to tell the FA where I was sitting so that I could be upgraded
, but figured this was reasonable given CO's procedures.) They did also send a space available upgrade certificate which I assume is roughly worthless.