Clumsy upgrade process
 

I flew CO SAN-IAH-CLE and entered my NW WP# in reservation. At the gate I asked if I had upgraded and the answer was that sorry, first class has been sold out. No problem, I had exit row aisle seat.

I boarded after FC and the lady ticked off on a paper list that I had boarded. I stow my luggage and sat down. After most pax boarded, this lady approached me and said in broken english that I was sitting in her seat. I take out my BP and look at the seat# and look at her seat# and they were identical.

I pressed the call button and the FA in the front screemed as to what the issue was. Told her the issue and she snatched both of our BPs and went to the front. Then came back and told me that I had been upgraded. I waited for all the people passed thru and then pulled my luggage and made room in FC.

In IAH I went to the GA, inquired whether I had upgraded, got same response that FC was sold out. Boarded after FC, sat in my nice exit row seat. This time some cowboy appeared and told me I was in his seat. Pressed the call button, FA came, gave her my BP. She went in the front, called somewhere, came back told me I had upgraded to 1A. I really had to think whether I should take that seat. Probably the worse seat in FC. Anyway, pulled my luggage, found room over row 4 for my carry on and in the coat cabinet for my laptop.

Also, the CO website doesnt let me choose seats. I have to call and explain my Gold status and request exit row seats.

So, isnt there a more seamless integration between Northwest and Continental? Why doesnt CO GAs scan each boarding pass individually that may flag someone if they were upgraded? BTW, I was flying on refundable H fare. One credit that I will note for CO is that the quality of their food was best of any US airline that I have seen. Certainly much better than DL, UA and AA.

Well, at least you got upfront. There have been stories of CO FC going out with seats empty and Elites in the back. I actually found out I had got upgraded FLL-EWR when I kept checking my computer for updates on our departure. After being told, sorry, FC checked in full (Yes, we all know about OLCI) and then checking in the PC and being told NO, imagine my surprise when my itinerary all of a sudden showed me in FC. At least I was able to get the new BP before traipsing to the back of a full flight. It happens....My advise, hang back, unless you are bringing a lot of carry on and need to get on to stow it, and wait until closer to departure to see if you cleared.

It's by definition a frustrating process for both customers and employees. The gate agent's #1 responsibility is getting the flight out on time. There is a lot to do in a very short period of time.

This said, I think it's very likely that every time a GA tells you "FC is full" he/she is telling you what the screen shows. Since most FC tickets are refundable, there is a greater incidence of no-shows than in Y. As a result, the computer bumps elites to FC to make way for Y stand-bys.

But all this happens at the last-minute when most elites have already boarded, hence the inherent clumsiness...

And, yes, just be glad you got the upgrades...they're more precious nowadays than the Hope Diamond...

The GA wasn't lying here. If there are no gate readers at SAN, what likely happened is the OP got upgrade at the 3-hour mark, and he was one of those people in F, and had already checked in, making "first class has checked in full."

I don't know if the GAs realize how stale someone's BP can be, but you are particularly vulnerable at stations without gate readers.

If you are flying from a station without a gate reader, be sure to reprint your BP when you arrive at the airport, and if possible, monitor your record online just prior to boarding.

CO's gate agents are not terribly cooperative in checking for upgrades, which happen quite often after someone has checked in.

As for your IAH experience, that was a classic "battlefield upgrade," but the GA had not yet had the opportunity to tell you about it.

Refreshing the BP is great advice. I agree that CO agents are not cooperative, but again a lot of that has to do with the amount of work that's piled on them at the last minute.

Yes -- but what the agent isn't telling you in this case is whether one of those full FC seats belongs to you. That is the question that was almost certainly asked, but it is almost never the one that is answered. This situation would be a lot easier if CO had monitors ala DL.

Agreed. The DL monitors are great.

I once had a semi hilarious incident regarding DL monitors. Having stupidly fallen asleep at the gate in ATL I stood by for the next flight to LGA. At the DL Service Center, the monitors showed I was 3rd in the list, so I felt pretty good about my chances of making it.

By the time I made it to the gate I had dropped to 17th (DL's elite were superseding me!). By the time boarding began I was 45th.

About three or four standbys made it...

Hey, at least I knew where I stood and did not need to keep bugging the GA.

I asked at both airports atleast twice if I had upgraded or made the list. There were no monitors at the gate to show any information (C-43 gate). At IAH I went to a check in kiosk near the gate and it told me I was way too close to flight time for it to look up my itinnerary.

The thing I like about DL is that you can just scan your 24 hour old BP at any gate reader and it will spit out a new one if you have upgraded.

Here is the usual scenario.................

Customer checks in online at the 24 hour mark.

At some point after they check in, EAU runs and that customer is upgraded.

The customer asks the GA about an upgrade. The GA looks at what First is checked in to and sees that First is full and tells this to the customer. The GA does not realize that First is full including this customer.

If I may suggest............instead of asking about an upgrade at the gate, ask the GA to verify your seat assignment.
This is the best way to avoid miscommunication and having to move after boarding.:confused:

Have a great day!

^^@:-)^^

Next time, just give the cowboy your rotten first class seat, and keep your seat, I doubt anyone would mind!

2x ^

Thanks for the insight AuntiMame!

Never thought to do it like that before.

Since CO does not have the DL style monitors - CO agents should be trained and conditioned to look at the FC list - when someone inquires at the gate. This has happened to me - told FC was full and I was one of the ones making it full. This usually occurs at the 3 hr mark when are on the first segment.

Agents should be trained to be polite and always check when someone asks. If another agent needs to be at the counter - then so be it. Without scanners - gate agent inquiry is the only way. In most cases kiosks are not available inside security (except a few locations at the hubs).

You can always ask at the PC but then at some clubs they get a little attitude as well.