BF Waitlist Question
 

This is not a "what are my chances" thread; but, if you want to offer your opinion, go for it.

Wife & I are flying CO 115 LGW to EWR on 21 November (X Class) and have waitlisted BF upgrades using points/co-pay. Flight is currently showing J9, Z8, R8.

The earlier flight (the one on the 777) is showing J5, Z5. I think there was R class available too, but I forget to be honest.

Generally speaking, when (when they actually release the waitlist seats) do they usually clear the waitlists? From people who have had these clear, are we talking the day before, a few days before, etc.?

Reason I am asking is that at LGW, only BF (not platinum or other elites) gets fast tracked security. One way to get fast tracked security though is to go first class on the Gatwick Express train to the airport (which is about 10GBP more per person if you book it in advance, much more if you wait until the day of travel).

I realize they have the option to not clear it at all even if there are empty seats, and as a shareholder, can't blame them if they think they can sell them on last minutes, but I thought I'd see what everyone's experience has been. I do plan to call them at the 25 hour mark to see if they can release them if they're not yet released (I've heard from others that they've been successfull with this tactic).

For whatever its worth, this is really all more curiosity-I'm indifferent about the upgrades--we have the 7C/7B seats but its a whirlwind weekend for us so we'd prefer being up front, but its not the end of the world if we're not.

Thanks!

My experience with EWR-HKG both ways is between 1 week and 2 weeks.

My experience has been that waitlisted upgrades clear within a week before departure, sometimes as late as 24-48 hours before departure.

I agree with the above posters. If you didn't get the immediate upgrade at purchase, lately it seems it then doesn't happen until about 1 week or so before your flight. The only problem I see is that your flight falls within CO's holiday BF sales period, so many of those BF seats might have been purchased at the sale $1200 r/t rate and seats hadn't been chosen as of yet. If riding up front isn't that important, cancel yourselves off the waitlist and pay the $40 for both of you to travel in F on the Gatwick Express to ensure access to Fast Track.

My IAH-NRT upgrade typically comes 3 days before departure.
However, last one came exactly 60days prior to departure day.

LAst month my wife and I were confirmed in BF on connecting flights CDG-AMS-EWR but waitlisted for a nonstop CDG-EWR. Approx. 36 hours before the flights, I received a cell phone call in Paris from CO informing me that we had been cleared for the non-stop.

My wife (non-elite) was notified 2-3 days in advance of our PEK-EWR segment. I waitlisted her ~3 weeks beforehand.

My EWR-HNL BF waitlist just cleared 3 days ago, for the Sunday after Thanksgiving ...

My EWR-HKG flight tomorrow on an H fare cleared about 3 weeks ago, approximately 2 days after I purchased it; the agent on the phone when I called for the upgrades told me that CO had already allowed a number of upgrades already and wasn’t sure how many more would be allowed. My return HKG-EWR on the 26th cleared about 2 days later.

Upgrade cleared at the 44 hour mark . . . interestingly, I had just checked and the flight showed J9 R/Z 7 . . . and then as I was looking, I got the e-mail saying it cleared--looked back at seatcounter and it now shows J6 Z/R4, so it looks like they cleared 3 seats at the 44 hour mark.

Anyhow--thank you all for your replies--it was interesting to see this process work for a change! Happy Thanksgiving!

I thought non elites could not waitlist for upgrade - at least that is what an agent told me -good news if this is correct

It was unclear to me as well. I asked the agent if there would be a better chance for a waitlist upgrade if I used my miles since I am an elite, but she said that there was no difference. We didn't expect the upgrade, but were quite pleased as it allowed us both to be in BF on a 777 with the AVOD for 13 hours.

http://www.continental.com/web/en-US...e/default.aspx

It doesn't say you have to be elite to waitlist. However, waitlists are cleared based on status and then by time of request.

I had 2 BF mileage upgrades clear today at 10:50 AM for CO70 EWR-AMS on 11/21 at 18:50 PM. We're both Plats on T fares.

Just cleared a EWR-HKG mileage upgrade for Dec 7. That's 9 days out. Tickets bought in August. Cheap "Q" fare.