Feb 25, 2017, 10:09 am
GPU Failure Report [ARCHIVE]
May 12, 2013, 6:15 pm
#91
Ambassador: Alaska Airlines
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: BWI
Posts: 7,390
Here is one I never saw before.
EWR->FRA
mobile says 2 seats remain in BF. I'm #2 using a GPU. The doors are about to close and I ask about the upgrade. I'm told (by several FA's) that 2 seats in BF are blocked for crew rest. I've never seen BF seats blocked like that. Especially 2 on a short 7 hour flight. Am I wrong to complain?
EWR->FRA
mobile says 2 seats remain in BF. I'm #2 using a GPU. The doors are about to close and I ask about the upgrade. I'm told (by several FA's) that 2 seats in BF are blocked for crew rest. I've never seen BF seats blocked like that. Especially 2 on a short 7 hour flight. Am I wrong to complain?
May 12, 2013, 6:18 pm
#92
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: SLC
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 493
940 went out today w almost 30 on the WL for C. Serious failures there. I'm on the same flight tomorrow, looking pretty grim at this point.
May 13, 2013, 11:10 am
#93
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1K, HH Gold, Hertz Pres
Posts: 289
May 13, 2013, 5:19 pm
#94
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: IAD
Programs: UA 1K, Marriott Platinum
Posts: 292
Flying IAD-BRU next week, booked in early March with a W Fare and GPU waitlisted. Always had heard this was an easy flight to clear so never worried too much despite R class never opening up (according to ExperFlyer). One week out and it's down to J5, Y4 with surrounding dates all between J0-J5 and Y0-Y6. Not too optimistic, especially given the tendency for government tickets to not book until a week or less before departure :/ Will be my first ever instrument supported upgrade to fail.
At least the return (via EWR) cleared at booking.
At least the return (via EWR) cleared at booking.
Feel kind of bad for the people I'm sure I passed on the upgrade list....but not really
May 13, 2013, 5:59 pm
#95
Join Date: May 2001
Location: RNO, NV, USA.
Programs: UA 2MM
Posts: 5,063
Here is one I never saw before.
EWR->FRA
mobile says 2 seats remain in BF. I'm #2 using a GPU. The doors are about to close and I ask about the upgrade. I'm told (by several FA's) that 2 seats in BF are blocked for crew rest. I've never seen BF seats blocked like that. Especially 2 on a short 7 hour flight. Am I wrong to complain?
EWR->FRA
mobile says 2 seats remain in BF. I'm #2 using a GPU. The doors are about to close and I ask about the upgrade. I'm told (by several FA's) that 2 seats in BF are blocked for crew rest. I've never seen BF seats blocked like that. Especially 2 on a short 7 hour flight. Am I wrong to complain?
BTW Welcome to FlyerTalk.
May 21, 2013, 2:19 pm
#96
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Hudson, OH
Programs: UA-MM; Hilton Lifetime Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,350
I'm a Two-timer this year!!
My second failed GPU attempt:
GRU-ORD, H-fare, booked 5 weeks in advance. 40 BF-seats. Week to go, knew I didn't have a chance (well, looking at seatmap anyway - know seats open up day of departure, but they can vanish just as quickly).
I've previously seen M-fare failures on plane w 23 BF seats.
Above somewhere list a B-failure. Hard to imagine.
GRU-ORD, H-fare, booked 5 weeks in advance. 40 BF-seats. Week to go, knew I didn't have a chance (well, looking at seatmap anyway - know seats open up day of departure, but they can vanish just as quickly).
I've previously seen M-fare failures on plane w 23 BF seats.
Above somewhere list a B-failure. Hard to imagine.
May 27, 2013, 9:11 am
#97
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: LHR and PHF/ORF
Programs: UA Gold, HiltonHonors Diamond
Posts: 88
GPU Upgrades - Do they ever work?
Had zero success this year getting upgraded using GPUs for M class tickets EWR/IAD to LHR and also on the return. I always find myself as #1 or 2 on the upgrade standby list but somewhere between 5 and 12 hours before departure, the 4 to sometimes 7 or 8 open/available seats disappear and BF is full all of a sudden. Does UAL really sell that many last minute seats in TATL BF or is there another hierarchy process trumping my status and booking class?
My company allows booking in upgradable Y class but as this never seems to work it seems like a waste of money even trying...
My company allows booking in upgradable Y class but as this never seems to work it seems like a waste of money even trying...
May 27, 2013, 9:19 am
#98
Join Date: Jan 2012
Programs: UA 1K, 1.2 MM
Posts: 129
They work all the time, I already used three this year on a very busy route (SFO-FRA). There is even a thread here with a long list of successes.
May 27, 2013, 9:21 am
#99
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Raleigh
Programs: United GS 2MM,, Marriott/Starwood Lifetime Platinum
Posts: 754
I have a 70% success with GPUs. My routes include SFO-FRA, IAD-DXB, and SFO-ICN (and the return flights). I am using then for C to F upgrades.
I did score 4 upgrades for the family's summer travels this July (SFO-LHR and CDG-IAD). These are NY tickets up to business class. But that was all done last fall using expert flyer and a few schedule changes to help manipulate things.
Don't forget you can check the upgrade list on any flight (within 24 hours) to see how many people have actually cleared.
I did score 4 upgrades for the family's summer travels this July (SFO-LHR and CDG-IAD). These are NY tickets up to business class. But that was all done last fall using expert flyer and a few schedule changes to help manipulate things.
Don't forget you can check the upgrade list on any flight (within 24 hours) to see how many people have actually cleared.
May 27, 2013, 9:29 am
#100
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: LHR (sometimes CLE, SFO, BOS, LAX, SEA)
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 5,895
Instrument-supported upgrades work better if you apply them immediately at time of purchase, that is, if you select flights that have R inventory and immediately confirm the upgrade.
If you can't do that, but you're the kind of person who checks their booking every day for a few minutes to make sure everything is OK & you haven't been "stuck" with positive R inventory and no cleared upgrade & everything is OK within 24 hours of departure & you're on the departure management waitlist …… (so, if you're me), then at any reasonable value of your time per hour, it's probably worth your time to just pay for business class.
If you can't do that, but you're the kind of person who checks their booking every day for a few minutes to make sure everything is OK & you haven't been "stuck" with positive R inventory and no cleared upgrade & everything is OK within 24 hours of departure & you're on the departure management waitlist …… (so, if you're me), then at any reasonable value of your time per hour, it's probably worth your time to just pay for business class
.
May 27, 2013, 9:32 am
#101
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: New York, NY
Programs: Hyatt GLOB, Marriott Lifetime PLT, UA 1K 1MM.
Posts: 1,728
i use mine a lot on TPAC routes out of EWR (to ICN, HKG, PVG, NRT, etc.). i usually clear at booking.
May 27, 2013, 9:40 am
#102
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: DCA or IAD (originally DUB)
Programs: UA 1K 1.8MM, Hertz PC, Marriott Platinum/Lifetime Gold
Posts: 7,657
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...ss-2013-a.html and http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...re-2013-a.html
Last edited by UAPremExecflyer; May 27, 2013 at 9:41 am Reason: added second thread link
May 27, 2013, 9:44 am
#103
Moderator, Omni, Omni/PR, Omni/Games, FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Between DCA and IAD
Programs: UA 1K MM; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 67,146
I am flexible with my dates/times and my connection cities in most cases, and thus have 100% success in my years as a 1K. I know a lot of people don't have that flexibility, though.
May 27, 2013, 9:49 am
#104
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: OSL/IAH/ZRH (time, not preference)
Programs: UA1K, LH GM, AA EXP->GM
Posts: 38,265
But I have never encountered a flight which actually had R>0 inventory, so I stopped looking long ago.
May 27, 2013, 9:55 am
#105
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 57,617
^^ Using them otherwise is a game of chance.
Last edited by halls120; May 30, 2013 at 7:23 pm
