YCA (Government Fares) Upgrades?
May 6, 2012, 2:04 pm
#1
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Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: washington, dc, usa
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YCA (Government Fares) Upgrades?
My understanding is that YCA (government fares) are being counted as full fare "Y" fares for the upgrade window (meaning a government worker with Silver status beats everyone except a GS).
I have a IAD to TPA that I just booked on AA, since upgrades on that route are almost impossible with all the government traffic. Great if you work for the government - lousy for the rest of us.
Anyone know if this is going to be PMUA's standard policy?
I have a IAD to TPA that I just booked on AA, since upgrades on that route are almost impossible with all the government traffic. Great if you work for the government - lousy for the rest of us.
Anyone know if this is going to be PMUA's standard policy?
May 6, 2012, 4:00 pm
#2
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May 6, 2012, 4:09 pm
#3
Join Date: Feb 2012
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As a fellow fed who also flies full fare of our DC airports (per our policy to have fully refundable tickets), you should be aware of "optics" about upgrading and seriously consider whether you'd be known as a gov't official on the flight and (You can thank the GSA and SS right now for mucking perception of federal employees further up).
May 6, 2012, 4:18 pm
#4
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May 6, 2012, 5:21 pm
#5
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May 6, 2012, 5:48 pm
#6
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As a fellow fed who also flies full fare of our DC airports (per our policy to have fully refundable tickets), you should be aware of "optics" about upgrading and seriously consider whether you'd be known as a gov't official on the flight and (You can thank the GSA and SS right now for mucking perception of federal employees further up).
That said, when we were flying refundable tickets, I upgraded without shame.
May 7, 2012, 7:20 am
#7
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Sorry I meant post merger (I guess COdbaUA).
I guess this is here to stay. Tough because anything transcon to/from IAD was always tough, and as a 1K if I ever made it, it was last or next to last on the list. I'm sure this will push me down a couple of spots per trans-con flight.
Also pretty much eliminates IAD-TPA, especially on the A319.
I guess this is here to stay. Tough because anything transcon to/from IAD was always tough, and as a 1K if I ever made it, it was last or next to last on the list. I'm sure this will push me down a couple of spots per trans-con flight.
Also pretty much eliminates IAD-TPA, especially on the A319.
May 7, 2012, 8:30 am
#8
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May 7, 2012, 8:45 am
#9
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: USA
Programs: UA Platinum, Marriott Silver
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If I am not mistaken though, on transcons, isn't the list first sorted by status, then fare? So a Silver with a Y fare would still be lower on the list, correct? Or is the list still sorted by fare first?
May 7, 2012, 9:00 am
#10
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Any elite on a Y or B fare is going to trump a 1K on an E fare, for example, but once you get away from the Y/B fares status matters more than fare basis.
May 7, 2012, 9:44 am
#11
Join Date: May 2009
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You must be working for a pretty rich federal agency, because in my agency, we no longer fly on fully refundable Y fares unless we are very sure there will be no changes. Our booking engine defaults to the cheapest penalty fare available, and if we don't take it, we better be able to justify it.
That said, when we were flying refundable tickets, I upgraded without shame.
That said, when we were flying refundable tickets, I upgraded without shame.
May 7, 2012, 10:24 am
#12
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: USA
Programs: UA Platinum, Marriott Silver
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Oops, I meant transatlantic - not transcon. For overseas, I am under the impression that status is going to come first still, as the complementary upgrade system is different. Is that correct?
May 7, 2012, 10:30 am
#13
Join Date: Nov 2007
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What complementary upgrade system is there for TATLs? None of which I am aware.
May 7, 2012, 10:39 am
#14
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May 7, 2012, 10:39 am
#15
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For non-CPU routes the upgrade priority is status then fare then date of request.