KLM671

Thank you for your answers, it was indeed quite expensive, could have flown for half the price on some other airlines...

Okrogius, is that why the upgrade request is not showing in my reservation on the Copa legs?

Kacee: I find that on Copa it's very hit and miss, I've had CPUs denied as a 1K in Y while a friend of mine got upgraded as Silver in M, on the same flight! Not right but I've seen it happen quite often, that's why I want to make sure my GPU works, it's a long way from Italy to Chile!

Kacee

I'm with you. I hate Copa's upgrade "process." I pretty much stopped flying them because of that and how they mis-handled an IT meltdown that seized up PTY for three days last October.

JoeTravel

Not to stray, but I was in PTY last October in the height of the meltdown. My colleague won't ever fly CM again. No discussion needed.

CM is very hit or miss, will type way too many keystrokes in the computer, and has people that don't know what they are doing for the most part. Think of their "process" as your worst nightmare.

okrogius

You can't waitlist - as such there's no such thing as a (pending) Copa upgrade request. If you call when there is space, the agent just changes your reservation manually. If you call when there is no space, nothing happens. If you don't call when there is space, again, nothing happens.

KLM671

Got it, thaks for the help! I'll try calling again later! Looking at Copa website, there seems to be a lot of seats empty (with D and C available).

To everybody, yeah, Copas upgrade process is very unclear!

Kacee

The upgrade class is supposed to be X. But several reports lately of X showing available yet pax unable to confirm the upgrade. Hope your experience is different, let us know how it turns out.

KLM671

Any way for me to find out if X is showing available without calling UA?

Kacee

Expert Flyer.

leonidas

Can anyone please shed some light on their companion upgrade policy? I am UA platinum and wife has no status. We have booked IAD-PTY-LIM and return on Copa metal. I now that I have a decent chance on getting upgraded (flying on a weekend too). What about my wife as a companion?

I have two RPUs that I can use for two one way upgrades. Do RPUs work for both IAD-PTY and PTY-LIM connecting flights or just one of them? Sorry first time trying to use RPUs here, total n00b.

Thanks.

FlyingIsCool

In the past, once I arrived at PTY, I have simply asked to add my companion to the upgrade list and it has gone through. But these have been short flights: PTY-CTG and PTY-CLO.

cfischer

Upgrade cleared automatically and received Email from Copa 102 hrs before the flight Reservation now says Business (Z). Ticket was on 016 ticket stock.
Very pleased.
Looks like I was the only 1K on the flight. Was J7 and now J6. Still showing Z4.

thegrailer

The upgrade page might be new (?)

Flight 337 today. Has a standby list and all.

Flight 337 tomorrow. Appears to have 7 open seats but no one on the upgrade list? (there should be at least 1)

Also, I made the mistake of calling to ask about the upgrade standby list . That was enlightening. Three different stories with one common theme -- It's UA's fault (whatever I asked about). I haven't read through this entire thread, but who determines the upgrade, CM or UA? And the standby list? All three agents stated that because MP was UA's FF program, that UA would determine who and when upgrades were provided.

Cheers -

pmarrsouth

Just made silver on United at midnight today - all my own travel so a lowly silver member.

I had booked flights a couple of weeks ago on Copa for myself and my gf - on same PNR

I just checked the copa site today to see if it noted I was now silver but could not see it anywhere. I then checked the seat map and it allows me now to get a seat (well 2, for me and gf) in rows 5-7 which are usually held for Silver+. I am impressed how quickly the status got recognised on CM without having to do anything - plus letting people know as this is an indicator that CM knows your UA status, even without it stating it on your reservation.

Flights are PTY-MCO return in late October (20th 7.38am & 24th 2.54pm), I have been checking the flights for the last few days and the flights have 14-15 of the 16 F seats free at T-24/23, so hopefully there is a chance we both get upgraded too.

zrs70

I went through this a year ago, and it's still pulling teeth.

I purchased on 016 ticket stock an M fare on COPA. I called UA to process an upgrade. I'm actually on my forth call. Here are the responses

1) You must wait for the 100 hour window
2) You must used miles
3) You must be on a B fare
4) COPA is not part of *A
5) You have to call COPA
6) (call to COPA): You have to call UA
7) Since the merger, there are no more instant upgrades

Kacee

Has anyone ever successfully scored an instant upgrade on CM?

If it were not an ephemeral benefit, it would be done by CM, not UA. Unfortunately, the CM phone agents know nothing about upgrades or how to process them. Trying to talk to them about upgrades is like banging your head against the wall.

Why did you book on 016 stock? That's just an added layer of headache.

The good news is that as a 1K fare on an M, you should get the CPU. Although probably not until T-24 or at the gate.