InterFlyer

What about RPUs? Is there a thread like that for those? I requested an upgrade using an RPU months ago when I bought my ticket (on L fare SFO-IAD), and it is still not confirmed. Flight is next week, and if I check the seat map it shows 7 seats still open on BF.

RockinRon

IAD-CMH CPU cleared at T-96 last night.

I've rarely gotten emails including the two most recent CPUs as well as a GPU that has cleared. Wish it worked for me the way it seems to work for others. I've checked my profile, it's there.

chuckles345

Been a 1K since 2008, and have always very pleased with the amount of times I have gotten upgraded (rough estimate I'd say I get upgraded 8 out of 10 flights). The start of 2013, however, has brought changes. I have only been upgraded 2 of 10 flights.

Are any of you seeing the same trend, or have I just had bad luck?

I believe UA is now more aggressively selling first class upgrades at check-in, which I suspect is driving down my access to complementary upgrades.

in fact this article in the WSJ addresses it:
http://blogs.wsj.com/middleseat/2012...ker-for-a-day/

"On the question of selling first-class upgrades instead of giving them to top-tier customers, Mr. Smisek said the airline had to find a balance. “You want us to make money,” he told the frequent fliers. “Do we have the balance perfect? Of course we don’t.” But, he added, “We need to be able to sell some of the seats up front rather than upgrade them all.”"

I'm hoping we're not starting to see the end of the free upgrade as a perk for 1K flyers...

SFO777

Maybe he could sell seats up front if UA actually offered a product pax would pay for. @:-)
Welcome to FT!

cfischer

yes, if there is R space available and you have an RPU waitlisted you should call and they will clear it for you. If the agent doesn't want to do it, ask for a supervisor. Either check back regularly or have Expertflyer monitor R space. Theoretically with R>0 RPUs/CPUs should clear, but UAs computer system is so bad it usually does not clear and you'll have to call.

IAH-OIL-TRASH

...Or pricing commensurate with product. I would pay $1200-1500 for 1st class round-trip between Houston on Maui in domestic first, but not the $3-4k they want.

njcommodore

I was 83% last year as a 1K out of EWR. Mix of high and low fares, day of week traveled and location.

1k-all-the-way

I have had decent upgrade success last year, except if i didn't clear by 24 hours out, i never did. That changed today - JFK-SFO. had to struggle with seat map for days to even get aisle seat in Y. Check in kiosk said all classes sold out. No buy ups. I went to number 3 on list at 24 hours out with no availability. I took my Y seat. A woman arrived at end of boarding with same seat number. I had a good feeling. they can and got me with new boarding pass and brought me up. was very surprised, every seat is taken, must have been luck and no shows.....

AirborneCattleCar

It has been airport-dependent for me, which makes no objective sense.

I took a triple-seven from Chicago to DC recently where I cleared five minutes before boarding. There were 10+ seats available in Business and I was third on the list. After waiting in a ten minute line, I gave the gate agent an incredulous look when she said I hadn't cleared yet and should just wait. Thirty seconds later, I get called back to the gate and had to wait again

I have not cleared a flight before two hours at Chicago or Atlanta this year.


All of my flights out of DC have cleared in the timeframe posted on United's site, and I have been upgraded on 75% of my outbound flights. If I'm not upgraded by the time I get to the airport, I know it's not happening. Same with San Antonio and Denver.

So I have a ridiculous theory about UA that the first few months each calendar year are rocky.

Last year, with the Continental merger, I felt like service took a nosedive. Around July or August, things felt like they were noticeably better. The year before that, UA was late for the strong majority of the flights, but got better by June.

This year, their 787s are combusting... look for it to be fixed by June
(at least let's hope so, as a Boeing shareholder).

Olton Hall

As a low life Gold, if I clear it's within the 23 hour period.

vandesa

On a late Dec flight from ORD to SXM, they actually came on the plane and moved up myself and one other person up to first. First was full but because of misconnections it ended up with 2 empty seats. Nice that they came back and got up.

cmculp

I had a SEA-ORD clear at 96 hours yesterday. 1st time in a while.

Still 1/8 so far this year. Down-gauging doesn't help.

villox

My CPU for ORD-MCO just cleared right about exactly T-48. They must have upgraded a bunch because First was showing 17 seats open as of a couple hours ago and now it's showing 5. It was also showing R0 a couple hours ago but now, after all the upgrades, it's showing R1.

A bit annoying it didn't clear at T-96 but happy to know this far out that I got it. I can't help but think this isn't so much intentional revenue management so much as it is incompetence.

Of course I didn't get any text or email about it either.

JC Gold

Just ran an MR this past weekend with four segments.

My third segment was upgraded at T-48 hours.
My first segment was upgraded at T-27 hours.

On the first segment, the first class seat map was over half open at T-48 hours. However when I received the upgrade email I checked and suddenly all but two seats were booked. I interpret this as possibly an issue with someone's reservation (out of synch?) that choked up the CPU process, and possibly when they checked in or called in to have the res fixed the systematic CPU queue cleared.

dumdum

I have never received "upgrade email" ever. Wonder if somethings missing in my profile.