I got PN upgrade for 2 on V fare! Can someone explain?
Aug 28, 2013, 11:37 am
#1
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I got PN upgrade for 2 on V fare! Can someone explain?
I am a 1K. I was on a recent 2 cabin domestic flight with a non-Premier companion on the same reservation on a "V" fare. I did a Same Day Change over the phone just within the 24 hour window for the new flight.
The 1K agent offered to me, "I can also offer you complimentary upgrades to First Class." I said, "I thought we had to be on a waiting list." She said, "well, there are plenty of open seats in First, so I will go ahead and upgrade you." I did not object and thanked her.
When I got my new receipt emailed, it showed "PN" for the Fare Class. My CPUs in the past have all shown "R" Class.
I would like to know what happened here so I can possibly request it in the future.
Has anyone else had a similar experience when the phone agent offered a complimentary upgrade over the phone when one normally should have gone on the waiting list for CPUs?
Does the agent have an easy way to view how many Premier Members are booked on a flight? (a phone agent once remarked to me that there were 15 Premier members booked on a flight.)
One additional note: before I requested the same day change, the "Upgraded" list in "Flight Status" showed 9 booked in First (20 seats) & Expert Mode showed F9, R9,PN9,V9.
The 1K agent offered to me, "I can also offer you complimentary upgrades to First Class." I said, "I thought we had to be on a waiting list." She said, "well, there are plenty of open seats in First, so I will go ahead and upgrade you." I did not object and thanked her.
When I got my new receipt emailed, it showed "PN" for the Fare Class. My CPUs in the past have all shown "R" Class.
I would like to know what happened here so I can possibly request it in the future.
Has anyone else had a similar experience when the phone agent offered a complimentary upgrade over the phone when one normally should have gone on the waiting list for CPUs?
Does the agent have an easy way to view how many Premier Members are booked on a flight? (a phone agent once remarked to me that there were 15 Premier members booked on a flight.)
One additional note: before I requested the same day change, the "Upgraded" list in "Flight Status" showed 9 booked in First (20 seats) & Expert Mode showed F9, R9,PN9,V9.
Aug 28, 2013, 11:39 am
#2
Join Date: Dec 2009
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I am a 1K. I was on a recent 2 cabin domestic flight with a non-Premier companion on the same reservation on a "V" fare. I did a Same Day Change over the phone just within the 24 hour window for the new flight.
The 1K agent offered to me, "I can also offer you complimentary upgrades to First Class." I said, "I thought we had to be on a waiting list." She said, "well, there are plenty of open seats in First, so I will go ahead and upgrade you." I did not object and thanked her.
When I got my new receipt emailed, it showed "PN" for the Fare Class. My CPUs in the past have all shown "R" Class.
I would like to know what happened here so I can possibly request it in the future.
Has anyone else had a similar experience when the phone agent offered a complimentary upgrade over the phone when one normally should have gone on the waiting list for CPUs?
Does the agent have an easy way to view how many Premier Members are booked on a flight? (a phone agent once remarked to me that there were 15 Premier members booked on a flight.)
One additional note: before I requested the same day change, the "Upgraded" list in "Flight Status" showed 9 booked in First (20 seats) & Expert Mode showed F9, R9,PN9,V9.
The 1K agent offered to me, "I can also offer you complimentary upgrades to First Class." I said, "I thought we had to be on a waiting list." She said, "well, there are plenty of open seats in First, so I will go ahead and upgrade you." I did not object and thanked her.
When I got my new receipt emailed, it showed "PN" for the Fare Class. My CPUs in the past have all shown "R" Class.
I would like to know what happened here so I can possibly request it in the future.
Has anyone else had a similar experience when the phone agent offered a complimentary upgrade over the phone when one normally should have gone on the waiting list for CPUs?
Does the agent have an easy way to view how many Premier Members are booked on a flight? (a phone agent once remarked to me that there were 15 Premier members booked on a flight.)
One additional note: before I requested the same day change, the "Upgraded" list in "Flight Status" showed 9 booked in First (20 seats) & Expert Mode showed F9, R9,PN9,V9.
Aug 28, 2013, 11:43 am
#3
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Aug 28, 2013, 11:45 am
#4
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Aug 28, 2013, 11:45 am
#5
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Possibly a V-Up fare that did not process at ticketing on your original flight (PN0?), or the agent determined you and your companion would have been #1 and 2 on the upgrade list, and cleared you early as a favor.
Aug 28, 2013, 11:45 am
#6
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1) The agents can do that sort of thing if they want to.
2) It is entirely possible that they rebooked you in the higher fare even if the lower one was open.
3) Don't bother asking for it in the future. You got a favor, not a change in policy.
That would be quite surprising as lately rebookings into Y which are then upgraded have a habit of posting as the original fare class, not Y/B. If the ticket is not upgraded then the bonus miles are more common.
2) It is entirely possible that they rebooked you in the higher fare even if the lower one was open.
3) Don't bother asking for it in the future. You got a favor, not a change in policy.
That would be quite surprising as lately rebookings into Y which are then upgraded have a habit of posting as the original fare class, not Y/B. If the ticket is not upgraded then the bonus miles are more common.
Aug 28, 2013, 11:51 am
#7
Join Date: May 2011
Posts: 5,814
The few times it happened to me in the past, i've had it post as 125% (or 150% as it was before). I wouldn't count on it happening though like you state ... and had a few times where it wouldn't post at all (it ended up posting as the original fare class when I did land in that situation).
Aug 28, 2013, 12:03 pm
#8
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No, this is not it. On my original flight I had been CPU'd into First through the normal Computer process. Receipt for Upgrade to First showed "R" . My V fare was not eligible for PN.
Aug 28, 2013, 12:07 pm
#9
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The presence of V alone doesn't necessarily mean they are presently booking into that bucket (e.g., if you try and book JFK - LAX for this afternoon on the 825pm flight it's booking into U even though the lower fare buckets of H - L all are showing space). V might have had restrictions on it that because of the timing of your SDC call required her to put you into a different bucket to get the system to process the change and in doing so you ended up (mistakenly or not) on a YBM fare which auto-upped you to PN.
Aug 28, 2013, 12:07 pm
#10
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Aug 28, 2013, 12:23 pm
#12
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Join Date: May 2010
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The presence of V alone doesn't necessarily mean they are presently booking into that bucket (e.g., if you try and book JFK - LAX for this afternoon on the 825pm flight it's booking into U even though the lower fare buckets of H - L all are showing space). V might have had restrictions on it that because of the timing of your SDC call required her to put you into a different bucket to get the system to process the change and in doing so you ended up (mistakenly or not) on a YBM fare which auto-upped you to PN.
Last edited by mkr; Aug 28, 2013 at 12:31 pm Reason: add clarity
Aug 28, 2013, 12:27 pm
#13
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I think you encountered a benevolent agent. Otherwise, there is no policy or procedural rationale to explain your fortunate circumstances. Sometimes, the travel gods smile on us... but just wait for next time!
Aug 28, 2013, 12:29 pm
#14
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This is exactly what happened to me about 2 weeks ago. 2 legs rebooked due to irops, both into Y. Instant upgrade on one, which then posted as my original fare class (with the Z in front of it) with no bonus. No upgrade on the second leg, which posted as Y and thus 150%.