Oh, that's how it works!!! You remain outside while the GA goes on the plane looking for #1 on the list, and picks a FA to move up because #1 & #2 are nowhere to be found, then shutting the door so that the plane can leave on time..

Or is it that being a 1K allows a guy to have someone take his carry-on stuff and put it in the overhead for him while he remains in the "Wait Here-Just In Case Special Line" located 13.5' north of the group #1 boarding chute.

Never knew that there was some sort of a prearranged deal to be made. That is soooooo cool!!!

Btw, how many people are allowed to go up to the podium and get the secret subliminal "Hang Loose" agreement???:confused:

+1 :)

The new Carlson Airline!

I really appreciate it when I see GA's on board not just with one name/BP, but with the whole upgrade list, and possibly with a radio to communicate back to the gate podium. This technique assures that even if #1 isn't there/doesn't want the upgrade that the rest of the list is adhered to.

It is my understanding, the standard procedure (not always followed) is for GA to come on-board and provide new seat assignments. No requirement (maybe a good idea) to make specific arrangements with GA. Have never hear of "once you board, you have lost your place on the UG list." Do you have different information?

I was on a flight last year going from EWR to SFO. There was one empty seat and I was #1 on the list. I was waiting for them to upgrade me but they didn't because we were 1 hr late. They just closed the doors and that was it. I was pretty ticked off but I just got over it.

I would, on a six-hour TCON, have raised it over and over again with 1Kvoice.

Non rev taking precedence is nothing new on UA, and quite prevelant.

Your understanding matches my experience, having received an upgrade while seated in E+ several times. Further, one time I was seated in an exit row with a companion and when the GA came to upgrade me, I declined, and she consulted her list for the next in line (clearly surprised I declined, and I have no idea if a new boarding pass was issued!).

I have never made specific arrangements with a GA prior to boarding.

while in over a decade have truly never seen this, i did experience this last year in DEN. There were 4 open seats at dep time in First.

when Mrs CALMSP and I were cleared in coach, I asked the gate agent to put us in the empty bulkhead, which she did.

After we were on board, gate agent handed the flight attendant a piece of paper, which she then came to me and the Mrs, and my parents and said you can have the 4 open seats in first. However, we were not first on the list, and the 2 people ahead of us were right behind me. So I gave the 2 seats to my parents and said that the gentleman and his wife behind me (revenue) were actually ahead of us. However, the flight attendant did not move them as she wasn't sure who they were. So the two seats in first ended up leaving empty.

I felt embarrassed to say the least that the normal clearing of standbys and upgrades was not done at the appropriate time at the gate which would elminate any last minute runarounds.

And this is really the crux of the issue. I'm in full support of UA trying to sell a certain number of F seats for as long as they can, that's their right. And I also understand that there are sometimes last-minute no shows that open up a F seat, as I've been one of those no-shows before.

But it seems there should be some type of policy around when the F upsells stop, and CPU's at the gate are cleared. Perhaps at 45 minutes prior to the posted takeoff time? That would at least coincide with the bag check cutoff at most or all airports. Of course, maybe there is, and its just a matter of the GA's following policy or having the time to do it. And certainly GA's aren't even at the gate 45 mins before in most cases.

I think most of us on here would love to see something like that, or publish it if that's already the case.


Most cases? Unless it's a RJ I can count on one hand the number of times a GA hasn't been there by T-55 min.

You're probably right, I fly a lot of RJ's unfortunately.

Gosh, I don't know where to start - but everything here is untrue.

OP: why didn't you say something to the GA if you saw this happening? You missed the upgrade because the GA was lazy and didn't want to bother, but you should have hit your call button or spoken up if she was nearby and told her you were next on the list and she needs to clear the list.

I'm pretty sure that an employee flying on a positive space seat (must ride) gets the upgrade before a CPU... Might not be any funny business...