Droneklax

There's 4 of us traveling, on separate bookings.

Yesterday, I am told that two of us have a friend "who works for United" who put in a request for an upgrade for them

Sure enough, I check in and I find both of them not just on the upgrade list, but right there on top of the upgrade list. And ahead of me lowly 1KMM who put in 20K for the upgrade and 27 years of loyalty to United. No status, no upgrade instrument- just "a friend who works for united"

1- how is this possible?
2-How do I resolve this without all manner of hell breaking loose in our party? If I call United the guy may lose his job ( right now I think he should).
3-Why does United let this happen?

I. am. livid and would appreciate input.

I would like to add that I always suspected that shenanigans of the sort where possible. Now I know they happen.

sannmann

E-mail 1Kvoice and ask for downgrade compensation. Explain that you were denied the upgrade because the GA failed to follow company policy, upgrading a friend instead.

mahasamatman

Do you have any evidence other than hearsay (which the OP says is at least third-hand already)? Upgrade status is based on the status of the sponsor, not the traveller, so the "friend who works for United" could be a GS who put in an RPU or mileage request.

Making accusations without evidence could get you real "downgrade compensation", like being banned from ever flying United again.

mduell

Dude, it's an upgrade. Chill.

TrixieTang

The UA employee in question has access to UA computers. Also, cronyism.

Are your traveling companions also friends of yours? If so, I'm pretty sure hell will break loose. Is it against UA policy to allow agents to do this? If so, not sure what UA can do about it without running some kind of background check on every person put on an upgrade list.

UA can't control every employee at every moment.

Haven't you benefited from a friendship before? Given a free drink at a restaurant where a cousin works or anything like that? This seems pretty similar to me.

sannmann

This is United, not Delta. And, I don't think that the rabbi up in MSP was told he could not fly Delta ever again- just could not have a SkyMiles account.

LASUA1K

Can they even do this anymore? I've heard its not even possible.

Madone59

+1

kenn0223

I would assume senior enough folks at UA have the ability to gift upgrades. I have a friend who is fairly senior at Air Canada and she has the ability to put in for upgrades for anyone she knows and they clear ahead of AC's revenue customers. It's part of a senior staff member's overall compensation package.

I also would assume that sales people have the ability to provide upgrades as a sales tool.

I don't see a problem with it if it is someone at UA that legitimately has the ability to gift upgrades to others. If the people are on the list than I think it's reactively (but not completely) safe to assume they were added via some process and belong at the position they are.

I think as long as the rules are property followed than it's UA's choice as to how they design the program. I think the problems come when staff (usually airport staff) don't follow the rules and don't the process/list.

As to the OP, we all have relationships in our lives that we leverage to our benefit. Perhaps you know someone that can get you a deal on a car or a table at an otherwise packed restaurant. Relationships are how the world works and I'd just let it slide (or leverage your own relationships). As long as it's not out of control (aka 1/2 the upgrade list on every flight) than I'm not sure it's worth getting bent out of shape. UA has better things to do than hunt down every middle manager who is giving away a few free upgrades here and there. I'd much rather they focus on getting their on-time percentage up, fixing their IRROPS recovery, and getting their staff to smile than a witch hunt for this culprit.

mduell

Given the upgrade shens I've... seen... in the last year, I'm pretty sure it's possible and even easy.

mortenfan

I am still trying to read this sentence, doesn't this benefit you that a friend of yours who works for United put in upgrade requests for 2 of you?

Your following statement seems to indicate that these 2 are random people with no status. I thought the list is computer generated by priority? Maybe they are full fare or sponsored by GS or higher and they have higher priority?

anc-ord772

Sales folks absolutely have this ability. Also, not just to provide, but confirm outside of the normal process.

All airlines do this. I was the recipient of such treatment at AA years ago.

mgcsinc

By "upgrade list," do you mean the upgrade waitlist, or the cleared upgrade list?

Col Ronson

+1.

In all fairness i've had friends in all airlines put me on the upgrade lists although i dont think i've ever been pushed ahead anyone on purpose. I think only my status puts me ahead of others.

Droneklax

Upgrade waitlist.

Sorry the sentence wasn't clear.

The "United friend" put in a request for an upgrade for these 2 (no status, no upgrade instrument). I requested an upgrade using miles and my position on the upgrade list is controlled by my status, as it should be. I played the game.

Regarding United's ability to upgrade anyone at will, as I am sure some top executives can do that, why wouldn't they just sit them in F?