Jul 24, 2016, 4:23 pm
Last edit by: WineCountryUA
Operational Upgrades - Op-ups -- are upgrades that occur when there is a need by the airline to move passenger to the higher cabin: could be due to overbooking of the lower cabin, could be a weight and balance issue, could be a broken seat, ....... whatever the reason, it is an airline driven reason, not a customer request.
If the issue still exists after all upgrades have cleared, then the common approach is for passengers to be selected based on status or status/fare but the GA has discretion and may make a selection for other reasons.
Overbooking is the most common reason, as there is no available / allowed seat for all the passengers in the cabin. If the cabin has available seats, there will be no op-ups except for some special corner cases (such as weight & balance).
Asking for an upgrade because of a special occasion or you are dressed especially professional, or you have a suave manner does not work, those often repeated "upgrade secret hints" will just get you a chuckle or a "go away" look.
pmUA FT classic thread on Op-ups - Operational upgrades from a gate agent's perspective
Related threads:
2014 Thread - Are Discretionary Complimentary (Operational) Upgrade Common on UA?
Chances of Operational Upgrade on International Flights (Honeymoon)? ..
Consolidated United Operational Upgrade (OP-UPs) Experiences
If the issue still exists after all upgrades have cleared, then the common approach is for passengers to be selected based on status or status/fare but the GA has discretion and may make a selection for other reasons.
Overbooking is the most common reason, as there is no available / allowed seat for all the passengers in the cabin. If the cabin has available seats, there will be no op-ups except for some special corner cases (such as weight & balance).
Asking for an upgrade because of a special occasion or you are dressed especially professional, or you have a suave manner does not work, those often repeated "upgrade secret hints" will just get you a chuckle or a "go away" look.
pmUA FT classic thread on Op-ups - Operational upgrades from a gate agent's perspective
Related threads:
2014 Thread - Are Discretionary Complimentary (Operational) Upgrade Common on UA?
Chances of Operational Upgrade on International Flights (Honeymoon)? ..
Consolidated United Operational Upgrade (OP-UPs) Experiences
Consolidated - Chance of Operational Upgrade (Op-Up) on my flight?
Feb 16, 2018, 9:13 am
#361
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It went from Booked 15, checked in <15, to Booked 15 (21 blocked), checked in >15, then booked full, checked in >15, <40
Preventing collisions does make sense
Preventing collisions does make sense
Mar 16, 2018, 2:11 pm
#362
Join Date: Feb 2012
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Operational Upgrade order?
I'm on a flight tomorrow morning OMA-SFO. Silver on an award ticket.
Economy on flight is sold out. All CPU's have cleared with 4 remaining seats open. If no more Priemers check in and economy is oversold who would get moved to front cabin first. Silver on award ticket or non elite on revenue ticket?
Another note they are really enticing me with a $99 buy up offer.
Economy on flight is sold out. All CPU's have cleared with 4 remaining seats open. If no more Priemers check in and economy is oversold who would get moved to front cabin first. Silver on award ticket or non elite on revenue ticket?
Another note they are really enticing me with a $99 buy up offer.
Mar 16, 2018, 2:20 pm
#363
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I'm on a flight tomorrow morning OMA-SFO. Silver on an award ticket.
Economy on flight is sold out. All CPU's have cleared with 4 remaining seats open. If no more Priemers check in and economy is oversold who would get moved to front cabin first. Silver on award ticket or non elite on revenue ticket?
Another note they are really enticing me with a $99 buy up offer.
Economy on flight is sold out. All CPU's have cleared with 4 remaining seats open. If no more Priemers check in and economy is oversold who would get moved to front cabin first. Silver on award ticket or non elite on revenue ticket?
Another note they are really enticing me with a $99 buy up offer.
If they have to do op-ups, it would go status then fare class. So, GS on an award, 1K on an award, etc.
$99 is a pretty good deal for a flight of that distance, in my opinion.
Mar 16, 2018, 3:11 pm
#364
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Mar 16, 2018, 3:31 pm
#366
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For more see https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unit...ase-ua-cc.html
Mar 16, 2018, 3:51 pm
#367
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And the other posters are correct that the list is blank because there are no checked-in elites eligible for upgrade. It's quite possible other elites will check-in and be added to the list or flyers SDC to the flight that are already in paid first (assuming the buckets are not zeroed out).
-RM
Mar 16, 2018, 4:01 pm
#368
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Just to be clear...GS on award tickets would be upgraded at the GS window. So it would go to elites on award tickets who don't have the United credit card (which qualifies them for award ticket upgrades). Silver on an award ticket could definitely be op-up'd but chances are so slim that they are "next in line".
My point was the same as yours -- OP is obviously hoping for an op-up, and quite reasonably so, but I think we both agree that it's far from a sure thing.
Mar 16, 2018, 4:49 pm
#369
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I just checked that flight and although normal economy is full, there are about 10 E+ seats available. So personally I would take the $99 buy up offer. It's a 4+ hour flight, so figure 5 hours of seat time total = $20/hr.
Mar 16, 2018, 7:19 pm
#370
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what does seats on the seat map have to do with anything? The risk is high, because of the $99 buy-up IMO. Someone will purchase these seats and no OPUP will be necessary.
Mar 16, 2018, 7:35 pm
#371
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I'm in 7C that best econ seat on E175. Will watch seatmap/upgrades in morning. To decide on buy up. Not a heavy elite route so doubt there 4 that haven't checked in yet. But will be fine staying in 7C too.
Mar 16, 2018, 10:24 pm
#372
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Jul 10, 2018, 7:24 pm
#373
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Looks like great chances for op-up if you're on UA 818 (EZE-IAH) tomorrow (11 July). T-24 and Polaris is only booked 10/50 with 21 blocked (presumably due to Y oversell). I imagine UA will aggressively offer HODS at check-in before doing the op-ups.
Sep 18, 2018, 5:50 pm
#374
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Have two seats booked on an upcoming Intl leg to CDG over Thanksgiving weekend. Y is empty and so is J.
Any 1K’s or GS have experience with comp Intl upgrades under these circumstances when the cabin is empty? I did not purchase a W fare as it was significantly higher than the lowest available fare.
Any 1K’s or GS have experience with comp Intl upgrades under these circumstances when the cabin is empty? I did not purchase a W fare as it was significantly higher than the lowest available fare.
Sep 18, 2018, 6:22 pm
#375
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This past Christmas day I flew LHR-ORD, 6 people in J and a light load in Y. There were no comp upgrades. My only comp intl upgrade was ORD-LHR, I got bumped from J to F because J was oversold. That's my experience.