PN9 & R0: UA opening upgrades only to Global Services, message to other elites?
 

I was looking at a few transcon flights tonight for mid september and a number of them are R0 and PN9. Seriously, they can open 9 seats out the 16 total seats in the cabin to Global Service members, but ZERO to anyone else. I can get that with only a handful avail they may be in the PN bucket and not the R bucket, but when it is 9 in one and ZERO in the other. That certainly comes across as a huge message to anyone other than GS.

I think the message is "thank you for spending real money".

With PN9, they're asking you to buy-up to Y/B/M, right? (Or to buy a YCA fare?). No specific message to Global Services members, just any elite buying high fare classes.

But is it not like the 1K members are spending nothing. The message is we love ONLY GS and 1K is mud. I of course accept that GS are more valuable, but there is a continuing trend of treating them great and everyone else terrible

A GS member can upgrade from the PN bucket from any fare. No buyup, no high fare, just straight upgrade

Ya, I am assuming that for travel a month out, Y/B/M-ups are a bigger contributor to PN booking rather than GS instruments (and certainly we're outside the GS CPU window). Just an assumption; no evidence.

I have seen quite a few international flights showing PN9 R0

9/22-23 EWR-PVG, ORD-PVG

C is wide open like 70-80% empty.

This is not Y/B/M instant upgrade issue.

It's strictly GS vs everyone else regarding international upgrades.

Relative to GS, most are.

PN is readily available to any elite, just buy a Y or B fare.

If you're buying a significant number of those fares, they'll give you GS, and you get to slide into PN even on deep discount fares. But it's completely wrong to say the PN seats are only available to GS.

Not on ps and international routes, where this is seen often.

For international flights to Asia, Europe, etc. PN is not available to anyone but GS.

The message is that GPUs, RPUs and miles are not intended to actually be able to be spent.

the message is clear, and they've been sending that message for several years now...sometimes explicitly ("overentitled") and sometimes implicitly (policy changes).

i don't get what people around here don't undertand. it's like our heads are buried in the sand. the message is very very clear. it's simply a matter of if we heard it or not.

I don't think I've ever been treated terrible as a 1K (or as a premier exec before that).

I get courteous service.
I get upgrades.
I get economy plus.

Not sure where terrible fits in.

most 1k's only get #3, yet remain loyal. consider yourself lucky.

I doubt there is research to back this. And I don't think a straw poll on FT counts!

:)