App display of early cleared upgrades changed? Waitlists on gate monitors going away?
Jun 10, 2018, 4:40 pm
#91
Join Date: Apr 2015
Programs: United Global Services, Amtrak Select Executive
Posts: 4,098
Same here. I didn't recognize most of their airports and all my frequented airports were gone. I had to delete them all and start over. That said, since you can't delete individual cities, I now have the cities I'm traveling to the most at the top of the list (which was very long before).
Jun 10, 2018, 10:09 pm
#92
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Sunshine State
Programs: UA2MM AND 1K, HYATT GLOBALIST, AVIS PRES CLUB.
Posts: 97
Cool it guys. I just spoke with a supervisor in Premier Reservations and she informed me that they are fixing all of the issues mentioned in this thread, one by one. She indicated that the upgrade notification emails have been fixed and now should be going out in real time, and that the airport monitors and website tracking of upgrades should be back working soon. She read me a list of known issues, and it sounded pretty complete. As such, let's not get overly paranoid. I believe she knew what she was talking about.
Jun 11, 2018, 12:38 am
#93
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Lahaina, HI & Los Angeles, CA
Programs: UA GS
Posts: 2,403
Cool it guys. I just spoke with a supervisor in Premier Reservations and she informed me that they are fixing all of the issues mentioned in this thread, one by one. She indicated that the upgrade notification emails have been fixed and now should be going out in real time, and that the airport monitors and website tracking of upgrades should be back working soon. She read me a list of known issues, and it sounded pretty complete. As such, let's not get overly paranoid. I believe she knew what she was talking about.
Jun 11, 2018, 7:50 am
#94
Join Date: Jan 2013
Programs: UA 1K | MR Platinum
Posts: 492
It can be frustrating when you're 1K, spend a lot on a flight, #1 on the upgrade list, but first class is already full and none of those passengers got upgraded. It seems to me that this is what they're trying to solve. They want the ability to cheaply sell all (or most) of the first class cabin and not have anybody know this.
Jun 11, 2018, 8:01 am
#95
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: SAN
Programs: 1K (since 2008), *G (since 1990), 1MM
Posts: 3,219
It can be frustrating when you're 1K, spend a lot on a flight, #1 on the upgrade list, but first class is already full and none of those passengers got upgraded. It seems to me that this is what they're trying to solve. They want the ability to cheaply sell all (or most) of the first class cabin and not have anybody know this.
I was thrilled to read the UG lists and thus visibility/transparency will return (see #92 by jhtraveller). I am okay with being #1 on the list when I understand there were very few upgrades. I know I had a choice to pay extra if it were that important for me to be front of cabin. I generally have a lovely seat in E+ and there tend to be less DYKWIA folks around me. :-)
Jun 11, 2018, 8:48 am
#96
Join Date: May 2005
Location: CLE
Programs: RA, UA MM 1k, AA EXP, Marriott LTP, Hyatt Plat, SPG100
Posts: 476
Actually I believe most 1K members know this, and we have a choice to spend the extra funds. UA is in the business of making money. Now we can debate that this may be short term profits ($$$) and at the expense of long term profitability (less loyalty by elite members).
I was thrilled to read the UG lists and thus visibility/transparency will return (see #92 by jhtraveller). I am okay with being #1 on the list when I understand there were very few upgrades. I know I had a choice to pay extra if it were that important for me to be front of cabin. I generally have a lovely seat in E+ and there tend to be less DYKWIA folks around me. :-)
I was thrilled to read the UG lists and thus visibility/transparency will return (see #92 by jhtraveller). I am okay with being #1 on the list when I understand there were very few upgrades. I know I had a choice to pay extra if it were that important for me to be front of cabin. I generally have a lovely seat in E+ and there tend to be less DYKWIA folks around me. :-)
Agree that we can spend more to be up front, but that's not always possible on business travel. But the value proposition is just not there if published "elite" benefits aren't really there. If they want to sell those seats and not give upgrades, then they should be transparent about that. The M/B ups are now unicorns (which is extortionate pricing, but permitted by most travel policies), instruments (particularly GPUs) are tough to clear, and CPUs are disappearing too (watching the app or screen at the gate, accurate or not, doesn't make it any better). Don't get me wrong, I'm not a UA hater. There are benefits I enjoy as a 1K, but I'd much rather they be upfront about the actual benefits of loyalty they are willing to provide. I've used my experience to expand my travel choices based on travel patterns, price, and service. I'd hate to be a noob today pursuing the almighty 1K (and God help those going after GS), only to be sorely under-whelmed in the return on my loyalty.
(Aussienarelle, I'm not picking on you. I wish I could have your attitude on this topic. But too many BIS miles on business has turned me into a cranky person!)
Jun 11, 2018, 9:14 am
#97
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Ewa Beach, Hawaii
Posts: 10,909
No such thing as a guaranteed upgrade. Never has and never will. Getting cranky because you buy coach and don't get upgraded as often as you like won't make your life any better. If no one ever got an upgrade then they would be having false advertising. But as long as there is a chance and some do get upgraded they are fulfilling their requirements. Don't like you percentage of upgrades? Walk, as it seems you have partially done. And I know many ExecPlats that get very few upgrades. So if you are 95% at AA then you are doing extremely well. There are also 1K's that get a high percentage to go along with your pittance.
Jun 11, 2018, 9:33 am
#98
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: SAN
Programs: 1K (since 2008), *G (since 1990), 1MM
Posts: 3,219
Well, Aussienarelle, you are a model citizen in UA society. Quite frankly, I'm tired of my loyalty being traded for a few scheckles. I fly 200k+ per year. AA now gets half of those miles and, as Executive Platinum (1K equivalent), I'm upgraded 95% of the time, in the advanced processing window. I understand UA is in business to make money, but how does AA manage to make money while rewarding loyalty? It's not like they have to be mutually-exclusive concepts. (To be clear, I'm no AA apologist. They have their issues too. I've come to terms with the fact it's all just Greyhound in the sky.)
Agree that we can spend more to be up front, but that's not always possible on business travel. But the value proposition is just not there if published "elite" benefits aren't really there. If they want to sell those seats and not give upgrades, then they should be transparent about that. The M/B ups are now unicorns (which is extortionate pricing, but permitted by most travel policies), instruments (particularly GPUs) are tough to clear, and CPUs are disappearing too (watching the app or screen at the gate, accurate or not, doesn't make it any better). Don't get me wrong, I'm not a UA hater. There are benefits I enjoy as a 1K, but I'd much rather they be upfront about the actual benefits of loyalty they are willing to provide. I've used my experience to expand my travel choices based on travel patterns, price, and service. I'd hate to be a noob today pursuing the almighty 1K (and God help those going after GS), only to be sorely under-whelmed in the return on my loyalty.
(Aussienarelle, I'm not picking on you. I wish I could have your attitude on this topic. But too many BIS miles on business has turned me into a cranky person!)
Agree that we can spend more to be up front, but that's not always possible on business travel. But the value proposition is just not there if published "elite" benefits aren't really there. If they want to sell those seats and not give upgrades, then they should be transparent about that. The M/B ups are now unicorns (which is extortionate pricing, but permitted by most travel policies), instruments (particularly GPUs) are tough to clear, and CPUs are disappearing too (watching the app or screen at the gate, accurate or not, doesn't make it any better). Don't get me wrong, I'm not a UA hater. There are benefits I enjoy as a 1K, but I'd much rather they be upfront about the actual benefits of loyalty they are willing to provide. I've used my experience to expand my travel choices based on travel patterns, price, and service. I'd hate to be a noob today pursuing the almighty 1K (and God help those going after GS), only to be sorely under-whelmed in the return on my loyalty.
(Aussienarelle, I'm not picking on you. I wish I could have your attitude on this topic. But too many BIS miles on business has turned me into a cranky person!)
As I said I am okay if the UG does not come through as long as there is transparency about the upgrades.
The most annoying thing to me is that the TOD seem to be lower for non-elites than eiltes - now that is annoying (based on postings by other members). I am sure if UA stated that as an elite you get preference for upgrades using instruments and/or at lower prices then that would be okay (with me). It really annoys me that I know some of the TODs (which I chose not to purchase) that were purchased were less than I was offered for the same seat at the same time - now that is surely a way to drive away elites. :-(
BTW - I fly OALs as I worked out if I am merely a commodity for United, then the same works for me in regards to my flying patterns.
Jun 11, 2018, 10:34 am
#99
Join Date: Oct 2009
Programs: UA 1K, Hilton ♦ , Hyatt Carbonado, Wyndham ♦, Marriott PE, "Stinking Bum" elsewhere.
Posts: 4,998
The transparency is all I care about. I know my routes very well now and will play the upgrade lottery when I know I have a chance and buy the P-fare when I know the odds are low (e.g. on the transcon SNA routes lately).
I always buy non-refundable fares and pay about 2K a year in change fees. By my calculations, I have earned a fantastic return on my change fee "investment" in that I saved over $8,500- over what Y-fares would've cost me last year.
Also, there has been a bit of a "red herring" argument bandied about here that you lose all of your money if you have a cancellation-NO, you only lose the change fees. Only if you don't fly UA again within 12 months would you lose your entire ticket value.
Jun 11, 2018, 11:20 am
#100
Join Date: Oct 2009
Programs: All of them, UA-Plat, 1MM*G
Posts: 881
For all of you who don't like the current method of UGs, consider the rising method (which UA has yet to adopt). It is simply to auction off upgrades (see Plusgrade revenue upgrade platform for the airline industry ). That is, the more you offer to pay extra, the higher your chances of scoring an upgrade. And this doesn't just have to be on a cash basis. A GPU could be valued at, say, $500 -- and it would have to compete against a kettle offering $501. Further, if it is especially important to get an UG, you could bid multiple GPUs. This method would correct for the fact that an upgrade on IAH-SYD is likely worth a lot more than an upgrade on EWR-DUB.
Finally, SDCing and doing all of the shucking and jiving that hardcore FTers do to maximize their chances getting J or F does have a substantial cost to UA. Its IT systems have to cope with this load, GAs can't clear flights quite as quickly -- and most importantly, UA's real HVFs -- you know, the guys who just buy a lot of tickets and don't try to game the system like so many on this board do -- are less likely to receive an upgrade. I can see UA deliberately doing all of this to reduce churn in its res systems.
Finally, SDCing and doing all of the shucking and jiving that hardcore FTers do to maximize their chances getting J or F does have a substantial cost to UA. Its IT systems have to cope with this load, GAs can't clear flights quite as quickly -- and most importantly, UA's real HVFs -- you know, the guys who just buy a lot of tickets and don't try to game the system like so many on this board do -- are less likely to receive an upgrade. I can see UA deliberately doing all of this to reduce churn in its res systems.
Jun 11, 2018, 11:29 am
#101
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 21,405
Finally, SDCing and doing all of the shucking and jiving that hardcore FTers do to maximize their chances getting J or F does have a substantial cost to UA. Its IT systems have to cope with this load, GAs can't clear flights quite as quickly -- and most importantly, UA's real HVFs -- you know, the guys who just buy a lot of tickets and don't try to game the system like so many on this board do -- are less likely to receive an upgrade. I can see UA deliberately doing all of this to reduce churn in its res systems.
The incremental IT load from SDC is marginal.
SDC doesn't interfere with GA's ability to clear flights, as it must be completed before the check-in period closes. Standby passengers might, but they're not getting upgraded anyway.
SDC doesn't impact any HVFs chance to get an upgrade, since true HVFs are GS -- that's the point of the program after all -- and have the top clearance priority. It may have a negative impact on some high-value, sub-1K flyers (HVP - High Value Platinum), but, in aggregate, that may well be offset by those same HVP getting upgraded when 1Ks SDC off of flights.
United processes hundreds of thousands of transactions daily. They're not worried about SDCs, or they'd just end the program.
Jun 12, 2018, 11:24 pm
#102
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Pikes Peak COS
Programs: 3 Month Delta Plat, UA PP 2.4mm, Marriott Lifetime Titanium, HH Lifetime Diamond, National EE
Posts: 426
I wonder if UA has done away with the "jump the queue" capability. You're waitlisted with a GPU on an international flight and you're number 4 on the list on a full flight. You keep refreshing the seat chart before boarding and you see a seat open up. You could then just call the 1k line and have them assign you the seat with your GPU right then. (Not admitting I've done this, of course.) That shouldn't be possible, but it was at least a couple years ago, when I last "saw" that process work.
Jun 13, 2018, 11:37 am
#103
Join Date: Oct 2009
Programs: UA 1K, Hilton ♦ , Hyatt Carbonado, Wyndham ♦, Marriott PE, "Stinking Bum" elsewhere.
Posts: 4,998
Still Not Working Today
Upgrade lists still are not showing who was upgraded. The waitlist appears to be working, but since I was upgraded a few days ago, I have nothing to compare it to.
Jun 13, 2018, 11:46 am
#104
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: PHL
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum, Raddison Platinum, Avis Presidents Club
Posts: 5,271
When is this going away? I still saw the list on my last flight a few days ago. It does go away once boarding begins.
I do find some value in seeing it. I'm not the type of person that is always staring at my phone. I might be reading a magazine or watching one of the TV's, or I'll be talking to someone, its nice to be able to quickly glance over and see if there is any change on the screen.
I do find some value in seeing it. I'm not the type of person that is always staring at my phone. I might be reading a magazine or watching one of the TV's, or I'll be talking to someone, its nice to be able to quickly glance over and see if there is any change on the screen.
Jun 13, 2018, 12:02 pm
#105
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: SAN
Programs: 1K (since 2008), *G (since 1990), 1MM
Posts: 3,219
On the app my UG does not appear (neither before or after I checked in). I was upgraded with a RPU for both flights and do not appear on the UG list but there is a list of those waiting to UG.