GA gave away upgrade at gate to PAX lower than me on upgrade list
Oct 16, 2018, 11:07 am
#31
Join Date: Dec 2011
Programs: UA 1P
Posts: 545
Last time it happened with me they had a ton of standbys to clear. I think they were just trying to blow through the process as quickly as possible and get as many people on the plane as they could.
Oct 16, 2018, 11:51 am
#32
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Atlanta Metro
Programs: DL , AC, BA, Hhonors Diamond, IH Platinum, Bonvoy Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 2,358
It's hard to know when this, "I called your name and you didn't respond" thing is for real and when it's a convenient excuse.
Back when I was a non-rev on pre-merge CO, I was standing by for a flight, seated about 50 feet or less from the counter. I saw the aircraft, saw them boarding, waited for my name to be called, and then suddenly the door closed and they started moving! I approached the counter and the woman said, "Well, I called for you." "How could that be? I was sitting right over there! How could I possibly not hear that?" was my frustrated reply. She just shrugged.
Sometimes I think they don't really try that hard (or speak loudly enough).
Back when I was a non-rev on pre-merge CO, I was standing by for a flight, seated about 50 feet or less from the counter. I saw the aircraft, saw them boarding, waited for my name to be called, and then suddenly the door closed and they started moving! I approached the counter and the woman said, "Well, I called for you." "How could that be? I was sitting right over there! How could I possibly not hear that?" was my frustrated reply. She just shrugged.
Sometimes I think they don't really try that hard (or speak loudly enough).
Oct 16, 2018, 11:55 am
#33
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,417
I see GAs page for upgrades all the time. I would chalk this up to a lazy GA who didn't want to have to deal with the upgrade during boarding, but nothing more sinister than that.
Oct 16, 2018, 12:37 pm
#35
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2004
Location: DFW/DAL
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, AS MVPG, HH Diamond, NCL Platinum Plus, MSC Diamond
Posts: 21,422
Sounds like she wanted to hand a F boarding pass out ASAP so she wouldn’t have to deal with it later. Not the way to do it, but you can count on UA’s inconsistency. As such, I personally am listening to GA announcements in precisely situations like that. At least it wasn’t a long flight...
If the upgrade clears, why is there a need to go to the desk?
Oct 16, 2018, 12:52 pm
#36
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: NYC: UA 1K, DL Platinum, AAirpass, Avis PC
Posts: 4,599
Ah memories of the old days - pre-mobile boarding passes and transparent upgrade lists - when the only way you knew you got upgraded was waiting for that curt PA page and making the triumphant march to the podium through a sea of gate lice.
And the only way you knew where you stood on the list was asking the gate or club agent (or several) and pondering your chances vs the reliability of what the agent said.
Then there were the times pre-the whole carpet boarding era sometimes that upgraded boarding pass handoff would be met with a nod to just go and board before the others.
And the only way you knew where you stood on the list was asking the gate or club agent (or several) and pondering your chances vs the reliability of what the agent said.
Then there were the times pre-the whole carpet boarding era sometimes that upgraded boarding pass handoff would be met with a nod to just go and board before the others.
Oct 16, 2018, 12:56 pm
#37
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: SLC, UT
Programs: United 1K; HHonors Diamond; IHG Spire
Posts: 71
Non sure what a non-rev have to do with this. It was the "next person below on the list" (regardless of rev/non-rev)
I would suspect that if you were able to check...there are very FEW non-revs riding in domestic F/C. With loads as they are..they are just lucky to get on the plane.
I would suspect that if you were able to check...there are very FEW non-revs riding in domestic F/C. With loads as they are..they are just lucky to get on the plane.
Oct 16, 2018, 1:09 pm
#38
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Colorado
Programs: UA Gold (.85 MM), HH Diamond, SPG Platinum (LT Gold), Hertz PC, National EE
Posts: 5,656
So now a few UA GA's want me to hang out early at the gate, listen closely to all mumbled announcements at said gate, as it's often hard to hear the person next to me let alone the speaker system. Screw the deaf flyer, sucks to be them apparently... Something tells me the ADA might have a problem with this, but whatever.
More importantly, what I see is a few rogue GA's deciding to handle things in a different way, outside of the norm, because it makes life for them a little easier. I imagine it would make lives easier if I simply drive on behalf of the UBER/LIFT/TAXI driver as well, since I know where I want to go and they have to pull up the GPS.
I appreciate fastair's involvement on FT, but he/she may be unintentionally violating ADA policy with a verbal only approach to things, not to mention the person #1 on the list either distracted by something else or still in the club. If UA want's to add a * to the upgrade procedure that you need to be present, capable of hearing crappy speakers, otherwise you forfeit your upgrade fine by me. Otherwise please stick to the procedure.
Fastair's approach isn't a bad one, but a visual cue on the board should probably be included. The rotating list of info should include names of people that need to approach the counter would be a good start. I've only experienced the positive, with the upgrade showing up on the phone app and I kindly let the GA know that I got it and gladly accept it.
More importantly, what I see is a few rogue GA's deciding to handle things in a different way, outside of the norm, because it makes life for them a little easier. I imagine it would make lives easier if I simply drive on behalf of the UBER/LIFT/TAXI driver as well, since I know where I want to go and they have to pull up the GPS.
I appreciate fastair's involvement on FT, but he/she may be unintentionally violating ADA policy with a verbal only approach to things, not to mention the person #1 on the list either distracted by something else or still in the club. If UA want's to add a * to the upgrade procedure that you need to be present, capable of hearing crappy speakers, otherwise you forfeit your upgrade fine by me. Otherwise please stick to the procedure.
Fastair's approach isn't a bad one, but a visual cue on the board should probably be included. The rotating list of info should include names of people that need to approach the counter would be a good start. I've only experienced the positive, with the upgrade showing up on the phone app and I kindly let the GA know that I got it and gladly accept it.
Oct 16, 2018, 1:11 pm
#39
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: HNL
Programs: UA GS4MM, MR LT Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,447
OP here. I don't know what non-revs have to do with it either, except when I was boarding the two GAs were discussing my annoyance at them not following procedure and I kept overhearing the word "non-rev." I looked on the Standby list and the non-revs were all put into economy plus and not into 1F -- but if the GA is not following procedure for the upgrade list then there may be some more fuzziness in the process than I thought. Did the upgrade go to a paying passenger or a non-rev? Dunno -- at this point it's not worth me finding out either.
This is my personal best practice - if I think I have a chance - I do wait to hear my name called - although I don't recall any agent wanting to verify I want to upgrade - although, granted, my upgrades are generally always to a lie flat seat.
Oct 16, 2018, 1:49 pm
#40
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Danville, CA, USA;
Programs: UA 1MM, WN CP, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Gold, IC Plat
Posts: 15,722
I have seen it both ways. Was once personally called on my mobile phone by GF lounge @sfo and presented with an F upgrade from C on a 3-class international flight. Don't know what would have happened if I did not answer phone. Got to use GF lounge which was a nice + (in the days before Polaris). Also earlier this year was paged to podium @CUN with last 2 CPUs for my daughter and me. Was waiting to board so no problem. Have also been handed a new BP when I scan my phone to board.
In theory the GA should hold the upgraded BP until the passenger is a definite no show. But on a delayed flight who knows, maybe an F passenger offloaded and they wanted to fill the seat. In general I prefer to spend as little time in gate area as possible but I normally arrive a few minutes before the boarding time printed on my BP as I want to board early to grab overhead space.
For a 1 hour flight I don't think I'd be too worked up. You snooze you lose.
In theory the GA should hold the upgraded BP until the passenger is a definite no show. But on a delayed flight who knows, maybe an F passenger offloaded and they wanted to fill the seat. In general I prefer to spend as little time in gate area as possible but I normally arrive a few minutes before the boarding time printed on my BP as I want to board early to grab overhead space.
For a 1 hour flight I don't think I'd be too worked up. You snooze you lose.
Oct 16, 2018, 3:18 pm
#41
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: PHX, SEA
Programs: Avis President's Club, Global Entry, Hilton/Marriott Gold. No more DL/AA status.
Posts: 4,422
You'd be surprised how often on shorter flights those on the UG list DON'T want their UG, especially if it's given later (at the gate or even more so, on the aircraft.) I no longer process upgrades until I've had a confirmation that the person on the list actually wants it. Usually, after an UG is given, someone else backfills the Y seat, a "need" (a person checked in still waiting for seat assignment), and standby, or someone requesting a seat change. Now as they board, they no longer want it, or worse if it's done after boarding they no longer want it. Well, the seat has already been backfilled. They say "just give the UG to the person you put in my seat." Oh really, what if it's a lowly NRSA, then we get a thread that it is clearly shenanigans, as there were others on the UG list. Or "give it to that guy over there" (the person next to him.) Same result, UG out of order, complaints of shenanigans.
The assumption is that if you are on the UG list after check-in, that you want the UG. It is very easy to have your name removed. But People as a whole DON'T remove their name, and on short flights, people turn down the UG often, in fact very often (I'm with a friend, you only have one?) without asking to be removed. Depending on what time this is realized, its a recipe for a delay, what appears to be shenanigans, an empty seat at dptr in F with people on the list, or other issues.
So I won't UG a person off the list unless I've verified that they still want it at the time I process it. I won't change your seat in Y to accommodate a family or another person (other than for disability, or infants requiring special seating) or an equipment substitution. When people stop complaining that they got the UG but no longer want it, then I will start assuming that people on the UG list actually want the UG. Until that point, I verify with the individual every time I change their seat. The downside to this is there are less being done at t-30 and more being done at boarding (which for some is at the front end of boarding but for others, can be at the end.)
That being said. nobody gets skipped until t-15.
The assumption is that if you are on the UG list after check-in, that you want the UG. It is very easy to have your name removed. But People as a whole DON'T remove their name, and on short flights, people turn down the UG often, in fact very often (I'm with a friend, you only have one?) without asking to be removed. Depending on what time this is realized, its a recipe for a delay, what appears to be shenanigans, an empty seat at dptr in F with people on the list, or other issues.
So I won't UG a person off the list unless I've verified that they still want it at the time I process it. I won't change your seat in Y to accommodate a family or another person (other than for disability, or infants requiring special seating) or an equipment substitution. When people stop complaining that they got the UG but no longer want it, then I will start assuming that people on the UG list actually want the UG. Until that point, I verify with the individual every time I change their seat. The downside to this is there are less being done at t-30 and more being done at boarding (which for some is at the front end of boarding but for others, can be at the end.)
That being said. nobody gets skipped until t-15.
Oct 16, 2018, 3:20 pm
#42
Join Date: May 2010
Location: AVP & PEK
Programs: UA 1K 1.9MM
Posts: 6,355
I believe the persons in question are not requesting the upgrade, but are placed on the upgrade list automatically, without their participation.
Oct 16, 2018, 3:42 pm
#43
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 73
I have seen it both ways. Was once personally called on my mobile phone by GF lounge @sfo and presented with an F upgrade from C on a 3-class international flight. Don't know what would have happened if I did not answer phone. Got to use GF lounge which was a nice + (in the days before Polaris). Also earlier this year was paged to podium @CUN with last 2 CPUs for my daughter and me. Was waiting to board so no problem. Have also been handed a new BP when I scan my phone to board.
Oct 16, 2018, 4:15 pm
#44
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS/EAP
Programs: UA 1K, MR LTT, HH Dia, Amex Plat
Posts: 32,057
I saw a variation on this Sunday ORD-SFO. The GA called the two people who hadn't checked in to first to see if they were still planning on taking the flight. The first said they weren't, so he was able to clear the first person on the list right away. The second was planning on taking the flight, so the GA was out of the upgrade business at that point. Not sure of the exact time, but that was maybe T-30ish?
. That's a very unlikely scenario and why would the GA assume someone who is not checked would be at the gate? This makes no sense to me whatsoever.To the OP: Definitely write it in to 1Kvoice. Keep it simple, you were #1 on the list and GA cleared #2 and you want them to investigate that.
Oct 16, 2018, 6:15 pm
#45
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: PHX, SEA
Programs: Avis President's Club, Global Entry, Hilton/Marriott Gold. No more DL/AA status.
Posts: 4,422
I guess so (I looked up CPU vs GPU) but I still would be surprised if someone turned down an upgrade so I would find it suspicious like OP did that he was passed over.