Same PNR Different Slots on the Waitlist
 

My SO and I are on flight from ORD-CUN early next week. I found out that we are listed separately on the wait list. #4 and #7. Including me there are 4 1K's on the flight.

I called the 1K desk to confirm that we were listed together and she said yes, when I asked what numbers she became rather quiet and then told me I would have to wait until I arrived at the airport. Currently, there is enough upgrade space for both of us to clear, but things could change and I don't want to miss the upgrade because of some sort of glitch. A second call to the 1K desk didn't do any good either.

And yes, I am 100% sure we are not listed together. :)

Any ideas why? Any ideas how to get it fixed?

Thanks!

If it's true you're #4 and #7 that defies conventional FT wisdom on how upgrades work before going to the DM list at the airport. But I'm confused about something... if there's upgrade space available now why can't you confirm now? Are you using e500's? If so, you're not actually waitlisted yet, you're just in pending status until the 100 hour window comes.

I don't think there's anything you can do to get it "fixed", other than change to an immediately confirmable upgrade instrument and snag the upgrades now if they are available. You'll just have to take whatever comes.

I should have been more clear. There is space for both of us to clear at this time based on current loads, but there is no NC space left. (I would guess they are trying to sell cash upgrades at the gate.) I used CR1's to upgrade the flight.

Aaah ok.. well then it's a mystery why you'd be 4 and 7. I think they're trying to sell C seats.. it is likely most if not all of the C space will be handed out to upgraders between now and flight time..possibly as late as 4 hours before the flight. Doubtful they will hold back seats for cash upgrades at the gate.

You're referring to NF space, correct? I didn't think UA runs 3-class to Mexico.

I wish they ran a 3 class to Mexico! Unfortunately, it is just a 320. However, they sell the "F" cabin as "C" on flights to Mexico.

Waitlist for upgrade right?

What did you use to upgrade with? ( CR1s -- missed the later posting)
Are you on the same PNR?
What is status of SO?

How did you find out placement?


-- there have been recent discussed if waitlist priority has changed and that status may be now the primary factor.

Yes, we are on the same PNR. SO has no status. I'd rather not say how I know, but I am 100% certain. FYI- #7 is last on the upgrade list for the flight.

I really think this is the case. What is interesting though was that somebody with a companion on their PNR would carry the status of the highest passenger on the PNR. The above scenario contradicts that and it appears further reinforces that status means everything.

As another data point, I sponsored a friend earlier this week for a flight. The flight has gone from F9 to F3 and it appears upgrades have cleared for others (F-cabin filling up and E+ seats have opened up). I recognize that I'm making a pretty big (and possibly dangerous) assumption that others have waiting for upgrades have cleared. NF is still 0 according to .bomb. My friend has no-status on UA. If the above is true, one could conclude that sponsor status means nothing on the waitlist and its all about passenger status, contrary to what others have posted here.

Rules did change but...
 

This contradicts everything I have been told about the "Old" and the "New" system (I am not referring to UDU when I say "New").

Note: there are multiple criteria that impact placement on the wait list. I am only referring to how the one criteria of MP Status supposedly works.

I was told by many different sources that with the Old system, the MP status of the upgrade sponsor determined placement on the upgrade wait list even at the airport. At some point it recently changed such that the sponsor's MP status no longer impacting the day of flight, or airport, wait list order and that the airport wait list order was determined by the flyer's MP status.

However, the referenced change should NOT impact the OP until the day of flight Not being adjacent on the advance wait list flies in the face of what I have been told by more than a dozen UA agents and my experience for more than the past 8 years.

I have been the victim of upgrade wait list computer problems and that is what this sounds like to me. But this one seems like agent error. It sounds like somehow someone manually input the SO's status and overwrote the OP's status.

I hope you both clear. Best of luck and happy holidays.

I've been told the same thing: Sponsor status does not carry over to sponsoree and the waitlists are now being cleared by status, not FIFO.

My recent experience supports this but I don't want to draw any conclusions from just a few data points.

You will clear before your significant other. Your significant other with no status will clear last.

I recently used my SWUs for my friend, a general member, first, then myself (1K). We are on separate PNRS. So far, 5 of my 6 segments have cleared and my friend only has 2 of his segments cleared.

Therefore status is everything now. It is no longer first in first off.

Another data point here that I would think is the opposite... I have a 2P friend cleared a SFO - NRT flight to NC. He had waitlisted for quite sometime, so if the FIFO system is in place, then it seems he cleared with just waiting. I'm not sure how SFO - NRT compares to the SFO - HKG (which is notoriously hard to clear), I'm just assuming the common knowledge that SFO is very elite heavy and I'd think it is safe to assume that there is always someone with a higher status (1P, 1K, GS) than him in the waitlist (if IM releases NC seats very slowly).

Plenty of assumptions here...

Data Point

SO and I were on waitlist for SFO to HNL on Sunday night. I am a 1K, he is a Premier Associate. I was listed second, he was listed 8th. The upgrades were requested a week in advanced, cleared at the gate.

Ouch, ouch, ouch. Doesn't bode well for 1Ps sponsored with SWUs by kindly 1Ks. Second-guessing my decision not to do a 22K BIS mileage run in late-November :(