I still want to know where these routes are that people speak of with whole empty rows of E- in the back, and empty E+ in the front. In my experience, I have not seen an empty seat go out (That I have been aware of) in 2+ years. In fact, almost every flight I am on is oversold.

Since this started, I tried to move up to E+ at my various upgrade windows, but no luck. And unfortunately, UDU has not helped me much at all. Most of my routes are on A119's or CRJ700s with 8 and 6 F seats respectively, so even as 1K, I am not getting UDUs. Even on my 757 flights (Rare but nice) I have still not been UDUd. I keep seeing upgrade lists with over 50 people on them when I am on the mainline flights, I'm always near the top on the little flights, but still no luck yet.

So I guess it is all about location, and I am just on crappy routes to be an elite.

I am hoping that what WineCountryUA said will be true for my routes, and I will try and hold out.

F9 does have an E+ similar product, and they have always gone everywhere I go, however I have held out repeatedly out of loyalty to UA. I've seen a few colleagues switch, and haven't done so yet. But I have also almost never been stuck in E- until this month of this year.

And when I say no E-+, I mean seat map totally full, not even a middle seat.
So yes, good for UA as people are paying, it just sucks that it then
negatively impacts the loyal week traveler.

Can the OP please give us the specific routes he flies and encounters this problem and how close to flight he books, and what fare is paid? Although UDU is in place I find even as a 1K on certain routes the advance upgrade doesn't clear until a day or two before the flight because UA is keeping F seats for sale (as Y-up purchases), or not until at the gate. If OP's buying last minute, why not buy Y-up?

I've found that the cabins in the aircraft and routes I've been flying have been almost at capacity this summer, even on routes which I have noticed are often not too full, at least at the times I fly. My most frequent routing is CVG-ORD-YYZ, with the ORD-YYZ usually having a good amount of capacity left. Even at some of the more peak times, I think I got an upgrade every flight on these routes between UDU starting through June.

In July and August that hasn't been the case, even at non-peak times. Obviously, would rather have the upgrade, but I'm not complaining. My CVG-ORD on Wed. evening had every seat full. My upgrade on the YYZ segment cleared a few hours prior to the flight, and I think there were 4 seats empty on the entire plane.

See this as peak travel filling the seats. It sucks to have to sit in E-, especially on longer segments. But am happy that UA is filling more seats.

I have not encountered this problem, but I would call to make sure that if a E+ seat did open, that I would automatically be moved up.

Who would yoou expect to do this?

That would be BETTER, I should think. But that's just me....

Not so sure of that. Last month I was on a CRJ700 in E+ and my UDU hadn't cleared at the gate. As the door closed there was still an open seat in F. Thought GA might come on board and move myself or another 1K/GS into it but nada. However, some guy got out of his seat in E+ and took his bags from the overhead and just walked up and took the F seat. Best I could make out when the FA challenged him he flashed his 1K card, the FA shrugged and let him stay! Unfortunately YYZ UA ground staff are not doing things as they should...

If E+ is being successfully sold that means a far greater chance of keeping E+ around after the merger, which I am all for...........

I was having problems getting an E+ close in on ORD-HKG last month but as the upgrades cleared I moved up and then the day of departure MY upgrade cleared so all was good.

I am surprised you have not been in First, only 1 of my 60ish flights this year have not been upgraded to F

emanon256, have you:

1. Checked seat map everyday after you have been ticketed to see if any E+ or exit row seat has become available?
2. Changed your seat from E- to E+ or exit row when on line check-in?
3. Asked gate agent for better seating?

7 days out up until flight time, I see a full (or nearly full) E- all the time it seems like, yet E+ only half full. Plenty of aisles/windows to go around, let alone exit rows.

Where will the employees sit?

All flights on any airline that I have flown this summer have been full and some asking for volunteers to give up their seats.

I have flown E+ on some of the flights, but I have not been offered a free drink.

As stated in the promotion thread, the drinks are generally not being offered for free by FA's, but are given when you request a drink (though Chicken's are mentioning it). Of course, of the two flights since the promotion began when I was sitting in E+, one I didn't feel like getting a beverage, and the second, I got it for free, but the FA apparently didn't know about the beverage deal. We left a bit late, and she was serving first too, so said she didn't mind giving it to me at no cost. Too bad I am flying next tomorrow, the first date on which the promo is over.

This doesn't seem to be getting much attention, but it sure seems like this big E+ promotional push is for the merger committee to do some number crunching ahead of what will be a pretty high profile announcement.

And for all of you marketing/soft skills/non-finance types out there, noooo, they don't care whether you LIKE E+ or not... they only care if it makes m-o-n-e-y.