Can You Upgrade p.s. Flights Using UDU? [Merged]
May 13, 2011, 4:01 pm
#31
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1K / CO PLT
Posts: 539
My last PS flights, which were both this week, have shown all 0s except in F (and all flights on those days showed the same). I didn't select a seat in C and ended up being the person op-up'd on one of the flights to make room for the few oversells. (The gate agent asked me first if I wanted F since many do prefer the C seats.)
They seem to be running these so they oversell by just enough that they can fill F from C to fit everyone in. For example, one flight was oversold by 4 in Y and 2 in C. They filled the six remaining seats in F to fit the oversells.
Last night's flight JFK-SFO had at least 13 1Ks in Y who did not clear the upgrade list, I was told.
They seem to be running these so they oversell by just enough that they can fill F from C to fit everyone in. For example, one flight was oversold by 4 in Y and 2 in C. They filled the six remaining seats in F to fit the oversells.
Last night's flight JFK-SFO had at least 13 1Ks in Y who did not clear the upgrade list, I was told.
May 17, 2011, 12:30 pm
#32
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: SFO/SJC
Programs: UA 1K & 2MM, Bonvoy Titanium & LTP, HH Gold, Accor Silver, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 2,350
Currently on my flight to JFK - sitting in 5B. Snagged the penultimate upgrade. When I got to the airport, I was #3 on the list, with 16 seats available. 30 minutes later I was #5 on the list with 5 seats available. 5 minutes later, 3 upgrades were handed out, and I was the second one.
Three FA rumors of the week so far:
1. p.s. is probably going to two-class (no surprise there)
2. there are changes in soft product for p.s. coming, and they're the sort that "Mr Smisek thinks you will like so you probably won't" (FA's words, accompanied by a finger pointing to the overhead monitor)
3. UDU is likely coming to p.s. with the switch to two class
Make of those whatever you will -- nothing that we haven't heard rumored already...
Three FA rumors of the week so far:
1. p.s. is probably going to two-class (no surprise there)
2. there are changes in soft product for p.s. coming, and they're the sort that "Mr Smisek thinks you will like so you probably won't" (FA's words, accompanied by a finger pointing to the overhead monitor)
3. UDU is likely coming to p.s. with the switch to two class
Make of those whatever you will -- nothing that we haven't heard rumored already...
May 21, 2011, 4:59 pm
#33
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: NYC
Programs: CO Platinum/1K, SPG Platinum/Ambassador
Posts: 1,705
ps upgrades
I know udus don't work for ps flights but if there are empty seats in business or first do they ever give those to gs or 1ks or do they let them sit empty?
May 21, 2011, 5:06 pm
#34
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: BUR/LAX
Programs: UA 1K/2MM, HHonors Diamond, IHG Diamond Elite
Posts: 2,505
Unless Y is overbooked, those seats remain empty.
May 21, 2011, 5:18 pm
#35
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,854
IME ithere is usually names remaining on the waitlist when the doors close. In 20+ flights over the past two years, I have never seen an empty seat in business (but have heard this does occansionally occur). People support upgrades with SWU/CR1/miles or UFC.
Even with people on the waitlist they will not bump folks to empty seats in F to make room for more business upgraders.
Even with people on the waitlist they will not bump folks to empty seats in F to make room for more business upgraders.
May 21, 2011, 6:58 pm
#36
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: body: A stone's throw from SFO, mind: SE Asia
Programs: Some of this 'n some of that
Posts: 17,263
IME ithere is usually names remaining on the waitlist when the doors close. In 20+ flights over the past two years, I have never seen an empty seat in business (but have heard this does occansionally occur). People support upgrades with SWU/CR1/miles or UFC.
Even with people on the waitlist they will not bump folks to empty seats in F to make room for more business upgraders.
Even with people on the waitlist they will not bump folks to empty seats in F to make room for more business upgraders.
May 21, 2011, 7:13 pm
#37
Used to be MBS PremExec
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Saginaw, MI (MBS)
Programs: UA 1K 1.9MM, Marriott Titanium w/Lifetime Plat, Hilton LIfetime ♢, National Exec, Amex Plat
Posts: 5,722
Take a Saturday night redeye! I fly p.s. once a decade (this was a MR a few months ago). Not only did I have an empty seat next to me in the exit row, everyone had an empty next to them except for one or two groups of 2. There was only 1 passenger behind me in the rest of the C cabin. There were maybe a total of 8-9 people in C (including a very nice FTer I met).
May 21, 2011, 8:21 pm
#38
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: body: A stone's throw from SFO, mind: SE Asia
Programs: Some of this 'n some of that
Posts: 17,263
Take a Saturday night redeye! I fly p.s. once a decade (this was a MR a few months ago). Not only did I have an empty seat next to me in the exit row, everyone had an empty next to them except for one or two groups of 2. There was only 1 passenger behind me in the rest of the C cabin. There were maybe a total of 8-9 people in C (including a very nice FTer I met).
You were luckier than I.
May 21, 2011, 8:39 pm
#39
Join Date: Mar 2011
Programs: UA 1K, FPC Premier
Posts: 293
Like everyone says, C is always very full. The max number of empty seats I've seen is 1. This month I did two RT in F, and on 2/4 flights there was 1 empty F seat (and on 1 flight the empty seat was next to me! whee!). Redeyes also often go out full
May 21, 2011, 10:43 pm
#40
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: NYC
Programs: AA EXP, UA Platinum, Alaksa MVP 75K, Air Berlin Gold, HHonors Diamond, Marriott Gold, Hertz PC
Posts: 2,389
C is full usually, but not always. Did quite a few JFK-SFO-JFK MRs in Jan/Feb (all on Saturdays) and had plenty of flights where number of people in C (including myself) could be counted on two hands.
May 21, 2011, 10:47 pm
#41
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: California
Programs: AA EXP, lowly UA 1K; Hyatt Diamond, SPG Gold, Hilton Gold; National EC, Hertz PC
Posts: 2,214
May 22, 2011, 9:00 am
#42
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: LAX & EWR/JFK
Programs: Fomerly UA 1K, now Gold... next year, who knows?
Posts: 1,432
Past few legs LAX-JFK, I've taken the red-eye on Sat & Sun nights and I've seen it go both ways. Sometimes a few seats (1-4) remain open in C, and once they oversold and were offering a hotel room for the night, an upgrade to C on the early flight, and some e-certs ($200 or $400, I don't recall exactly)
May 22, 2011, 10:57 am
#43
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Florida
Programs: UA 1P, SPG
Posts: 521
Does UA make some NF space available in advance? I spot checked various dates in early 2012 and all NF = 0 with most flights having no one booked in NF. I thought NF was easier to come by than NC space.
May 22, 2011, 11:20 am
#44
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,854
May 22, 2011, 12:07 pm
#45
Suspended
Join Date: Apr 2009
Programs: AAdvantage Gold
Posts: 1,615
F seats, if they are booked paid, are usually booked very close in, like maybe a week prior, sometimes even the day prior. Makes sense to hold award inventory back. Furthermore, empty seats in F create an opportunity to just oversell the J cabin and op-up when needed.