as219

GF and I were in Y on an early morning JFK-SFO p.s. flight, on a US codeshare. Upgraded to C with miles at the gate, even though I am not even a 2P. From what I've read on FT, upgrading codeshare flights is simply not allowed. Were we just lucky that the GA let us do this? (C was full, F about half so, and Y was pretty light.)

rfrost

I, too, would be interested in the answers to these questions.

Hiro32

According to this thread it's better not to check-in too early, right?
I think I will get my boarding pass (UA852 NRT-SFO) at SIN when I check-in flight UA890 (SIN-NRT), otherwise I cannot go through security at NRT, no? Maybe I need to get in Japan, and then check-in at UA counter outside immigration, or just go to RCC and then ask?
Any suggestions?

dulcamara

This August, ORD-HKG. I wanted to move to the early flight. The GA said he'd do it, but I'd have to give up my sear+UG on the later flight (was was about to be 3hrs later for a mechanical). I asked what my changes for an UG on the early flight were, and he said "very very good". I went for it, wound up with an aisle seat in C, and my SWU was RETURNED to me (it was take away when I confirmed the UG at booking).

In June I was waitlisted for an IAD-CDG round trip. UG's cleared at the last minute, SWUs returned the next day.

The CDG deal amazes me. I asked for nothing and nobody said a word.

TBurr

I have been 1 K for many years, just hit the 900,000 mile lifetime mark, and have NEVER received an Op upgrade! I have never been handed an upgraded BP or heard my name called for one.

mahjongguy

Me either, and perhaps for the same reason. I always fly in confirmed NC, on an H fare or lower, so an op-up would be a double-up.

Double-ups are extremely rare (I'm guessing they require the consent of the Flight Planner). It's so much more likely that a "paid C" passenger will get a single op-up to F.

TBurr

I wish I was on a paid C or high fare Y. Afraid not! I get into C only by using some form of upgrade. So, I still have never been OP upgraded!

Nippon_UK

I've just got back home from JFK-LHR on UA956. Flight was completely oversold for a good week or so and upon check-in was told by the agent "We have some very good news, we are upgrading you today".

We checked in 3 hours and a bit before so it looks like they had scanned through the list and processed before check-in opened. The cabins were full apart from 1 business seat.

Houston Cowboy

I have been recently upgraded from C to F before I even reached the check in counter. Standing in line at SFO and waiting to check in for a flight to SYD, a charming woman with a walkie talkie comes up to me and asks where I am going to.

She takes my eticket receipt and says: "I am sorry we cannot accommodate you in business today, you will have to travel first I'm affraid". I never even asked for an upgrade. It has happened to me a lot with other airlines when I am just picked out randomly.

On the downside, I also get picked out a lot at customs for detailed bag searches and get profiled for extra security screening.

thegingerman

Maybe the Houston Cowboy look has something to do with it

j.k., I love cowboys (my brother is one) and I love Texans, too

radio flyer

Just last Sunday, returning home DTW-ORD-OAK, we arrived to find that on the ORD-OAK leg, our 4 seats (all together) in E+ had been moved to E- along with an aircraft change (A320 to 757)! When I questioned the curbside check in agent, he indicated that I would need to take it up when we arrived in ORD.

Once we landed in ORD, I approached the GA and provided a copy of my original PNR showing that I had booked into E+ 4 months ago, and asked if there was anyway he could get us back into E+, reminding him that it was a pretty long flight to be in E-.

When he pulled up our record, he could see that I am a 1P, my wife is a 2P and my 4 year old is a 2P as well. - The fourth seat was for my 2 year old, and it was his first paid seat, so he had no status, but was an MP member(!).

With a few quick key strokes, the GA informed me that there was not enough room to move us all to E+, so I asked very nicely if there was as least one seat available for my wife, who was travelling with son #3 (1 month old) on her lap. - He quickly replied that there was only one seat free, but it was in the Exit row - no dice with infant on lap.

Finally, I asked what an upgrade would cost (knowing full well it would be 15K Miles or 4 E-Certs), and when he replied, I very politely turned him down and mentioned that the price was just too steep given the fact that all I really wanted was the E+ seat I had in my original booking.

So, we board the plane, take our seats in E- (I really had forgotten how tight the fit is back there), and just as they are preparing to close the door, the GA hops on board, walks directly up to my seat and indicates he wants to offer one OU to F. - Naturally, this goes to the wife with infant on her lap (scoring big points too). Thank you to the GA for being so attentive to the situation!

The second Op Up occurred in June of this year. The wife and I were travelling SFO-IAD-FRA-VCE. At the time, we were both 2P and had upgraded (via Miles) to C class. On our way out of IAD (upstairs on a B747), we had to leave the runway and head back to the departure gate after a warining light went off in the cockpit. - You can guess the rest... an hour on the plane, then deplane and another 2 hours at the departure gate before they cancel the flight.

What heppened next was as close to chaos as you can get. It was nearly 10:00 PM and all the airport employees were going home. And, with a 747-load of pax who had connections in FRA that they needed to re-book, and a skeletal staff the desks were full.

We ended up waiting nearly 3 hours in line in the RCC to re-book our FRA-VCE leg and when it was finally our turn at the counter, I got to talking with the very friendly United employee about how well my wife was holding up (and not complaining like some of the others) even though she was 6 months pregnant and had a painful case of sciatica.

After getting us re-booked and providing our hotel, taxi and meal vouchers, he added one last remark: "Please ask the GA to check the comments section in your record before you board".

So, the next morning (after staying up most of the night working on re-booking hotels and rental cars at our destination), we did as instructed and the GA handed over two boarding cards in F! - We were both Op Up'ed on already upgraded seats!

Needless to say, we really enjoyed International F seats, and arrived completely rested in FRA the next day.

Wingnut

That's a great story, radio flyer - welcome to FT!

oldandslow

I'm at 845,000 miles flown with UA, been 1K for the last seven years, and I also have NEVER received an op-up.

I used to get them in the early 1990s when I flew on AA, but not once on UA.

It may be a small consolation, TBurr, but you're not alone.

radio flyer

Thank you Wingnut. - It should be no surprise that I credit these Op Ups (and many more pleasant experiences) to what I have learned perusing FT over that last year and a half!

bervol

In July I was flying SFO-FRA via ORD on a standard award.
I had reserved E+ aisle seats on both legs.

At boarding time the man collecting boarding passes took mine then quickly substituted a new on which he passed through the machine.
Once aboard I found that I had been relocated to a center-row seat!
I was fairly peeved because I generally don't make reservations at all if I can't get decent seats (I am a 6'3" recreational flyer).

I raised a (minor) stink and ended up getting moved to a center seat in the last row of business class! Needless to say I refrained from making heavy demands on the FAs during the flight, in fact, I adopted my "I'm just glad to be here" demeanor for the duration.

So Op-Ups sometime occur even with award tickets.