aparsuites

Last week I was scheduled to return from SAN to LGA on an early flight (via ORD). I was on a T fare and had confirmed upgrades for both flights using a CR1. I overslept and when I showed up to the check-in counter about an hour after my original flight's departure, I was confirmed in Y for SAN-IAD-LGA, with seat 33E for the long SAN-IAD flight. I took this, went through security and asked at the RCC whether I could upgrade this new itinerary. The RCC agent put me on the upgrade list, gave me a DM card and told me I had jumped to #1 on the list, since the others on the list all had lower status (I have 1K). She told me to check with the gate in about ten minutes, and that since there was one seat in F left to be released, I would get it unless someone came along whose priority on the upgrade list trumped mine.

Following her advice, I went to the gate 10 minutes later only to be told that F had checked in full. I went back to the RCC, thinking that I would stand-by for a later flight on which I would get an upgrade. When I re-entered the club, the agent was surprised that I hadn't been upgraded. She checked the record and found out that the gate agent had in fact given the upgrade to the passenger below me on the upgrade list (even though the upgrade had been issued after I was put on the list). She was very apologetic, and I didn't act upset, as it was clear that she was already trying her best to help me. I said to her that I was not in a big hurry, but that it would be great if I could get upgraded, and that I didn't mind taking a later flight.

So, as she checked some things on the computer, I said that I would be happy to go into JFK instead of LGA, if there were any availability through SFO. Hearing this, she said there was, and proceeded to give me two F boarding passes -- SAN-SFO and SFO-JFK -- the latter 3-cabin F on a p.s. flight! I thanked her very much, but in our conversation it was never acknowledged that this was a double upgrade. I could very well have been the case that as a SAN agent, she wasn't too used to dealing with 3 cabin domestic flights.

Despite being excited for the potential F flight from SFO to JFK, I was not confident that it was set in stone. And sure enough, once in SFO, just before boarding began, I heard just what I was hoping not to: "aparsuites, please check with the agent at the desk." When paged, I went to the desk and announced, "I'm aparsuites." Before I could blink, the GA had grabbed my BP, emphatically ripped it in half, and handed me a C BP, saying, "The agent in SAN rebooked you incorrectly. This is a 3-cabin aircraft. I've got you an exit row window in C." To this, I simply said, "Oh I see," and rather wimpily retreated. I was a bit annoyed, because I felt there was a 50-50 chance that the RCC agent in SAN had given me the double upgrade as a courtesy compensation for the fact that my upgrade on the earlier flight to IAD had been mishandled. OTOH, it was possible that the SAN RCC agent really had just double upgraded by accident, not noticing the C inventory on the SFO-JFK flight.

In any case I didn't protest, since I didn't feel very justified trying to deny people who had paid for C the chance to upgrade to F. I was happy enough in C (and having experienced p.s. F once, I knew that there wasn't really that much difference, particularly since I wasn't planning to sleep, and, since this was an SFO rather than an LAX flight, I didn't expect sitting in the F seat to include the titilation of sharing the cabin with A-list celebrities). After boarding the flight though, I saw that F was completely empty until the very end of the boarding process, when a large pack of UA employees came and filled up the F cabin. Seeing this I became a bit more annoyed, as it was clear that my downgrade hadn't been for the purpose that I originally suspected. I managed to suppress my annoyance, and I decided to just enjoy the p.s. C flight, since by all acounts, that's a pretty good result if you are flying on a $220 T class ticket.

The most interesting thing to me came when the flights posted to my MP account: the SFO-JFK flight was listed as F and I was given 150% EQMs and 125% RDMs. I find this very odd. Does this mean that the agent in SAN rebooked me into C and then upgraded me to NF, thus confirming my suspicion that she had intentionally given me a double upgrade? How did the flight post as F when my F seat was cancelled and I was given a C BP? At the end of the day, I'm not too concerned, although I do think that it's generally a very bad policy for an airline to de-gift. If one agent over-upgrades (whether by choice or by accident), a downstream agent should think twice before taking the superfluous upgrade away. I thought it was rude of the SFO gate agent to grab my boarding pass, rip it up and give me a new one without apologizing for the earlier agent's mistake. To reitterate, I felt in no position to complain since I was on a cheap ticket, and I thought that I might be the obstacle to paid C passengers upgrading to F. However, if I had known that F was going to be filled by nonrevs, I would have been willing to plead my case, since, in my view, a nonrev should be able to fly in C in order to prevent the de-gifting of an upgrade to a 1K (even if the upgrade was due to an earlier agent's error).

Does my position seem reasonable? I don't have anything against nonrevs, but I really think that one agent's taking away concessions that have been given by another is in very bad form and should generally be avoided. Now, I'm being hush-hush with UA about the whole event, since I'm happy enough to collect my 150% EQMs.

moondog

back when the dl parntership was in effect, it was often possible to snag 3cabin-f seats with 2cabin awards because the dl agents weren't too familiar with the 3-cabin concept. the trick to keeping those nice big seats ime was to keep interaction with ua employees to a minimum.

BenjaminNYC

Quite frankly, no. You overslept (your fault) and missed your flight. They could have charaged you a change fee AND a re-fare, but they didn't. That was the first nice thing. They also re-routed you for free. That was the second nice thing. They also found you upgrade space. That wasn't really a "gift" since you "paid" for it, but still nice that the RCC agent in SAN worked with you. Just because she made a mistake, doesn't make you entitled to receiving the benefit of that error. We all know that F on three class planes often filles with non-rev's but that's a perk they get (one of the only remaining few), and if you had paid C (C or D buckets), I'm sure you could have snagged the upgrade space into F/P. I'm not trying to sound harsh, but I don't think your position is reasonable.

I hope you enjoyed the C seat, especially row 9! Although, frankly, I find it has TOO much room!

dhammer53

The flight att's say that the C seat is more spacious in feeling than F .

UA must have compensated you upfront with the extra miles.

Dan

Flying Buccaneer

The SAN agent made a mistake in upgrading you to F on SFO-JFK, and possibly caught it after you left SAN. I had a TPA-DEN-SFO flight in Jan that was booked with a US flight # on UA metal. As a result, I had to wait until the airport to upgrade. The agent at TPA at first upgraded me to F and after she handed me the BP realized it was a 3-cabin aircraft. She apologized, asked for the DEN-SFO BP, and issued a new one in C. I never felt like she had taken anything away from me.

exerda

Seems like you came out pretty well overall, but the behavior of the GA in snatching away your BP was a bit odd and could have been done better. "I'm sorry, aparsuites, the agent in SAN apparently made a mistake with your BP. This is a three-class a/c, and she should have booked you into C. Could I have your BP so I can give you your correct seat?" Not a lot of effort on the GA's part, and a lot better feelings all around afterward.

UA_Flyer

I have experienced similar double upgrades at check-in counters then got taken back during transfer or at the gate. It doesn't really bother me. I actually think it is good that there is a control in place to catch this error. Sometimes double upgrades are given for operational reasons, but in this case it was an error and rightfully corrected.

kevanyalowitz

Once I was double upgraded from ORD-SEA (777) by a PIA ramp agent!! No problems at all. To make things better. The person that I was traveling with (also double upgraded) was on one of those elite comp certs!!!!

SEA1K4EVR

One time when I was traveling from JFK-SFO (several years ago..it was my first year as 2P) the United agent at a SEA United city ticket office (the good old days) mistakenly confirmed me in F on a 3 class plane for that leg (using miles to upgrade from discounted Y). He gave me a printed itinerary with the confirmed F seat. A few weeks later when I arrived at JFK to check in they tried to put me in C but I argued and the agent went in back and talked to a supervisor and they agreed to let me have the F seat. It was the best flight of my life to that point! Took several more years before I made it back into 3 class F. Definitely nicer now on the 777 than on that old 767, but that first time is what I still remember most vividly.

burr

This has happened a couple of times for me. I was in LHR a few days ago, and I was called to the podium. I had my boarding card in my hand and when I approached the desk, she took it out of my hand and gave me a new one. She didn't say much at all actually. Anyways, I figured she was having a hard day.
It was an op-up however.

aparsuites

I agree that, looking at the overall picture, I didn't go through any hardship -- quite the opposite. That's why I didn't bring up the issue and cooperatively took the new seat. However, it's wrong that I could have been charged change fees. With free same-day standby, I am allowed to stand-by for later flights the same day. I told them that my schedule was flexible and they could put me on any flights that had room. Also, the fare allowed for standby back and forth between LGA and JFK. So, being aware that the rules allow for this, and that as a 1K I can have priority standby, I don't think I would have had to worry about paying any change fees as long as flights were not all booked. For me, one advantage of UA, which is in effect a published benefit, is the ability to stand-by for free on same day domestic flights. Other airlines (US comes to mind) don't allow this, and the fact that UA does is one of the reasons I fly them.

BenjaminNYC

I hope you didn't feel that I was attacking you. I was just answering how I felt in response to your question.

What you've said above seems right, and I'm sorry that I may have been incorrect. I do remember now that you can stand by for same day before and after your flight. However, if it's going to be after, I thought you had to call UA before the time of your scheduled departure... or something like that...

izzik

Once I was double upgraded from ORD-SEA (777) by a PIA ramp agent!! No problems at all. To make things better. The person that I was traveling with (also double upgraded) was on one of those elite comp certs!!!!

You fly PIA (Pakistan Int'l Airlines)?? Living on the edge, eh?

wahooflyer

Nope. AA has that policy (cancel before ticketed departure time, not just date), but not UA.

As far as I know, if you miss a 6 a.m. flight on UA, you can show up to the airport and ask to go standby on the 10 p.m. without notifying UA first via phone. This would be foolish as the 10 p.m. might not have any open seats, but I've shown up several hours after my ticketed UA departure and didn't have any problems standing by for a later same-day flight.

fly747first

Actually, I have managed to sit in F on 3-class UA aircraft by using just 50,000 US dividend miles instead of the usual 60,000. It is still possible to manage a double-upgrade when using miles since some agents book you into "O" given that "O" is the same award code for First Class on 2-class aircraft as well as 3-class aircraft. Apparently, some agents do not know that for 50K miles, they are supposed to be looking for "I" inventory if it's a 3-class aircraft.