Upgraded without a request
 

I just got an email telling me that I've been upgraded to first class for a flight Friday morning. Seeing how I'm a lowly 2P and I don't have any e500s, any idea how this happens? This is a rebooking, so I'm wondering if my company's travel agent submitted an upgrade request on my behalf. I just want to know if I can make this happen again without using miles/e500s etc.

Thanks!

Perhaps you accidentally submit a request for an upgrade? They allow you to request for e500 upgrades regardless of how many e500s you have in your account.

Most likely you were rebooked in Y so you got a complimentary upgrade since there was space and you are premier.

upgrades are automatic and free on a full coach fare. If you go to my itins it will show in red at the top of the page "a complimentary upgrades has been requested"

What fare bucket are you booked in? If it's Y or B, that would explain the upgrade.

You may want to check and see if this is what happened. Mr. R is on a flight that was booked by the travel agency for his work. I noted that he had a cleared upgrade that he/I did not request and wondered if it was complimentary. When I went to check in for this flight this morning, it asked me how I wanted to support this upgrade. I have never seen a free upgrade that was cleared in advance unless it was on a Y or B fare. I'd check so you get no surprises at checkin and find that all the good seats in Y are gone.

Yep ... I'd be reasonably worried if that wasn't a domestic Y or B fare.

Anyone can request an ug for you ... including an unskilled agent who types in something into the wrong field. And if you are short of instruments, the options range from paying, being downgraded to a inferior seat, to an outright IDB.

Thanks to everyone for the input.

Quick follow up: is there a separate MP Reservations number for Premier members? Haven't gotten a welcome kit yet.

Thanks!

Yes. But even when you call the general line and enter your MP number, your call should be prioritized according to your status.

I've been u/g a few time without request or expense as a 2P/1P on a discounted ticket due to space reasons (say there is a family of 3 that want to sit together, and you're in that 3rd seat they'd like to have, so they move you up to Y/B). This is most commonly done during peak travel times (holidays/vacations) when people travel in groups.

Sometimes, depending on the airport/counter/gate/crew, I've been u/g just out of them being nice. This usually happens at BWI and IAD, where they crews are familiar with me.

Just enjoy it.

Follow up - this happened to me... I couldn't check in, as it wanted to know how I'd be "paying" for the upgrade. Promptly demoted back to E+... c'est la vie.

Sigh.

What fare class were you booked into?

At least there were still seats available in E+.

Why the sigh, MatthewLAX?

Hope you at least got the same seat you had booked (or a better one since a lot elites would have vacated good seats after their upgrades cleared). I'd personally be very annoyed if I got stuck in a middle after all that.

Is this the point where someone chimes in with the "dot bomb at it's finest!" comment?