jetsetter

As far as I know now Golds/Silvers can only upgrade with miles, and they aren't given new SWU/transatlantic upgrades though of course existing certs would be honored. Also often on Ebay there are transatl certs for sale. I'm sure at the gate if row 1 is open they might give it to anyone who is in Envoy and asks for it, but as a CP if your upgrade clears in advance reservations will confirm you in a row 1 Envoy seat. I don't know though...maybe once your in Envoy, they will put someone up there who asks in advance?

I did a search on CP, Chairman, Worth It, in the title area, and this is the most applicable thread I found specifically discussing whether it is worth going for CP and the differences between US1 and US2. However, I too would have thought there were more recent threads so either it is a search software glitch, operator error, or there are no other such threads . One thing I often do is search key words on title only so maybe there are some other threads that don't reflect these key words in the title.

kimharp

My husband and I have both been CP and GP off and on for the last 3 years flying mainly transatlantic and Caribbean routes. Currently we are CP....he is likely to retain status next year and I probably will if I make my challenge. We sometimes fly together, but usually it's separate flights.

The biggest advantage for me is the near certainty of upgrading transatlantic flights using miles. As GP we have usually cleared the upgrade list, but not always, and many times it's at the gate. As CP we have never not cleared the list. We usually purchase tickets less than a month out. We are almost always given row 1 as CP, however we have also been given row 1 at the gate as GP, depending on how full the flight is. It amazes me how many people don't know to ask for it.

I have personally never been recognized or thanked as a CP, but I don't fit the profile....(petite woman, and usually dress in jeans). I don't look like a slob, but I refuse to "dress up" for an international flight. My husband fits the profile (male, usually wears business casual attire while flying), and seems to think it helps recognition. I know they should know your status without looking at you, but our little "test" proves otherwise. In fact on one recent flight we took together, the TA even made a comment about me upgrading as my husband's companion, even thought the ticket was under my name. After printing our BPs she realized her mistake and apologized.

Anyway, I'm digressing from the main point which is that I feel CP is deifnitely worth it if upgrades are important to you. If you are near getting it, it's probably worth the extra mile (pun intended) to lock it in.....

KIM

shell nyc

A few months back I had a day trip down to Columbus, GA. I went out of my way to fly a connecting US flight to ATL and drove the 100miles or so to Columbus. On my return I realized I was probably not going to make my flight. I called the CP desk to inquire about flight status, and when advised that it was right on time, I asked about other routing options, as I was still 90 miles out. A very helpful CP agent told me to "be careful sweetie and don't drive too fast, we'll take care of you!" I called again right before security in ATL to let them know that I was almost there. The CP agent said not to worry, that there was already a seat saved for me on the next flight, and a note in my PNR for ATL that I was running late but not to close the door early. After the 100yd dash, I was the last one on, with the door shutting right behind me.

It's the little things like this that keep my flying US...

jetsetter

Yes ATL is a small US station so likely you might get some good service there regularly, and they really compete with DL. On that flight you did get on, did you get on right at dep time or was it early/later? I don't think, at least that it is standard operating procedure, that they check any pax PNR remarks before closing the door on a flight . In some locations it is not at all uncommon for the door to be closed even with misconnects on the last flight of the night and hotels are often not provided.

When I was in college I flew CO out of BOS, again that is a small station CO in BOS, and I got very good service. Sometimes elite pax get good service if they use a carrier that is somehow an "underdog" at a particular station....e.g. how US is an underdog at ATL. I have also heard and observed how US treats preferred very well out of Florida since Florida has so many leisure pax the theory is they really appreciate the elite/preferred pax.

Miami_Flyer

Why not start a new thread rather than resurrecting a 2003 posting?

US AIRWAYS FAN

About those paper certs for Trans-Atlantic flights. I made Gold last year and in my Gold packet I did get 2 trans-atlantic paper upgrades. I am not sure but maybe either I was lucky or they might have looked into my account and see that ever other month I fly to Spain. Maybe it is done on a case by case basis? I am not sure but I got them and used them. I have also been in row 1 twice this year.

I am going to make CP and I am excited about it.

bofie

Is CP worth it?

YOU BET!

I've gotten more help from USAirways than you can believe. The CP reservations people are great & go out of their way to help.

synd

us airways fan,

the only reason that i know of, for you to get transatlantic upgrades with your gold preferred kit would be if you qualified i think before november and as such got your kit before everybody else.

and maybe i am wrong and you did get lucky, but i haven't heard of any special treatment.

synd

jcooke

I qualified for SP last year on 1Dec and received 2 TA certs.

-JC

synd

i did too early december, but i didn't get anything, but hten they send me my kits in february with everyone else... that might be why!

LuxCal

Both times I've been upgraded transatlantic, I had an economy fare (more like an uber-economy fare, actually...), but the flight was overbooked. I was told in Frankfurt -- it's always been *from* FRA to the US -- that they were taking volunteers to give up their seats. Both times, I suggested that they could have my seat in Economy if they would move me up to Envoy, and I wouldn't complain.

I honestly don't know how I got into row 1 that one time, but again, I'm not complaining...

USLurker

I find the CP desk to be very helfpul and speak to a personal liason even in the evening and at night. In fact, I have been given, voluntarily, several phone extensions in case I have need something in the future.

Also, I have been called back by the CP desk when they were able to find an award ticket availability that they could not find while we were on the phone. I had hung up and they called me 15 minutes later to tell me that they found something.

I have had award availability opened up for me--without asking--even though the computer showed it was unavailable.

I on the other hand, do not ask for waiver of fees to change tickets, go standby, etc. I paid for the ticket with those rules, I don't think it is right to expect a waiver of the fee just because I am CP. Still, I have received a voluntary waiver on a rare occaision.

Being CP offers a lot of advantages in my opinion. Also, I think if the airline goes under, the US1's are going to be the first group taken by another carrier, maybe even with their miles.

longing4piedmont

I have taken some time to consider my response to this thread. One of the disadvantages of being known to some members of management is, well, being known to some members of management. I simply will not be as open and detailed in my response as a result. Both sides are free to read between the lines.

Being a CP on US is worth every effort it takes to get there. I know many of you are doing crazy things to get to this level, like flying R/T’s to the Left Coast just to make it to the ranks of the few. You will not regret the effort.

As most of you know I fly a lot, and granted I don’t hold upper level status on any on other the airline other than DL (and they too know that I’m one of the DL rats), I can tell you the front line employees see the status and treat me differently on US. The first year I made CP I can remember thinking “wow, what a difference. I’m never going back to GP if I can help it”. Jetsetter, I’m truly sorry you have not felt the same.

I make it a point to play by the rules and simply don’t ask for favors. For one, I do not want to get any employee in trouble. Two, I never mention I’m a CP. (my cock roach tag is still on top). But I bet there is not a month that goes by when a call is made by an employee that starts with “I have this CP……”. I’m always amazed at the result of those four little words.

I measure an airline by their performance, not when the sky is blue, but when it is stormy and things have gone to Hades in a hand basket. It is at this point that being CP makes all the difference in the world, whether calling the CP desk, or standing at a counter. I KNOW every effort is going to be made, sometimes regardless of the rules, to get me where I’m going. In most cases my time is money. 99% of the time, they always come through.

Most of you know I can not post on this subject without singing the praises of the CP desk. I have come to know and met several of the men and women on the desk and have become good friends with a couple of them. They are simply the best. They will do just about anything to make it work for me. Treat them well and they will do the same for any of us. (Treat them poorly and your name will become known among the ranks of the desk and you will experience a much different fate) They are the single biggest reason I fly US just about every week. I never cared much for Wolf, but this is one thing he got right. ^

One of my favorite CP stories happened long enough ago it should now be safe to share. I had booked five Envoy seats to FCO last Christmas when we decided later to take my dad. A quick call to the CP desk and inventory and I was given the sixth seat in Envoy. Well divorced parents sometimes get offended when free trips to Italy are not extended to both. So another phone call is made requesting the 7th and 8th seat and explaining my family dilemma. A long pause, a transfer to international, another very long pause, and the agent comes back and says that in fact inventory will free up the 7th and 8th seats, but the agent was instructed to tell me not to call back and request anymore. You could hear the laugh and the smile in her voice as she “sternly” passed along the message.

So for all you CP wannabees out there who are trying to decide if it is worth it, I say go for it. You will NOT be disappointed in the end.

bobinspain

i was CP in '02; usually i am gold, some years silver. big jump to gold from silver.

the tangible difference between US2 and US1 (CP) was not all that big, but the intangibles were huge. it was very clear that US1 flyers are treated as elite preferred customers - the people were extra nice, and the priority for upgrades was really sweet - and the reservations/upgrade service by phone was just spectacular. i got to use the companion upgrade only a couple of times, but that was nice as well.

there must be a huge drop off in numbers from silver to gold to chairman's, because even gold has gotten some good priorities during re-routing due to cancellations... and with US1 it was swoosh! nothing but net! I was rebooked and left all my coworkers sitting in Toronto!

i found that the real advantage of CP was a degree of peace of mind - if you are flying a lot on US, it can really be worth a bit of effort/money.

catwood

I have nothing but good things to say about the CP desk and will be sad to leave them when I drop to gold in Feb.

Yesterday I noticed that one of my Lufthansa flights was cancelled and they nicely rebooked me through FRA instead of MUC no problem (my request for the A 330) I noticed today that there was a better connection (1.5 hours vs 2.25 hours), but it was a LH flight that they didn't codeshare on. I called and asked if my friend and I could be on that flight. She checked, no problem, rebooked the ticket no problem.

I think they just make it effortless and they don't say "no" unless they really have to, ie it's not their first impulse.

Great stuff.