Biggie Fries

Thanks for these comments. They anticipate admirably what I was about to write. I cannot confirm that your understanding is the way that things should be (whether as claimed at one point or another by US, as divined by us, or as per an ideal world); but, yes, your understanding fits very well with what seems to happen in practice.

And, not to pile on, but as someone -- and not the only one -- who writes in often to testify to consistent inconsistencies in receiving automatic messages, I don't know why we should think that the automatic system is especially "thoughtful," organized, or robust.

MichaelEl2

Negative. When OLCI begins at T-24 the list is created by elite level and then time of check-in. Therefore, a CP could check-in at T-1 and get the gate UG before lower level elites. If another CP checked in earlier, they would get the UG.

Biggie Fries

I don't know how we know this. Between T-24 and T-20 minutes the list can change a lot. And yet Silvers can be offered upgrades at T-24 during OLCI.

Face it: You (and US) are shooting at a moving target.

MichaelEl2

That's how it's "supposed" to work Biggie.

Biggie Fries

I hear you. It's just that the principles are complicated, so whenever we start with the idea that "it's simply a matter of ..." I get suspicious. First, I think that we put more thought into this than US does. Second, pushed to the extreme (of ordering elites from highest to lowest), what you end up with is, well ... Often1 : Why should US ever release one of these seats to us scavengers when they might be able to flog it at last-minute retail?

BoeingBoy

Thanks, that's something I didn't know.

Yes it would, but the only solution is for everyone to wait for the gate upgrade. Or go with upgrade coupons and first come first served. Maybe either would be preferable.

I can't confirm or deny, but my understanding is that all seats are under airport control starting at T-24. Once that point is reached, a res agent shouldn't be able to upgrade anyone. I will note that it's unclear whether the OP got the upgrade before or after T-24. All we know is that it was the day prior.

Finally, for my own curiosity, what site offers alerts when upgrade bucket availability becomes available?

Jim

BoeingBoy

I agree with that. Really there's no "perfect" solution unless ticket sales are halted at some point well before departure (2 days, 3, 4) and then an automatic sweep is run to award upgrades in priority order. Short of that, which won't happen, there is always the possibility of someone getting an upgrade out of their "rightful" priority. I think the question is whether that means the system in place, while not perfect, should be bypassed or not.

Jim

Ottermatic

Here's one of the other threads I'd read relatively recently that made me believe the above was the case: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/us-ai...-sequence.html

Even from rereading that, I don't think anyone has definitive proof, but without any clear US policy on the matter, I think we're pretty much all left to what we can gather from the empirical evidence.

-OM

Ottermatic

My significant other is always complaining about how I can't read minds; maybe I should point her to this thread as evidence that sometimes I can.

-OM

aztimm

I can't remember the last time I've called about upgrades, but I remember some flights (such as PHX-LAS and especially LAS-elsewhere) where they'll sometimes hold some F seats for sale until a few hours before the flight. Why upgrade an elite when they can hold out and get a paying pax who won a ton of money and doesn't mind sharing it with US on a last-minute F fare?


That said, it is really irksome that people blatantly post about skirting the rules here. Especially as a CP who has ridden in the back way too much this past year.

tommyleo

You're still making an assumption, no? Again, how do you know this for sure? Isn't it possible that the CSR simply had the computer do a sweep and the OP happened to be the next person on the UG list? As I wrote above, CSR's have been unwilling or unable to do manual ("forced") UG's for at least a year. Could the OP's CSR have had special access to a forced UG that other CSR's no longer have?

dcpatti

As I understand, the sweeps, when they run, are for more than one flight (and may be even systemwide). Not likely that a CSR would have access to run such a routine although I'm sure it's possible. However, the CSR's never lost their ability to do manual upgrades--- they need it in special circumstances such as a Pax with a lap child, or 3 pax on a PNR and 2 are elite. In those circumstances, if there's availability, the sweep won't push the upgrade and it must be done manually. I think it's more likely that the CSR either didn't know the rules or chose not to follow them, as opposed to kicking off an upgrade routine that would have touched many flights. They are told not to do manual upgrades but do still have the tools to do them.

Plus as recently as August when the hurricane rolled through, and I was reticketed in the irrops, a CSR told me they MUST wait for the sweeps, even if there's upgrade inventory open--- which is consistent with the company's message since they changed away from manual upgrades. BTW my CP fiancé ended up on the upgrade waiting list for that flight despite F=6 when we reticketed, and his never cleared; while it's entirely possible that 6 other CP's outranked us, it's not consistent with my upgrade experience on that flight over the last few years and I think it's more likely that some CSR's didn't allow the sweeps to do their thing.

higgies

I believe the system worked as intended. There were zero seats available in F after the 3 day sweep (There were about 5 seats open before that). There were still zero seats available (not held for revenue) within 48 hours. I received an email that the seats had become unoccupied (cancellations or re-bookings perhaps) from expertflyer.com, the seats had also become available within the US Airways reservations system (they were previously sold out). I have been told that the automatic upgrade queue is no longer processed after the 48 hours window, but I've also heard 24 hours. I called about 27 hours prior to flight time. The automated system on the phone doesn't try to get you an upgrade, it is simply a status of your current upgrade status, so the same thing that shows up in my reservation or in the email notification. I wanted to speak with someone with the intention of using miles to upgrade, but she told me it wasn't necessary. So I'm sure she followed procedure. It certainly wouldn't be out of the ordinary to get an upgrade on those routes as I have had good success on heavy elite routes.

higgies

Yes, and my only point was that relying entirely on an automated system to do what it is supposed to do is not always to your benefit.

higgies

That wasn't my intent or the tone I meant to convey. My understanding was that within a certain window, the automated processes stop, and it becomes a first come first serve process. If I'm wrong, then so be it.

Guess I'll just keep my experiences, comments, and complaints to myself from now on.