New Upgrade procedure and IT? -- email from US
Jun 13, 2012, 1:49 pm
#61
Join Date: Mar 2008
Programs: US Airways Chairman, SW A-list, AirTran A+ Elite
Posts: 24
Jun 13, 2012, 2:32 pm
#62
Join Date: Feb 2011
Programs: AA Executive Platinum, Hyatt Globalist, HHonors Silver
Posts: 189
Well, for a similar route I was more successful. Nothing at T-7 (CP time), then upgrades at T-4 (Platinum time). The success story at T-4 was conveyed in an "old school" e-mail. Would I have received the new, classy 
if we had failed again ... ? That's a datum I'm glad I don't have. But leaving aside why you are not (yet, I hope) getting an upgrade, I'm not sure that there is evidence for an IT glitch. The may just be a new school "feature," and an e-mail generated at Platinum time -- for good or for ill -- seems close enough to SOP.
The point about the low award availability .... In other threads I have fumed with the best of us about the possibility that US is trying too hard to sell ToD F seats out from under us "deserving" Preferreds (folks, it's in quotations -- relax). But I'm thinking more and more that they just don't have the timing kinks out of their yield management for these seats. In my case, because I was traveling with others, and because there were low Fs available, and a number of empty F seats in the seat map (folks, I know it is not definitive -- relax), I kept trying at T-15, T-14, T-13, T-x (yes, it's boring to read, and it was boring to call, too) to upgrade all using miles. But no dice. Or, rather, once T-7 arrived, I decided to roll the dice and stop calling and hang on for potential upgrades. In this case, the dice came up right, but this is hardly the behavior of a system that wants to extract maximum yield from the F inventory.
Hang on. You still may score.
if we had failed again ... ? That's a datum I'm glad I don't have. But leaving aside why you are not (yet, I hope) getting an upgrade, I'm not sure that there is evidence for an IT glitch. The may just be a new school "feature," and an e-mail generated at Platinum time -- for good or for ill -- seems close enough to SOP.The point about the low award availability .... In other threads I have fumed with the best of us about the possibility that US is trying too hard to sell ToD F seats out from under us "deserving" Preferreds (folks, it's in quotations -- relax). But I'm thinking more and more that they just don't have the timing kinks out of their yield management for these seats. In my case, because I was traveling with others, and because there were low Fs available, and a number of empty F seats in the seat map (folks, I know it is not definitive -- relax), I kept trying at T-15, T-14, T-13, T-x (yes, it's boring to read, and it was boring to call, too) to upgrade all using miles. But no dice. Or, rather, once T-7 arrived, I decided to roll the dice and stop calling and hang on for potential upgrades. In this case, the dice came up right, but this is hardly the behavior of a system that wants to extract maximum yield from the F inventory.
Hang on. You still may score.
OM
Jun 13, 2012, 7:27 pm
#63
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: BGM/ PHL
Programs: US (Silver, *A Silver), AA, Starbucks (Gold)
Posts: 2,242
Jun 14, 2012, 7:41 am
#64
Join Date: Apr 2004
Programs: AA EXP, HH Gold,MR Gold, Avis CHM
Posts: 2,300
I have yet to receive an upgrade email from US ever! I get every other email from US, but for some reason they can't send me upgrade emails.
Jun 14, 2012, 8:29 am
#65
Join Date: Mar 2008
Programs: US Airways Chairman, SW A-list, AirTran A+ Elite
Posts: 24
Yep, same email with the Thumbs up.
Got some more "reasons" today. Here is what I've seen so far. They don't look much different than previously.
"Upgrades not available yet"
"First Class confirmed"
"Complimentary upgrades not offered"
"Too early for upgrade"
"Complimentary upgrade confirmed"
I wonder what the difference is between "First Class confirmed" and "Complimentary upgrade confirmed" is. They were both on domestic preferred upgrades.
Got some more "reasons" today. Here is what I've seen so far. They don't look much different than previously.
"Upgrades not available yet"
"First Class confirmed"
"Complimentary upgrades not offered"
"Too early for upgrade"
"Complimentary upgrade confirmed"
I wonder what the difference is between "First Class confirmed" and "Complimentary upgrade confirmed" is. They were both on domestic preferred upgrades.
Jun 14, 2012, 9:05 am
#66
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: BGM/ PHL
Programs: US (Silver, *A Silver), AA, Starbucks (Gold)
Posts: 2,242
Sounds like "Complimentary upgrade confirmed" is for good old fashioned preferred upgrades. I wonder if "First Class Confirmed" is actually intended for somebody who was either already in F (i.e. bought a Paid or Award F ticket) or upgraded via other means (miles, CP certs to Hawaii, etc...).
Jun 14, 2012, 9:29 am
#67
Join Date: Mar 2008
Programs: US Airways Chairman, SW A-list, AirTran A+ Elite
Posts: 24
Sounds like "Complimentary upgrade confirmed" is for good old fashioned preferred upgrades. I wonder if "First Class Confirmed" is actually intended for somebody who was either already in F (i.e. bought a Paid or Award F ticket) or upgraded via other means (miles, CP certs to Hawaii, etc...).
Jun 19, 2012, 6:11 am
#68
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: DCA
Programs: AA PPro, Mariott Ambassador, B6 Mosaic, SBUX Gold, Best Buy Elite
Posts: 1,838
Since this supposed improvement I haven't gotten any emails about upgrades.
I have flight on Friday which I got no email for, this flight was purchased in A, but I usually get an email that I am already confirmed for F,
I have a flight on Tuesday (Different PNR) That I don't have an email for and no upgrade has posted.
I have flight on Friday which I got no email for, this flight was purchased in A, but I usually get an email that I am already confirmed for F,
I have a flight on Tuesday (Different PNR) That I don't have an email for and no upgrade has posted.
Jun 19, 2012, 11:19 am
#69
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: DCA
Programs: AA PPro, Mariott Ambassador, B6 Mosaic, SBUX Gold, Best Buy Elite
Posts: 1,838
Since this supposed improvement I haven't gotten any emails about upgrades.
I have flight on Friday which I got no email for, this flight was purchased in A, but I usually get an email that I am already confirmed for F,
I have a flight on Tuesday (Different PNR) That I don't have an email for and no upgrade has posted.
I have flight on Friday which I got no email for, this flight was purchased in A, but I usually get an email that I am already confirmed for F,
I have a flight on Tuesday (Different PNR) That I don't have an email for and no upgrade has posted.
Didn't get the upgrade but I am not surprised by that based on the track record of upgrades being pushed out lately to 4days rather than 7. It also doesn't help that my tuesday flight is a "direct" flight LAS-DFW via PHX
Jun 19, 2012, 11:23 am
#70
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 851
What I like most about this change is that it (finally) gives you your upgraded seat info. So if you don't like the seat, you know to go to the websit and change it.
Anyone else notice that the emails now come later than before -- it used to be around 6 AM Eastern now I am getting them early afternoon like 1:30 PM Eastern.
Anyone else notice that the emails now come later than before -- it used to be around 6 AM Eastern now I am getting them early afternoon like 1:30 PM Eastern.
Jun 19, 2012, 11:30 am
#71
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2004
Posts: 851
actually, this IS a tweak in the policy. it used to be that if there were multiple people on a singe pnr, they would upgrade as a group (with the highest preferred member's status) as long as there were at least as many preferred passengers as non-preferred.
now, in order for the upgrades to be processed automatically, there appears to need to be more preferred passengers than non-preferred passengers on the pnr.
this change sucks for me. i am chairmans & my wife is silver; we travel fairly frequently with other couples, who themselves aren't preferred. we are always able to convince our friends to fly us airways with us because of the chances that the four of us will be upgraded together (and, indeed, we have had a ~50% success rate at getting our groups upgraded on such flights). no more, it seems. which means us airways will likely be losing some business from us.
now, in order for the upgrades to be processed automatically, there appears to need to be more preferred passengers than non-preferred passengers on the pnr.
this change sucks for me. i am chairmans & my wife is silver; we travel fairly frequently with other couples, who themselves aren't preferred. we are always able to convince our friends to fly us airways with us because of the chances that the four of us will be upgraded together (and, indeed, we have had a ~50% success rate at getting our groups upgraded on such flights). no more, it seems. which means us airways will likely be losing some business from us.
Jun 19, 2012, 5:12 pm
#72
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: DEN
Programs: AA EXP 1MM, UA 1K 1MM, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Plat
Posts: 400
It can however be disheartening as a former GS now 1K to be #32 on the list departing the UA hubs
Jun 20, 2012, 8:49 am
#73
Join Date: Jan 2008
Programs: I fly too much and stay at too many hotels
Posts: 489
Upgrade e-mail t-14 days!
Must have been a glitch, but I received my thumbs up e-mail for all segments at t-14 departure day - woohoo!
Jun 24, 2012, 11:05 am
#74
Join Date: Jun 2010
Programs: AA EXP, Hilton Honors Gold, National Executive Elite
Posts: 406
I am on my first upgradeable trip since this new policy was announced.
Flying Tuesday. Having not received any email on Friday (the platinum window for upgrade), I called intending on making sure that I was properly on the upgrade list. The automated system notified me that I had been upgraded for both segments.
I still as of today have not received any emails.
Any theories? Could it be because my secretary booked this ticket and not me (I was copied on the email notification of the ticket though)?
Flying Tuesday. Having not received any email on Friday (the platinum window for upgrade), I called intending on making sure that I was properly on the upgrade list. The automated system notified me that I had been upgraded for both segments.
I still as of today have not received any emails.
Any theories? Could it be because my secretary booked this ticket and not me (I was copied on the email notification of the ticket though)?
Jun 24, 2012, 11:48 am
#75
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: AA-Gold 0.425MM), AS MVP Gold, National EE, Marriott Titanium (LT-G), UA Silver
Posts: 1,136
I am on my first upgradeable trip since this new policy was announced.
Flying Tuesday. Having not received any email on Friday (the platinum window for upgrade), I called intending on making sure that I was properly on the upgrade list. The automated system notified me that I had been upgraded for both segments.
I still as of today have not received any emails.
Any theories? Could it be because my secretary booked this ticket and not me (I was copied on the email notification of the ticket though)?
Flying Tuesday. Having not received any email on Friday (the platinum window for upgrade), I called intending on making sure that I was properly on the upgrade list. The automated system notified me that I had been upgraded for both segments.
I still as of today have not received any emails.
Any theories? Could it be because my secretary booked this ticket and not me (I was copied on the email notification of the ticket though)?