Robertsonland

Yeah normally that wouldn't be a problem to do something like that but the plane was very full and had I done that, she would have directed me to my seat but had to check my bag cuz all the overheads were full LOL.

I just love the mobile app shows that stuff because the GAs are always so surly when you ask them if you are on the list. They always retort with F has checked in full sir...and I then have to quip back, yeah and no one that was checked in has EVER missed a flight before This makes it easy to see but then again, you know more of what you are missing.

It sucked. But I made it safe and sounds, just not as comfy as I could have been. Thankfully I'll scrape to Chairman this year and hopefully this won't happen next year as I'll be back to west coast I'm sure and outrank most of the other flyers

sjpmurph01

I've been using the new feature a lot recently when no FC is available at my window. At least once, it's helped me to "re-checkin" at the right moment to secure the UG.

I did have to laugh though, because tomorrow I'm flying PHX-BOS and while obsessively monitoring that upgrade list, the following name just popped up on the waitlist - MIL, F.

Flyer78

Number one on a recent upgrade list PHX-PHL was YEA, U. But it wasn't me.

heyeaglefn

What's the closest to flightyou've ever seen an upgrade slot open on this wait list?

longnguk

On my last flight, one upgrade seat openned up while I was already sitting down. Seats could be openned up till the very last minutes as in the case of mis-connecting flights.

heyeaglefn

Interesting. I wonder what causes s seat to open up four hours before a flight. Obviously missing connection, cancelation, does US hold seats that long and then release them?

phlwookie

Remaining F seats open up at checkin 24 hr in advance for elites who weren't upgraded to grab at online checkin, so closer in availability that pops up is from normal changes in the passenger list like you list.

longnguk

Is this an intended feature that one would be able to 'jump' the upgrade queue? Also, I was led to believe that T-24 upgrades can only be done by a GA, wrong?

sjpmurph01

I just snagged an upgrade yesterday at T-3 hours by monitoring the waitlist and proactively changing my seat to FC while the space was available. I was already #1 on the waiting list this time, but have done this before when lower on the list.

I don't believe this is by any means an 'intended feature' but it certainly makes life easier if you're trying to keep an eye on FC availability. In the past you could keep calling into the reservation line and asking, and if space was open they could give you the upgrade instantly, even within 24 hours. If you got lucky, when you went to do OLCI and a seat happened to be open right then, it'd give you the upgrade online. Now it's just easier to refresh the waitlist to see if availability is >0.

This is the way it works up until the GA 'restricts' the flight to their gate moments before boarding starts. Once that's done, only the GA can process upgrades, standby, move-up, etc.

beofotch

I have been doing this for a long time. today at t-12 hours a first class seat opened iah - clt and as #3 on upgrade list I re-checked in and got it over 1 and 2

rmohare

Does anybody know if the list is truncated at all? I checked in last night for my LAX-PHL today on the red eye and I selected the Add to Standby List option as usual. Just looked at the upgrade list on the mobile site and it only shows 16 names, mine not being one of them. So either it isn't properly adding me to the list or it is only showing the first 16 names. Even though I'm Chairman it is feasible that there are 16 others ahead of me as this is a very busy route and I hardly ever get upgraded. Also, 16 seems like a reasonable number to truncate the list at since the A321 only has 16 available even if by some miracle they were all open to upgrades.

rmohare

Nevermind...ignore my last question. I got curious when I saw more names being added past just the 16. So I attempted to check in online using the full website and it added my name to the list.

Must be a bug in the mobile app as that was what I was using every time before. So note to all those trying to add yourself to upgrade standby using the app...looks like that function isn't working currently. I filed a bug with the agent I spoke to on the phone so hopefully they will address it. At least now I can view the upgrade list...I've probably not even been on the list ever when checking in with the app and not known it.

johnep1

This is great functionality.

One question. Are gate agents supposed to clear the upgrade list before the standby list or can they clear someone on standby directly into first (ahead of folks on the upgrade list)? As an aside, guess what happened to me today.... I could follow along in real time on my phone.

rmohare

They should be separate lists...but they usually clear the upgrade list first so they then have room to seat passengers on standby in C. That's generally my experience. I've been seated in C and then the agent comes back and asks me to move up to F so they can seat a standby passenger in my seat.

YMMV, of course. Sounds like you have a story...do tell...

beofotch

When boarding I realized my good fortune was due to an equipment swap from an a320 to an a321... Thus 4 new seats so when i checked this morning at 5am local time sure enough there was 1 left. It doesn't hurt to check and recheck... I am sure some others lower on the list also got upgraded due to the swap and fortuitous check in timing