scnzzz

One other thing OP should note. Hard as this route may have been to upgrade in the past, with the merger, I would only expect it to be harder, now that pmAA elites can use their SWUs (post 10/17), or just buy C to avoid LHR (personally I don't mind LHR but opinions vary widely ).

This is a route I would argue is ripe for an upgauge to a 772 CIP, but who knows when/if that would happen! (even though the CIP 772 has ~ 40 or 50 *fewer* Y seats than the pmUS332!)

morrisunc

Us doesn't do ug lists at airport and they have to be cleared a few hours ahead of time. I think I was the first to call. C

Exec_Plat

Im a CK for the last two years.

Ive never seen this.... but you want to believe it, go ahead,

On a normal flight I am stacked up as just an EXP, ordered by date of request. Period. (The only TATL flight on which I did not buy a biz ticket turned into a t-45min battlefield upgrade ain LHR on an LHR-LAX flgith...no special CK handshake.)

Now, during MX or WX irrops, CK agents WILL put me on whatever flight I want if there is a seat. If I am in F or on an upgrade, they will move me into a full F seat.

But this is NOT the same as an 'unpublished benefit where CKs are cleared before EPs'

OP is flying on AA flight, right? In November as I recall? He will not be served well by listening to someone's misconceptions about how they think upgrades used to work on US based on what was said on a phone call.

thepla

I can;t believe my Nov 26 flight TLV-PHL was already cancelled. Maybe because of light a load, who knows.

They cannot book me on El Al to LHR and keep same day I have to move up or back a day. I can change to other carrier on same day but it forces a repricing, no change fee.

When it was US my family could get better seats even though in a different cabin. I always thought this was allowed, maybe not. My outbound still has them in better seats. I've never flown US in my life so I'm pretty sure I remember them getting better seats before on AA.

phlwookie

It's hardly my most common TATL route, but every single time I've flown it (6 or so times in the past two years) it's been oversold in coach and full in business. Wouldn't expect upgrades to be easier at all. US only flew it with the smaller A330-200 because the -300 didn't have the legs to reliably make it.

Exec_Plat

Can you cancel all of them (your ticket, their tickets) and start over?

thepla

My business class c ticket was 2000 and now 4000. I'm pretty sure an airport agent can change

nova08

It's Thanksgiving. Airlines often fly a reduced schedule on holidays. AA is just getting to extending the schedule past Sept/Oct.

Exec_Plat

I was thinking if you could, buy the wife the Biz. Buy you and son the Y with SWUs - EXP has a chance to clear.

At 2k per ticket, I would have bought 3C. Purely personal value judgement.

FYI if you CAN find a biz fare for them on the same flights they should be able to upgrade for $ and waive the fees.

econometrics

I agree. OR, we can keep hoping for an additional MIA-TLV with a 772 in the future. If UA can operate 2x 50J 772s from EWR, I'm sure AA could pull of a 772 ex-PHL at the least, if not ex-PHL 332 and ex-MIA 772. One can hope. ^

So I guess the plane will sit in TLV from 15:30 on the 26th to 23:30 on the 27th. The crew will have a nice Thanksgiving in the still-warm waters of the Med.

Yes, I've been on this one numerous times this past year and it's always very full. Pretty sure it's been reported that it runs an 80-85% annual load factor, which si really impressive.

phlwookie

In recent years, US has generally not operated flight banks out of CLT, DCA, PHL and PHX after about 4 or 5pm local time on Thanksgiving - barring a major storm affecting multiple hubs during the prior day, these flights will generally be very empty anyway so it's usually the right move. Most of the eastbound TATL flights have not operated on these days. They tend to run more on Chrstmas and New Year's Eve, though more people seem to be traveling then so the cuts don't tend to be as significant.

billgrates3

what about Friday night flights to TLV and Saturday AM return? ... should be easier to upgrade for the unorthodox (so to speak).

econometrics

From my experience flying on these very days on this route, it's not much of a game-changer. In fact, most of the time, I have not noticed an unusual amount of religious individuals on the flight from PHL.

Also, TLV-PHL on a Saturday night is actually packed. 1. you have tours going back to the States. 2. It's Motzei Shabbat, so many who did not fly Friday will fly Saturday.

I've found Monday-Weds nights TLV-PHL tend to be lighter.

YMMV, I suppose.

aamilesslave

Yes, all US flights become AA flights after Oct 17, so all AA rules will apply. The only reason the OP is able to waitlist upgrades on this flight is b/c it is after Oct 17 (cannot waitlist SWUs on US before then).

econometrics

Ahh, thank you! This was my assumption, but wanted to make sure.

On that note, I'm flying 797 a week from today in paid J. Randomly, I received an email from US Airways saying my upgrades were confirmed to J. Quite odd.