Feb 27, 2013, 11:26 am
Last edit by: aztimm
Per the US Airways website:
http://www.usairways.com/en-US/dividendmiles/preferred/upgrades.html
Upgrade notification
We send you an email the first time we try for an upgrade – no need to call. We'll continue to check for upgrades throughout the day and send follow up emails if we change your upgrade status – right up until 24 hours before your flight. If we're unable to upgrade your reservation up to 24 hours prior to departure, we'll process your upgrades when you check in online or at the airport (if they become available).
To be placed on the standby list choose the 'Add to standby list' link when you check in online. You'll only see the option to add yourself to the standby list if all passengers in your reservation are Preferred. If you're traveling with a companion, request that you and your companion be placed on the standby list at the airport.
Please check your Dividend Miles account to make sure we have your current email address.
Preferred upgrade priority – advance travel dates
When you purchase a full fare (Y or B class) economy ticket, you are eligible for an instant upgrade to First Class. After your reservation is ticketed, we will automatically attempt to upgrade you around the clock until a seat becomes available. We prioritize full fare economy tickets over all other fares.
If you book a discount fare (any fare other than Y or B class), we prioritize your upgrade by Preferred level and within each Preferred level, by the number of Preferred-qualifying miles you've flown on US Airways and US Airways Express operated flights in the last 12 months. We begin processing upgrades for all discount fares at either 7, 4, 3 or 2 days prior to departure, depending on Preferred level.
If we are unable to confirm an upgrade during our automated process, we'll try again when you check in for your flight. If seats are not available when you check in online, you can choose to be placed on the standby list.
To be placed on the standby list select the 'Add to standby list' link when checking in online. All passengers in your reservation must have Preferred status to have this option displayed at check in. If you are traveling with a companion, request that you and your companion be placed on the standby list at the airport.
Preferred upgrade priority – day of departure
•If we're unable to confirm an upgrade seat for you prior to departure, you may request an upgrade when you check in.
•Once check-in for a flight has begun, priority will be based upon Preferred level and then upon earliest check-in.
•Please advise the gate agent at the airport if you're traveling with a companion.
Companion upgrades
One non-Preferred traveling companion can upgrade when traveling on the same reservation as a Preferred member with a qualifying paid ticket. The companion will be upgraded at the same time as the Preferred member.
more info to add? PM aztimm.
http://www.usairways.com/en-US/dividendmiles/preferred/upgrades.html
Upgrade notification
We send you an email the first time we try for an upgrade – no need to call. We'll continue to check for upgrades throughout the day and send follow up emails if we change your upgrade status – right up until 24 hours before your flight. If we're unable to upgrade your reservation up to 24 hours prior to departure, we'll process your upgrades when you check in online or at the airport (if they become available).
To be placed on the standby list choose the 'Add to standby list' link when you check in online. You'll only see the option to add yourself to the standby list if all passengers in your reservation are Preferred. If you're traveling with a companion, request that you and your companion be placed on the standby list at the airport.
Please check your Dividend Miles account to make sure we have your current email address.
Preferred upgrade priority – advance travel dates
When you purchase a full fare (Y or B class) economy ticket, you are eligible for an instant upgrade to First Class. After your reservation is ticketed, we will automatically attempt to upgrade you around the clock until a seat becomes available. We prioritize full fare economy tickets over all other fares.
If you book a discount fare (any fare other than Y or B class), we prioritize your upgrade by Preferred level and within each Preferred level, by the number of Preferred-qualifying miles you've flown on US Airways and US Airways Express operated flights in the last 12 months. We begin processing upgrades for all discount fares at either 7, 4, 3 or 2 days prior to departure, depending on Preferred level.
If we are unable to confirm an upgrade during our automated process, we'll try again when you check in for your flight. If seats are not available when you check in online, you can choose to be placed on the standby list.
To be placed on the standby list select the 'Add to standby list' link when checking in online. All passengers in your reservation must have Preferred status to have this option displayed at check in. If you are traveling with a companion, request that you and your companion be placed on the standby list at the airport.
Preferred upgrade priority – day of departure
•If we're unable to confirm an upgrade seat for you prior to departure, you may request an upgrade when you check in.
•Once check-in for a flight has begun, priority will be based upon Preferred level and then upon earliest check-in.
•Please advise the gate agent at the airport if you're traveling with a companion.
Companion upgrades
One non-Preferred traveling companion can upgrade when traveling on the same reservation as a Preferred member with a qualifying paid ticket. The companion will be upgraded at the same time as the Preferred member.
more info to add? PM aztimm.
US Automatic Upgrades (elite) [MASTER THREAD]
Sep 21, 2010, 1:25 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: BOS,PIT
Programs: Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, JetBlue Mosaic, United Silver
Posts: 461
US Automatic Upgrades (elite) [MASTER THREAD]
Perhaps he's just out to lunch. I'm a Silver on US1455 on Thursday(9/23). I don't know what the O-bucket count is but the A count is currently at 2. 2 seats are available for First Low awards. I have not received any email about my upgrade (yes I checked my spam folder). Itinerary still shows coach. Is this worth a call? At the very least I should have received a "Not available" email if the seats are being held.
Last edited by aztimm; Nov 3, 2010 at 5:38 pm
Sep 21, 2010, 1:41 pm
#2
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: PIT
Programs: AA PlatPro, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 639
Perhaps he's just out to lunch. I'm a Silver on US1455 on Thursday(9/23). I don't know what the O-bucket count is but the A count is currently at 2. 2 seats are available for First Low awards. I have not received any email about my upgrade (yes I checked my spam folder). Itinerary still shows coach. Is this worth a call? At the very least I should have received a "Not available" email if the seats are being held.
I don't always receive the not available email and today I actually received 3 emails about a confirmed upgrade from CLT to PIT.
If you really want the F seat I would recommend booking with miles.
Sep 21, 2010, 1:45 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: BOS,PIT
Programs: Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, JetBlue Mosaic, United Silver
Posts: 461
Clarification: I'm only on the BOS-CLT segment. Wonder if the continuation of the flight is what's causing the upgrade to not happen?
Sep 21, 2010, 1:51 pm
#4
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: BOS, PIT
Programs: US Chairman, Delta Silver, UA Premier, Hyatt Platinum
Posts: 719
The upgrade gnome is on something
I've received seven...count 'em...seven emails about my flights this Sunday. They were upgraded at the first sweep, but I keep receiving the "you have already upgraded or purchased First Class" emails. WTH.
Sep 21, 2010, 1:52 pm
#5
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: PHL , EWR
Programs: AA Platinum, UA Gold, Hyatt Diamond, Avis First
Posts: 293
BOS Boston Logan Int'l MA US [KBOS]
CLT Charlotte Douglas NC US [KCLT]
THU 23 Sep 2010 | 2 Seats
Carrier Flight From Depart To Arrive A/C St Availability
--------- ------ ---- -------- ---- -------- --- -- -------------
US 1983 BOS 05:00 CLT 07:10 319 0 FS+ CS- YS+
US 1455 BOS 06:15 CLT 08:37 321 0 FS+ CS- YS+
US 1101 BOS 08:05 CLT 10:26 320 0 FS- CS- YS-
US 61 BOS 09:50 CLT 12:10 320 0 FS- CS- YS+
US 1761 BOS 11:15 CLT 13:29 319 0 FS- CS- YS-
US 1801 BOS 12:55 CLT 15:15 734 0 FS- CS- YS-
US 1439 BOS 14:45 CLT 17:02 321 0 FS- CS- YS-
US 1777 BOS 16:59 CLT 19:15 319 0 FS- CS- YS-
US 1489 BOS 19:10 CLT 21:30 320 0 FS- CS- YS-
Sep 21, 2010, 2:33 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: BOS,PIT
Programs: Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, JetBlue Mosaic, United Silver
Posts: 461
Thanks for the info on the O availability steve65341. A call to the Silver line explaining that "I didn't get an email and there seems to be seats available" yielded seat 4A. She said "Yes, we have upgrade seats available and your reservation seems to have your DM number in there in the right place, I don't see why you haven't been upgraded. Let's get you upgraded!"
I know BoeingBoy has said this before in some of the auto upgrade complaint threads but it needs to be said again. The auto upgrade process needs to work 100% of the time for it to be taken seriously. It's clear that something went wrong here but we don't know what. Looking at the seatmap in the back, nearly all the preferred and exit row seats are empty, so its not likely there's a queue of preferreds waiting to be upgraded. It's also likely there's at least some preferreds that are booked "through" to SFO with an overfilled F cabin. I wonder if the auto upgrade machine hiccups if a gold is on a direct flight with no space on a specific segment, blocking silvers from getting upgraded on the other piece?
Some factors that could be in play in this case:
1. Booked on Expedia
2. Is on the first segment of a continuing flight
I'm hesitant to blame Expedia because it put me into preferred seats, clearly my DM # was in the right place.
Or maybe the upgrade gnome really was out to lunch today...
I know BoeingBoy has said this before in some of the auto upgrade complaint threads but it needs to be said again. The auto upgrade process needs to work 100% of the time for it to be taken seriously. It's clear that something went wrong here but we don't know what. Looking at the seatmap in the back, nearly all the preferred and exit row seats are empty, so its not likely there's a queue of preferreds waiting to be upgraded. It's also likely there's at least some preferreds that are booked "through" to SFO with an overfilled F cabin. I wonder if the auto upgrade machine hiccups if a gold is on a direct flight with no space on a specific segment, blocking silvers from getting upgraded on the other piece?
Some factors that could be in play in this case:
1. Booked on Expedia
2. Is on the first segment of a continuing flight
I'm hesitant to blame Expedia because it put me into preferred seats, clearly my DM # was in the right place.
Or maybe the upgrade gnome really was out to lunch today...
Sep 21, 2010, 6:10 pm
#7
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 909
LOL!!!
The Upgrade Gnome, Customer Service Gnome and the Plane Cleaner Gnome took a long weekend with Scott Kirby for a little I & I.^
The Baggage Gnome got "Mandatoried" and is none to happy, Seems she has the hots the Customer Service Gnome.
(I & I = Intercourse and Intoxication)
The Upgrade Gnome, Customer Service Gnome and the Plane Cleaner Gnome took a long weekend with Scott Kirby for a little I & I.^
The Baggage Gnome got "Mandatoried" and is none to happy, Seems she has the hots the Customer Service Gnome.(I & I = Intercourse and Intoxication)
Sep 21, 2010, 6:26 pm
#8
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: BOS
Programs: AA EXP, SPG Gold, HHonors Diamond, Avis President's Club
Posts: 386
Maybe I'm doing the math wrong here, but if you are silver, and the flight is on Thursday morning, at the time of your original post you were only 9 hours inside your upgrade window. The sweeps only seem to happen a couple times a day, so it is likely that the next sweep hadn't happened yet.
Seems like it is a little premature to declare the upgrade gnome to be slacking off.
Seems like it is a little premature to declare the upgrade gnome to be slacking off.
Sep 21, 2010, 7:37 pm
#9
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 889
I highly doubt that this is a situation of the upgrade system not working. There are a few possibility as to what happened in this situation.
1) The upgrade space opened up after the midnight run of the upgrade system and thats why you werent initially upgraded. You would have been upgraded during the afternoon run.
2) Your Silver number didnt show up correctly in your record. Its been explained to me that this happens with many third party website reservation. The 3rd party website places multiple "junk" SSRs (service notes, etc.) on the reservation and then places the frequent flyer number after that. As a result the number is on the reservation but the status gets lost. This happened to a friend of mine that I was helping thats a silver member but wasnt getting upgrades on flights where they were available. The agent deleted out all the junk SSRs and the system then worked as it should.
Also, anybody notice a increase in Silvers questioning the upgrade system???
1) The upgrade space opened up after the midnight run of the upgrade system and thats why you werent initially upgraded. You would have been upgraded during the afternoon run.
2) Your Silver number didnt show up correctly in your record. Its been explained to me that this happens with many third party website reservation. The 3rd party website places multiple "junk" SSRs (service notes, etc.) on the reservation and then places the frequent flyer number after that. As a result the number is on the reservation but the status gets lost. This happened to a friend of mine that I was helping thats a silver member but wasnt getting upgrades on flights where they were available. The agent deleted out all the junk SSRs and the system then worked as it should.
Also, anybody notice a increase in Silvers questioning the upgrade system???
Sep 21, 2010, 7:58 pm
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: BOS,PIT
Programs: Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, JetBlue Mosaic, United Silver
Posts: 461
Original post was 15hours into the window. Second sweep should have run. Also should have received email after first failed sweep
Sep 21, 2010, 8:11 pm
#11
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 889
Actually thats not correct. The 2nd sweep typically runs at 4pm Arizona time. So it would not have run by the time of your original post. Also, as has been shown many times, receiving or not receiving the emails is generally not a reflection of if the upgrade system is working or not. Plus there are times in which the emails are greatly delayed from the time the system processes to when the email is sent.
Sep 21, 2010, 8:27 pm
#13
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: BOS,PIT
Programs: Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, JetBlue Mosaic, United Silver
Posts: 461
I also think we'll find out if your suggestion number 2 above is the issue as I've got a portion of the return flight on Sunday afternoon 2034 DCA-BOS, which I expect to be pretty empty up front. If I have to call for that one as well (I'll make sure to give the second sweep full time to run), it might definitely indicated a problem with the reservation.
Sep 21, 2010, 8:52 pm
#14
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 889
And therein lies the problem. If you receive neither an upgrade nor an email indicating a failed upgrade you have no way of knowing whether the gnome was actually working on your reservation.
I also think we'll find out if your suggestion number 2 above is the issue as I've got a portion of the return flight on Sunday afternoon 2034 DCA-BOS, which I expect to be pretty empty up front. If I have to call for that one as well (I'll make sure to give the second sweep full time to run), it might definitely indicated a problem with the reservation.
I also think we'll find out if your suggestion number 2 above is the issue as I've got a portion of the return flight on Sunday afternoon 2034 DCA-BOS, which I expect to be pretty empty up front. If I have to call for that one as well (I'll make sure to give the second sweep full time to run), it might definitely indicated a problem with the reservation.
1) Make sure your email is on your DM account. Also make sure you are "opted in" to receive all emails. As well as make sure emails arent getting caught up in spam filter or folder.
2) If you happen to be up late the evening before the upgrade window opens, I'd check the availability then. Then check it again in the morning. If the availability is there and it still is in the morning, and you haven't been upgraded then there most likely is an issue. I tend to think there may be a reservation issue as the agents are generally allowed to do manual upgrades unless there is some sort of problem.
Sep 21, 2010, 8:54 pm
#15
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: High Point, NC
Programs: None
Posts: 9,171
[QUOTE=jfunk138;14743699]And therein lies the problem. If you receive neither an upgrade nor an email indicating a failed upgrade you have no way of knowing whether the gnome was actually working on your reservation.[quote]
And as long as people keep calling in and getting manually upgraded, the auto-upgrade system will never work correctly. In your case with 2 "O" seats available, there's no way to tell if they were open when the auto-upgrade was last run unless you know exactly when those seats became available and when the last run was made. How do you know that your were one of the top 2 in line to get an upgrade? Did you skip over another silver, or even gold/plat/chairmans who should have gotten that upgrade the next time the process ran?
While getting emails every time would be nice, the big thing is making sure the auto-upgrade process is accurate every time. The more people bypass it, the less accurate it will be. So more people will bypass it, making it even less accurate.
Jim
And as long as people keep calling in and getting manually upgraded, the auto-upgrade system will never work correctly. In your case with 2 "O" seats available, there's no way to tell if they were open when the auto-upgrade was last run unless you know exactly when those seats became available and when the last run was made. How do you know that your were one of the top 2 in line to get an upgrade? Did you skip over another silver, or even gold/plat/chairmans who should have gotten that upgrade the next time the process ran?
While getting emails every time would be nice, the big thing is making sure the auto-upgrade process is accurate every time. The more people bypass it, the less accurate it will be. So more people will bypass it, making it even less accurate.
Jim