AA schedule change results in YUP "downgrade"

[dfcatch]

The "upgrade until F is full" policy sadly is supposed to only include AA EXP members - when I enquired, AA emailed me and told me the OWE from programs other than AAdvantage are not included in the upgrades.

That is correct - and even then, there's a standby list, and there's also AA Plats and Golds with upgrade certs, points upgrades etc.

 

[serfty]

Interestingly, if you can get on the list, you are treated as per the AAdvantage equivalent of WP/SG/PS etc.

Their older systems have been unable to differentiate between non AA one-world status and their own.

Once I asked to standby on an economy ticket for an earlier LAX-SFO flight and was called in the F/L up to be handed a BP for 5F on a S80.

 

[Kangol]

An update to this thread:
After flying the JFK-DCA-RDU flights, I emailed QFF asking for original routing credit for the originally booked JFK-ORD-RDU routing and got it.

On my later flight from RDU-ORD I had just reached WP the day before and was booked in coach. Looking at flightstats on the day, it showed several seats in F and A class. At check in I asked the lady about being put on the waiting list to upgrade into First and she put me on it. I was told to enquire at the gate before boarding (not at the A/C) and it was likely I would get it as there were still seats available. At the gate they called my name (same person who checked me in) and was presented with a new BP for First class. It showed X booking class which I thought would not earn under QFF when flying AA:
Frequent Flyer - About the Program - Terms & Conditions

Looks like X is their code for AA EXP upgrades from Y to F on 2 class domestic flights:
Inventory Classes and Mileage Eligibility (AA) - FlyerGuide Wiki

I ended up getting credited for my original economy booking RDU-ORD (not the non-earning X class).

On a later BOS-LAX flight in Y, I asked again at check in but since F was full I didn't get upgraded.

However, once we were up in the air, the FA came up to me and greeted me, saying "You're an Executive platinum, we'd like to offer you a complimentary food item and coughtail". Of note is she didn't use the term "oneworld emerald" at all, instead "executive platinum". I didn't complain, so yes it looks like their system is not able to differentiate between AA and non-AA OWE members and groups them all as one... However at the A/C earlier when I enquired about F seating availability, the lady asked if I was using a "systemwide upgrade" and I mentioned something about Qantas OWE being able to upgrade into F. After making a lot of keystrokes she mentioned that there were several AA Gold/Plat/EXP on the list who were in front of me and it was unlikely for an upgrade...

So my guess is that on flights with low F loads, a non-AA OWE is likely to get an upgrade if there are few AA elites on the list.
What I'm not sure about is if an AA gold (OWR) has higher preference over a non-AA who has high oneworld status (eg QF SG/WP)?

 

[Ewing]

On my later flight from RDU-ORD I had just reached WP the day before and was booked in coach. Looking at flightstats on the day, it showed several seats in F and A class. At check in I asked the lady about being put on the waiting list to upgrade into First and she put me on it. I was told to enquire at the gate before boarding (not at the A/C) and it was likely I would get it as there were still seats available. At the gate they called my name (same person who checked me in) and was presented with a new BP for First class.

Wait, did I read this correctly?

As a WP booked in AA economy you were able to wait list for the complimentary F upgrade?

 

[Danger]

So my guess is that on flights with low F loads, a non-AA OWE is likely to get an upgrade if there are few AA elites on the list.
What I'm not sure about is if an AA gold (OWR) has higher preference over a non-AA who has high oneworld status (eg QF SG/WP)?

I have received a complimentary upgrade from Y to F on a two class domestic AA flight as a OWE. I can't be sure but I think that was due to an oversell/full Y cabin.

 

[Kangol]

Wait, did I read this correctly?

As a WP booked in AA economy you were able to wait list for the complimentary F upgrade?

Yes, on the RDU-ORD flight.

However on the BOS-LAX flight, on the screen at the gate with names on the upgrade list, mine was not there (about 12 or 13 in total IIRC). Whether that means I was not on it, or was just so far down on the pecking order being a non-AA OW status member that it did not show up on the screen, is anyone's guess. The lady at the A/C did say that I was on it though. Being a high load transcontinental flight is surely going to somewhat reduce a QF WP's chances. YMMV, I guess.
On the RDU-ORD flight I didn't take any notice of the screen as they were calling my name before I got close to the gate, had my new BP ready and boarded straight away.

Having said that, maybe my feigned ignorance of non-AA OWEs not being able to request a complimentary F upgrade, or my foreign accent, or the low loads, or a nice check-in agent could have all been contributors to the above.

Looking on the AA website, it looks like AA EXP members can have their complimentary upgrade allocated at T-100 at the earliest, if requested beforehand. I don't know if non-AA OW status members share the same benefits.... Maybe QF should take note?

I have received a complimentary upgrade from Y to F on a two class domestic AA flight as a OWE. I can't be sure but I think that was due to an oversell/full Y cabin.

Did you ask for it beforehand, or was it an op-up?