[Previous entry: "Ranting"] [Next entry: "Flight Update"]
08/20/2008: "Frequent Flyer Upgrades"
For all the talk about how frequent flyers are only in it for the upgrades (according to US Airways, anyway - when they trashed all the mileage bonuses), it is rather ridiculous to travel on routes with a large number of frequent flyers - like red-eyes from SFO or San Jose, or my next flight, from Chicago to Newark. The plane is a 737-500 - with only 8 first class seats. On a Sunday flight into Chicago, I got the upgrade. However, outbound on Thursday is pretty hopeless. Currently 7 of the seats are full (5 being upgrades). However the current standby list is 27 people (and I am 5th, which isn't going to happen without a major change).
That means there are 32 Elite flyers on a flight with 8/106 seats - almost a third... Flat out impossible for more than 1 in 4 to get the upgrade, even if no-one was paying for first. As a Platinum, I am still 10th overall, so there are at least 9 other platinums onboard (probably getting what I deserve for going with a cheap fare).
And of course, it is a nearly full flight - currently a total of 5 empty seats...
sigh...