Shareholder

Even with the change to STAR, AA and Canadian will maintain a reciprocal relationship and honour upgrades, lounge access, etc. as in the past. I have not as yet received my Platinum package from AA, having recently upgraded my status from Gold, nor the guide, so would like someone to post the rules (applicable fares, time limits, etc.) for using AA upgrade credits for CP flights. Thank you.

DrHowser

Unfortunately, I know this routine all to well. I fly DFW/YYZ frequenty on Canadian machinery.

Fares -- Any fare that is eligable for upgrade on an American aircraft is eligable for upgrade on the Canadian aircraft. I have flown every type of fare (super discount to full) and never been denied because of my fare.

Time Limits -- Here is where the pain begins. There are *no* auto upgrades through the queue system. You have to call American once the window opens and then they manually check the inventory and then upgrade you if there are seats.

Gold - 24 hours
Platinum - 72 hours
Executive - 100 hours

If you get the upgrade -- When you get to the counter, make sure the agent actually *prints* the upgrades from your stock. They must be attached to the ticket. Someof the less seasoned agents do not know that, if you are on a Canadian machine, they need to be printed.

Hope that helps.

Shareholder

Thank you. You've confirmed what I thought, particularly about eligible fares, and the need to do this by phone each time within the windows. Wonder if there will be a problem printing out upgrade "vouchers" once Canadian moves to AC's computer system? Also wonder how familiar CP's domestic (Canadian) agents are with the AA system for upgrades? I'll probably give it a try when I run out of "any fare" upgrade stickers from Cdn later this year, and have to use a non-eligible (for CP upgrades in 2000/2001).

Andrew Yiu

So what I want to know is let say I am planning to fly LAX - JFK on AA and I am a Exec. Plat on CP and no status with AA. How do I get my upgrade? What stickers do I use or can I buy some from AA? I am leaning more and more toward transferring my business my CP/AC to AA.

Empress

YVR Cockroach

Empress:

Call AAdvantage at 800 882-8880 and request the upgrade from them. They will let you know if it's available soon enough (once they figure it out). This is how I did a YVR-SFO-YVR in Dec. (AA-tickets albeit on CP metal) and PDX-RNO-SEA in Sept./Oct.

Shareholder

You can use your current CP+ upgrades, but remember that AA only accepts system-wides (blues or old greys) to 1,000-miles meaning JFK-LAX will cost you at least two of these and possibly a new white or old red. (Not sure of distance between two cities.) YYZ-LGA will be another 500-mile sticker.

Just call at appropriate advance time and tell them you are using CP stickers (or buy AA ones in 500-mile increments, but wait until you at least qualify for Gold since they cost less for elites). For domestic AA travel within US, you can also request to be cued for the return flights which will be confirmed automatically at the 100-hr point and held until you get stickered at check-in.

hillrider

Warning: a on the February (dated 3/7) statement says that "Effective April 1, 2000, if you plan to use an electronic upgrade on a Canadian Airline Flight or an American Airlines flight operated by Canadian Airlines, please check with your American Airlines representative to have a paper upgrade issued prior to check-in at the Canadian Airlines gate.

Looks like AC is pulling SABRE (or at least access to AA info) away at CP pretty fast...

Shareholder

Please clarify that hillrider. Does one get the paper upgrade printed out at the Cdn Airlines check in desk, before going to the gate, or do you have to get it from an AA source then go to Cdn to check in? If Sabre is pulled by Cdn, how will Cdn pull off upgrade printouts? Will AA fax them to us?

I'llMissCP

I suspect taht with AA pulling codeshare from CP operated flights on 4/15, taht this will be a moot issue. Also the change in terminals will make connecting to/from CP flights too much of a hassle.

hillrider

I just typed what I read...so all I can give you is an interpretation: that you have to get the certs printed by AA. Obviously this would be a major hassle, given that CP in many US airports is no longer collocated with AA but with AC/UA. Probably frequent CP flyers would be best served by having a bunch of upgrades printed -- they can always be used on AA (but make sure they don't pull electronic ones as well).

As far as the issue being moot, I am not sure. It's my understanding that the AAdvantage agreement is separate from Codesharing and still standing -- the only problem is AC/CP mocking the agreement with AA by doing things such as reducing CP flights between cities to one, all the others being AC flights (on ex-CP planes!). Of course, in that case, you would only be able to upgrade on that one flight. I bet the CP area has more info.