Actually, it doesn't matter. This is a perk of the program. Free upgrades on domestic flights within the lower 48 if seats are available. At midnight the night before, or whatever time the airline designated, the computer program will auto upgrade any eligible program member and then waitlist the other members in order of status priority.
In your scenerio, you suggest that all these customer have this done at the gate. Let me give you a situation that I have dealt with first hand.
It's Monday morning in MSP. I am working a flight to LAX. As you can imagine, a Monday morning flight will have TONS, literally, of businessmen. I have seen numerous pages of waitlists of elite members waitlisted, not to mention the fact first is already full of upgraded people.
In your new system, I will now have to manually add people to the list and work that list at the appropriate time. So I have added 20 names to my list and the other 50 or 60 guys, I have told tough luck, I can't add you. I then call for boarding but have these 20 people wait because they may get first class later. Not only do they not board, a bunch of these other jokers don't board cuz they think they may get it too.
Now at 15 minutes before flight time, I can now release reserved seats for people that haven't shown up and start seating families together that were separated. Ok, that's done. Now I can work my first class list of 20 people and seat them. Ok, I seated 5 people and now have their coach seats that I can use for other families. The other 15 guys and other losers now can board, ****** off cuz they waited for nothing, and now don't have room to put their carryons onboard. Check some bags.
Now I can print my paperwork with the correct names of passengers in the correct seats to give to the flight attendant. Not to mention any problems the flight attendant may have that needs my attention.
Remember, this has to be done with 3 minutes to go before departure so I can close the door, pull the jetway then run back up and ensure my passenger and crew count along with child and infant count is correct before I send it all before departure time.
In short......your new system is ****e and the system in place now works just fine.
Last edited by The_Judge; Sep 13, 2010 at 7:13 AM.
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