Flights by Celebrity cancelled our waitlisted airline upgrade

[CalTexCruiser]

I'm posting this to warn others with waitlisted airline upgrades that Flights by Celebrity may cancel your waitlist if they have to touch the reservation for any reason.

 

Using FBC, we booked travel on United Airlines in Premium Economy between the US and Sydney.

 

We used airline miles (directly through United's website) to request an upgrade to Business Class, which was waitlisted.

 

Recently, there was a schedule change of the flight that moved it about 40 minutes earlier.  No problem.

 

However, when FBC touched this reservation as a result of the schedule change to email us about the change, they inexplicably cancelled the waitlist.

 

Fortunately, I just happened to look at my reservation on United and saw that the waitlist disappeared...we did not receive any notification from FBC.

 

I called United, which told me that FBC cancelled the waitlist, and I had to contact FBC to reinstate the waitlist.  I called FBC, and the rep said he will escalate to the ticketing department.  

 

Fortunately, the waitlist was reinstated a few hours later, but we likely lost priority relative to others on the waitlist.