Report Flight Upgrade Successes

Former_MSE_Lawrence

This is the place to post

Flight Upgrade Successes/Failures

As included in the How to get a flight upgrade guide

Please read the article first, and then come back here to leave feedback. Thanks

Also read:

Free Flight Upgrades discussion
Buying Flight Upgrades
How to get an upgrade article discussion

MancBrel

So you've all read the article and have an idea of how to increase your chances of an upgrade? Well, don't waste your time trying any of this with the Check-In Desk. Turn that charm on with the staff who you see as you board the plane. It takes them 10 seconds to issue you with the new boarding passes, that allow you to turn left!

My tips:-

Dress Smart
Ask just before you board
Be nice
Say it's a special occassion.

hammy_the_hammer

MancBrel wrote: »

So you've all read the article and have an idea of how to increase your chances of an upgrade? Well, don't waste your time trying any of this with the Check-In Desk. Turn that charm on with the staff who you see as you board the plane. It takes them 10 seconds to issue you with the new boarding passes, that allow you to turn left!

My tips:-

Dress Smart
Ask just before you board
Be nice
Say it's a special occassion.

why would they want to upgrade you ? i'm puzzled

robot1000

My grandparents had a flight back to the UK but mistakingly turned up to the airport 2 hours late (thought the flight was later then it was). It turned out that the check in staff were at a birthday party and one of staff lived nearby to where my grandparents stayed in the US (my uncle) and so happily gave them a lift back and told them that they had squeezed them on a flight the next day.

They turned up the next day and were pleasently surprised to find that they had been upgraded. After returning to the UK they contacted the staff members and the airline to thanks them for all their help. They stayed in contact with the staff members at the airport in US and now everytime they fly from that airport in the US they are upgraded for free.

When my family of 6 went to my cousins in the US with my grandparents, when we flew back they upgraded my whole family without any problem.




I've also personally been upgraded through a back-door upgrade (BA) and I turned up to the aiport late after checking in online and was told I was upgraded.

sturll

I went to Cairo with Swiss from LHR changing at Zurich 2 years ago.

When i used to fly abroad i used to have a bit of trouble and seemed to be on some sort of hit list - i.e i could never check in online etc.
Anyway, we were advised to be at check in at 3am so to ensure everything got sorted before the rush. We got there and waited. And waited. About 5am someone turned up (an hour pre flight) my other half was non too impressed and went and had a quiet word. She mentioned it was her birthday and it was our first and only trip with Swiss.

Anyway checked in and boarded our first flight and was sat in economy (which we had booked) Then at Zurich went to board the flight and was told 'good morning sir you may board through Business at your leisure' And there you have it, somehow we had been upgraded to business on the Cairo flight and it had never been communicated to us. To this day i still remember reclining right back and peeking out of the window over the coast of Greece whilst drinking nice fine wine

sturdytenor

I travelled the world during my career and although I occasionally travelled business class (paid for), I was never upgraded. I was once downgraded on PIA when they ran out of seats on business class. I had an ideal opportunity for an upgrade on an Air India flight from Mumbai to London when there was a leak above my seat and water was dripping on me. I was moved to another seat (still economy) but was made to move back to the damp seat when we reached Delhi. Business and first class were both full so their solution was to provide some blankets to sit on (the leak having been fixed at Delhi). Never again, although my globe-trotting days are over.

ollyno1uk

Last month I got upgraded. I was a little anxious about the first time traveling alone - especially going on a long distance flight to the states.

I was wearing a shirt and looked relatively smart - they approached me and asked if I had shoes in my case which fortunately I did. This was my ticket to business class! Made the journey much nice -

Moral of the story - if you can dress smart and if you aren't wearing shoes - make sure you have some in your case!

sturll

ollyno1uk wrote: »

Last month I got upgraded. I was a little anxious about the first time traveling alone - especially going on a long distance flight to the states.

I was wearing a shirt and looked relatively smart - they approached me and asked if I had shoes in my case which fortunately I did. This was my ticket to business class! Made the journey much nice -

Moral of the story - if you can dress smart and if you aren't wearing shoes - make sure you have some in your case!

Not so sure, i have travelled upper class in trainers!

cundall

MancBrel wrote: »

So you've all read the article and have an idea of how to increase your chances of an upgrade? Well, don't waste your time trying any of this with the Check-In Desk. Turn that charm on with the staff who you see as you board the plane. It takes them 10 seconds to issue you with the new boarding passes, that allow you to turn left!

My tips:-

Dress Smart
Ask just before you board
Be nice
Say it's a special occassion.

I got upgraded to business class when i was in trainers, baggy jeans and a t-shirt... did not ask they just did it. My of my friends again same thing but got business class with a bed

Why have we started this thread again? Why would they give someone with a £500 ticket a £2000 ticket - just by asking? Yes you can ask but i don't think they will.

Tojo_Ralph

...
The thread title and hook reads.... Report Flight Upgrade Successes

The body text blurb reads.... This is the place to post Flight Upgrade Success/Failure

I look forward to the fully researched article that concludes that on a thread where MSE'rs were asked to report flight upgrade success and failure, more MSE'rs reported success.

:rolleyes:

gulife

My own experience...

I have flown hundreds of times, and just recently came back from a trip around the world (GLA--LHR-IAD-SFO-LAX-NAN-AKL-SYD-MEL-SYD-SIN-BKK-NRT-LHR-GLA) and was flying Star Alliance airlines. I'm a Gold Member of Star Alliance through BMI.

I was not upgraded once, on any of my flights with Air New Zealand or Singapore Airlines.

However, on my outbound flight from LHR-IAD, with Virgin, I was upgraded to Premium Economy, because of a problem with my ticket and because I had to wait 40 minutes at a desk to check in (they obviously took pity on me, but I didn't mind either way). I was also upgraded to First Class with Virgin America from IAD-SFO - and to this day, have never been told why.

Moral of this story - my Gold Star Alliance status means nothing for upgrades, because I always travel on the lowest fare possible (NSFU).