Upgrade Flights

Karma67

pin wrote:

You could ask at check in, but be polite. However in reality the airline won't know re upgrades until everyone has checked in, because there will normally be some no shows, so you probably won't know until you have boarded the plane.

LOL I'm always polite!! :A :A and would never 'expect' it or argue about it!! :eek:


Thanks for the advice ...I've been upgraded once before YEARS ago and on an ID90 (standby) ticket, and that was at the check-in, but things change so much over the years!!

Cardew

If you look at the Frequent Flyer web sites you will find plenty of threads on this subject.

Most airlines will not contemplate upgrades unless economy is full these days. Even if full the Booking agents should have a strict priority system to follow and are not supposed to give favours to friends, airline staff etc - and can get into trouble if they break those rules

littlereddevil

Got upgraded yesterday on BA from Mumbai.We were on traveller plus and got upgraded to business class woohoo! only got told at gate when boarding.This is the second time I have been upgrade on Ba to business class but only from traveller plus they then upgrade someone from economy to traveller plus. i don't think they ever upgrade from economy to business if they a traveller plus section. They was also a man being upgrade from business to first.

WiseInvestor_2

Cardew wrote:

not supposed to give favours to friends, airline staff etc

A number of airlines actively encourage staff upgrades as:
- they're often flexible travellers (ie will split groups)
- they dress appropriately or risk being refused boarding
- they understand that those who've paid for the better seats don't wish to hear boasting of freebies and deserve the lions share of the crew's attention
- it's a little moral booster for the employees

but most of all,

- it discourages the serial blaggers from paying less for their ticket only to demand an upgrade at the airport. Airlines know that the profit is made up front and that maximising revenue doesn't include free upgrades. Staff have paid little or nothing already so there's little or nothing to lose.

Karma67

thanks for the comment WiseInvestor...I don't feel like scrounging scum anymore , like i did when I read the other comment.

I haven't flown in 7 yrs, so my dad has not abused his position/'former' position by asking for upgrades all the time! plus i am going out there due to sad circumstances, and it's not a 'pleasure' trip, and I think he just wanted to see if he could make the journey a bit more pleasant if possible (Like i said previously I DONT EXPECT the upgrade and it would be a lovely bonus). All I wanted to know was whether I should mention it at check in

arealhighlander

What may have happened is that your booking has been annotated with SFU (Suitable For Upgrade) meaning that there is a note by your name hinting that if an upgrade was available, to look favourably on you.

The only upgrades I have ever had have been already allocated by the airline at check in or at the gate.

sidelight

In one of martin's Muses about getting upgrades, frequent fliers getting air miles can then use them to move up a class. We've recently been to Auckland NZ via Cathay Pacific and were constantly bombarded with "join Asia Miles" and get upgrades...
So on returning to UK click on Asia Miles, Join the 'club' and submit our claims for 4 flights (Heathrow to HK HK to Auckland & back).

NO CHANCE !! sorry says Asia miles (who are owned by Cathay Pacific) your cheapo cattle class tickets don't qualify for our air (s)miles...!

So be warned, check with whoever you book your tickets (ours were through E-Bookers) which class of ticket you are actually getting. There are various 'economy' ones

Next time we go we shall probably use Emirates from Birmingham who issue flier miles...

UnitedFlyer

sidelight wrote:

In one of martin's Muses about getting upgrades, frequent fliers getting air miles can then use them to move up a class. We've recently been to Auckland NZ via Cathay Pacific and were constantly bombarded with "join Asia Miles" and get upgrades...
So on returning to UK click on Asia Miles, Join the 'club' and submit our claims for 4 flights (Heathrow to HK HK to Auckland & back).

NO CHANCE !! sorry says Asia miles (who are owned by Cathay Pacific) your cheapo cattle class tickets don't qualify for our air (s)miles...!

So be warned, check with whoever you book your tickets (ours were through E-Bookers) which class of ticket you are actually getting. There are various 'economy' ones

Next time we go we shall probably use Emirates from Birmingham who issue flier miles...

This can be a major problem with some carriers.
I fly to USA very frequently now.
The first time I went, I went with BA on an Economy ticket. When I checked my miles balance I found only a quarter of the miles flown was credited.

Nowadays I only ever fly with United Airlines. No matter what booking class you fly, you get credited the whole mileage balance.

I also personally find it a hell of a lot easier to maintain an elite level status with them than BA.
Fly to the west coast twice a year and you can maintain "Premier" status.

As for the people who are hoping for upgrades on flights, this is how it goes....

Your best chance, and even a guarantee of getting an upgrade is to join the frequent flier club for the airline.
The miles I collect with United allow me to upgrade, plus I get free upgrade "cretificates" as such due to being elite status.

Even when flights seem full, you can virtually bet your last dollar that elite fliers will be the ones upgraded first.

I personally always fly United now, as even with the cheapest economy class bookings I get full mileage credit and also "Economy Plus" seats - same as BA WT+, but no extra cost.
For non elites, they can be purchased for £65 each way I think, so hope that gives a bit more info.

Murphy_The_Cat

UnitedFlyer wrote:

This can be a major problem with some carriers.
I fly to USA very frequently now.
The first time I went, I went with BA on an Economy ticket. When I checked my miles balance I found only a quarter of the miles flown was credited.

Nowadays I only ever fly with United Airlines. No matter what booking class you fly, you get credited the whole mileage balance.

I also personally find it a hell of a lot easier to maintain an elite level status with them than BA.
Fly to the west coast twice a year and you can maintain "Premier" status.

As for the people who are hoping for upgrades on flights, this is how it goes....

Your best chance, and even a guarantee of getting an upgrade is to join the frequent flier club for the airline.
The miles I collect with United allow me to upgrade, plus I get free upgrade "cretificates" as such due to being elite status.

Even when flights seem full, you can virtually bet your last dollar that elite fliers will be the ones upgraded first.

I personally always fly United now, as even with the cheapest economy class bookings I get full mileage credit and also "Economy Plus" seats - same as BA WT+, but no extra cost.
For non elites, they can be purchased for £65 each way I think, so hope that gives a bit more info.

AAadvantage operated by American Airlines is quite a generous contributor to the free miles "club". Book online on AA.com, get free miles, take out an AA credit card get 5000 miles, stay in certain hotels/hire car companies & get free miles.
With each round trip I make to America being about 10000 miles, it doesn't take long to hit 40000 miles which means 1 x transatlantic round trip being a freebie (especially if you take advantage of the above "extras"). Alternatively, a one way upgrade on AA within the US will cost you 15000 air miles - if you're travelling Boston - San Diego thats goooooooddddd value !

MTC

scholt

mystic_trev wrote:

Joa - The Security guard bit (as I've read it) is to do with problems of "Air rage" and having a "heavy" could be usefull in an emergency, as I suppose having a Doctor in the case of a medical emergecy would be? Hope that makes sense!

Is there more likely to be airrage in business/first than economy ? otherwise why put the heavy in there?

easy peasy this one - work for an airline