The truth about Upgrades

[RickyR]

A lot of misinformation exists about upgrades when flying, and often people assume that you can ask or request one for free.

Essentially the airlines want to make a profit, and they don't do this by giving away something for free. If there are spare seats in Business class, of what benefit to them is it upgrade someone who has paid 300 pounds for his ticket to a 3000 pound business class seat when its not necessary. That person consumes more food, and will only annoy the passengers who have paid full fare for business class.

Upgrades occur when the airline deems it necessary, because of overbooking. Normally at the main hubs the upgrades are automatically decided by a computer, and at the outstations may be decided by the station manager. Most good airlines will upgrade their highest tier frequent flyer passengers when they need to upgrade, and then will ugprade full fare economy passengers (not the cheap expedia restricted economy tickets).
On rare occasions when things happen quickly, they'll just simply upgrade anyone necessary, sometimes the last person to check in (not a risk you want to take though).

Dressing up doesn't tend to have much of an effect for getting an upgrade, contrary to popular belief, as many of the passengers in business and first are dressed for comfort, not to impress. That being said, if they are in situation that they have to upgrade someone at the gate, they'll probably go for someone who looks reasonable, docile and isn't going to give any hassle during the flight.

Some airlines when they upgrade people due to overbooking, only give people the seat, but they still get the same meal and drinks as they'd been entitled to in economy.

Cabin crew and staff for the airline almost have no power for upgrades, and upgrading onboard with airlines like British Airways can result in disciplinary action as it's taken quite seriously (almost as an act of theft in fact). So occasionally you'll hear someone say that a friend of a friend of a friend works for an airline and will get them an upgrade, it's highly unlikely unless that person is on the board of directors.

I've flown about 400 sectors in the last 10 years, have status with several airlines, and have only been upgraded once! But then again I normally fly business, so I don't complain.

[KeithD]

I got upgraded last time from the toilet to economy .... well buzzin'

[RickyR]

haha, I get exactly the same Keith, it's because we are special customers! (Someone ticked the special needs box because we are so special)

[joebloggs]

, it's because we are special customers!

scouser Keith is special

[grahamw48]

My boy ( 9 years old and flying unaccompanied) was upgraded to FIRST class by Malaysian Airlines when travelling from Manila to Manchester, after saying that he felt unwell.

They really made a fuss of him apparently, and sat him next to a very pleasant doctor.

I sent them a letter of thanks.

[RickyR]

Thats good service gramahw48, Malasyian is a very good airline and seem to have a lot of things right.

[stevewool]

as long as its a saet and gets me there , all is well

[Dedworth]

Thats good service gramahw48, Malasyian is a very good airline and seem to have a lot of things right.

Hopefully they are sticking in a bit more fuel nowadays

http://bloggingr4life.blogspot.com/2...el-fiasco.html

[Terpe]

I haven't been a 'frequent flyer' for almost 10 years now.
Prior to that I was 30 year veteran.

I don't doubt that upgrades these days are not that common or easy.
But in my days they were very common indeed.
Having said that I was usually booked in Business Class and for flights over 10 hours in First Class. But during the last years of my corporate travel with plenty of cost-down strategies It changed to Economy Class as standard and Business Class for flights over 10 hours (with next level manager approval).

I actually had 100's of upgrades, even up to the very end of my job, both flights and hotels. Even when flying on holiday I could gain an upgrade.
In those days the upgrades with most major airlines was based on annual spend.
Ahhh, happy days

On overnight flights with BA we even got issued with very nice BA Pyjamas

[philuk]

five years ago after our wedding in angeles, and traveling alone, I was returning with Emirates, and after an eleven hour wait in the terminal at dubie I was first at the gate, (the only one at the gate when the check in girl turned up), she put my ticket in the machine and anounced you have been upgraded to first class,
After my wife gave birth here in the UK we were traveling home for a vist with KLM, 13 hrs straight from amsterdam, the daughter didnt require her own seat, as she was less than two years of age, she sat on my knee, we were in the two outside seats (window) aisle with a stranger in the third seat, (nice chap by the way), traveling alone, about an hour into the flight the stewardess came along and offered the guy a seat in first class so that our daughter could have a seat to herself,

I have experienced upgrades first hand twice within three trips with two different airlines.

[stevewool]

upgraded on my first flight to manila with Etihad

[RickyR]

haha some good upgrade stories. I think it just comes down to pure luck and karma! . In the states it seems even more common. But most airlines in Europe and Asia only upgrade because they have to.
Terpe some airline still offer pj's in business (oman air being one of them), but most is just in First.
Upgrades with Emirates and Etihad are good ones, both airlines that are great to fly business in.
KLM upgrades tend to be into economy comfort now... but the Manila routes are probably one of the routes that I've most commonly seen overbooking. Etihad in fact has a seperate 'standby tickets' desk at checkin because of that in Manila . When I check in all always ask how many people are travelling in business, and especially with klm they normally say 2 or 3, but once onboard find it full of op-ups.

[sim&lil]

Not an upgrade as such, but on my first flight out to the Phils I was in a centre seat and just after take off the Stewardess came and tapped me on the shoulder and said " sorry sir but we can't have you sitting there". Why is that said I, well it's due to your size sir, we don't feel comfortable letting you sit there. So she moved me to one of the extended leg room seats near the exit. This is the only time in my flying career where being six foot five has paid off. BTW it was an Emirates flight.

Recently Lilibeth and I made a trip to Hong Kong with PAL. On checking in I asked the girl about the extra legroom seats and was told I would need to pay an extra $20 to seat in those seats. Bloody daylight robbery.

[mickcant]

I have flown around 20 times and never had an upgrade

Mick.

[Englishman2010]

Thanks for your insight Ricky If anyone knows about flying in the current climate it's you.

I've had 2 upgrades to Business Class so far this year, so I'm not complaining

PAL - from HKG to MNL on a B747
Emirates - from DXB to HKG on a A380

Both were the proper Business Class seats that reclined into lay flat beds, not the slightly wider than economy seats variety that some airlines use. Emirates also gave me a nice bag of fancy Bulgari toiletries and some posh nosh

[stevewool]

its great to be upgraded never ever thought it could happen to me, but to tell the truth if there are 2 of you flying the time goes very quick