Significant changes to Upgrades

[serfty]

As mooted in the WP1 lunch there are significant changes to upgrades coming.

For domestic, the introduction of waitlists; International the clearing of wait-lists at set times for WP1 WP SG etc.. and request of upgrades upon booking.

About Flight Upgrade Awards

New international upgrades experience coming soon

• The ability to register for a Flight Upgrade Award at any time from booking up until 24 hours before your scheduled departure,
• Where possible, Platinum One members will receive successful Flight Upgrade Award confirmation from up to 7 days prior to their departure time; Platinum members will receive successful Flight Upgrade Award confirmation from up to 48 hours prior to their departure time; and Gold, Silver and Bronze members will receive successful Flight Upgrade Award confirmation from up to 24 hours prior to their departure time,
• We will also be processing Flight Upgrade Awards closer to the time of departure. This means there will be fewer empty seats in First, Business and Premium Economy on many occasions. For example, if a customer changes their plans on the day of departure and decides not to travel, we will be able to upgrade another customer into their seat.

New domestic upgrades experience coming soon

From early 2012, we'll be introducing a domestic registration process for Flight Upgrade Awards on Qantas operated flights (with a QF flight number on your ticket), where your upgrade request can not immediately be confirmed. Confirmation of a successful domestic Flight Upgrade Award from the point of booking, as well as the ability to request 'on departure' Flight Upgrade Awards will remain available. Once your Flight Upgrade Award has been confirmed, we'll notify you with an SMS so you can maximise the time to prepare for your upgraded Qantas journey.
​

 

[anat0l]

I'm rather mixed about the domestic system moving to a non-confirmed system like the international one.

On one hand, having domestic confirmed upgrades whilst allowing Red e-Deals for upgrades was opening a floodgate. We love to loathe the waitlist system, though....

As long as status customers will have a chance at an early stage to clear an upgrade..... although for very, very busy flights, it's anyone's guess, really.

I think anyone except Platinums will be the most vocal against this change.

 

[drewbles]

I'm rather mixed about the domestic system moving to a non-confirmed system like the international one.

On one hand, having domestic confirmed upgrades whilst allowing Red e-Deals for upgrades was opening a floodgate. We love to loathe the waitlist system, though....

As long as status customers will have a chance at an early stage to clear an upgrade..... although for very, very busy flights, it's anyone's guess, really.

I think anyone except Platinums will be the most vocal against this change.

Interesting. From my understanding the other day, it was going to be '*IF* your upgrade cannot be confirmed at time of request for domestic flights, your request will be waitlisted'.

Red Roo, is my understanding flawed? Is it really moving to a non-confirmed upgrade at time of booking (where U class is available) for Domestic? If so, that's a huge step backwards, especially for WP/SG.

At least they didn't use the word 'Enhancement'. Apparently 'Adding Sheen' is the new 'Enhancing' (see email sent out to WP's for that reference).

 

[Ewing]

Interesting. From my understanding the other day, it was going to be '*IF* your upgrade cannot be confirmed at time of request for domestic flights, your request will be waitlisted'.

That's what I read the announcement as.

If there's no U availability when you request the upgrade, you'll go on a waitlist and it'll clear if it does become available.

If there's U availability when you request the upgrade, it's cleared instantly.

I like that change

 

[serfty]

I'm rather mixed about the domestic system moving to a non-confirmed system like the international one. ...

It's not doing that.

... where your upgrade request can not immediately be confirmed. Confirmation of a successful domestic Flight Upgrade Award from the point of booking, as well as the ability to request 'on departure' Flight Upgrade Awards will remain available. ...

 

[awilcockson]

If there's no U availability when you request the upgrade, you'll go on a waitlist and it'll clear if it does become available.

If there's U availability when you request the upgrade, it's cleared instantly.

That was my understanding. I'd not be happy if it was going to a total wait-list system ala international upgrades.

 

[Red Roo]

Serfty you are correct. We are not changing the current domestic flight upgrade award process, just making it better.

 

[oz_mark]

I'm rather mixed about the domestic system moving to a non-confirmed system like the international one.

Don't see the problem:

Confirmation of a successful domestic Flight Upgrade Award from the point of booking, as well as the ability to request 'on departure' Flight Upgrade Awards will remain available.

All they are doing is added is a waitlist process. You may loathe it, but what does it matter if it is just an additional process between the two we have now (confirmed, and ODU)

 

[ozmille]

Re: Introducing Platinum One and the new upgrades experience

THE NEW UPGRADES EXPERIENCE

From December 2011, when you have registered for a Flight Upgrade Award, we'll notify you with an SMS when your Flight Upgrade Award is confirmed so you can maximise the time to prepare for your upgraded Qantas journey.

On international services, we're also making the following changes from December 2011:

• The ability to register for a Flight Upgrade Award at any time from booking up until 24 hours before your scheduled departure,
• Where possible, Platinum members will receive successful Flight Upgrade Award confirmation from up to 48 hours prior to their departure time and Gold, Silver and Bronze from up to 24 hours prior to departure
• Whilst you may get a Flight Upgrade Award earlier than today as mentioned above, we will also be processing Flight Upgrade Awards closer to the time of departure. This means there will be fewer empty seats in First, Business and Premium Economy on many occasions. For example, if a customer changes their plans on the day of departure and decides not to travel, we will be able to upgrade another customer into their seat. (empty seats on aircraft has been raised by all of you on AFF on many occasions.......)

Cheers,
Red Roo

Thanks for the update Red Roo. Will give this international upgrade a go next year, good to know that my chances are 70% (according to the email received earlier today)

At the moment I am mightily confused about these upgrades

From the terms and conditions on the QF website;



but when I look at my YASA booked in X class and look at the fare rules I see this;



What is going on?

 

[drewbles]

Don't see the problem:



All they are doing is added is a waitlist process. You may loathe it, but what does it matter if it is just an additional process between the two we have now (confirmed, and ODU)

I have no problems with adding a waitlist option providing they don't suddenly cull the availability of U.

Thanks for the clarification Red Roo, I read it differently

From early 2012, we'll be introducing a domestic registration process for Flight Upgrade Awards on Qantas operated flights (with a QF flight number on your ticket), where your upgrade request can not immediately be confirmed.

I read that as 'we'll be changing to the same as the international system' rather than what I thought it was going to be (which is what it is going to be). perhaps 'where your upgrade request' should have been 'when your upgrade request'

 

[mannej]

Aren't most ASA upgradable?

 

[serfty]

...

What is going on?

This is nothing to do with the changes - it is an old problem and has been addressed before.

The fare rules override those of the QFF program and as such you should be able to call QFF, explain the situation and they submit the upgrade request on your behalf.

I have a similar situation: My booking is thus:

Status:	Confirmed
Travel Class:	Economy (X)
Flight Duration:	15h 50m

The fare rules for my booking are here: (Bookings - Fare Types - Red Tail)

[TABLE="class: fare2, width: 100%"]
[TR]
[TD="class: description, align: left"]Qantas Frequent Flyer[/TD]
[TD="align: left"]

• Flight Upgrade Awards are eligible on this fare.
• Points and Status Credits may be earned on this fare. Classed as Discount Economy when Status Credits are earned on this fare.

[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

 

[TheInsider]

Off Topic: SG now have a baggage allowance of 2pcs at 32kgs each.

 

[chrispy3276]

Re: Introducing Platinum One and the new upgrades experience

And on domestic flights, from early 2012:

• We'll be introducing a domestic registration process for Flight Upgrade Awards on Qantas operated flights (with a QF flight number on your ticket), where your Flight Upgrade Award request can not immediately be confirmed. Confirmation of a successful domestic Flight Upgrade Award from the point of booking, as well as the ability to request 'on departure' Flight Upgrade Awards will remain available
  

Slightly confused by this. What's a "flight upgrade award from the point of booking"? Can you request an upgrade at the same time you book your fare (ie Pay for a Flexi and use points to upgrade to business at the same time)?

 

[anat0l]

Ah OK that makes more sense now. It's kind of a hybrid of the international system, except that the "confirmation window" starts at the time of upgrade request. (In a less confusing sense, it mirrors the requested upgrade system of most USA FFPs).

Sorry for all the confusion.

It will still be interesting to see how this new system pans out for SG, PS and QPNB. That is, I can see them "luck out" for some flights where the inventory is still relatively open, but if they have to be waitlisted, they might need much more than just prayers to get an upgrade.

If it does mean that WPs will generally have a better chance of getting a requested upgrade for any given flight, I'm not entirely in objection

 

[ozmille]

If it does mean that WPs will generally have a better chance of getting a requested upgrade for any given flight, I'm not entirely in objection

That is if the NB doesn't get a WP1 to do the request as they will then be above WP in the order

 

[anat0l]

That is if the NB doesn't get a WP1 to do the request as they will then be above WP in the order

As I mentioned in the other thread, this is constrained to family members of a WP1.

I'm trying to think of how many scenarios where someone in your family would fly without you and you can flex your WP1 muscle to help them. One scenario I can think of is you are overseas and want to take leave straight after work, and thus buy a ticket to send your family to where you are. Another one is perhaps sponsoring the folks to visit the family (but of course you could've done the more honorable thing and travelled to them rather than the other way around).

Apart from that, if a WP / WP1 travels with their family, then we're back to the current system anyway. That in itself is fraught with danger as we all know the chances of clearing multiple upgrades exponentially decreases with every additional request in the same booking.

A similar system to this kind of ranking is UA, where a no-status sponsored for an upgrade by a 1K's SWU is prioritised the same as that 1K (and even benefits from their improved upgrade clearance window). The difference is that SWUs can be used to sponsor anyone - not just family members.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Re: Introducing Platinum One

Honest question... Where does QF get their FF insider information from to make these major decisions/changes?

Reason I ask is that the direction QFF is heading is vastly different to Virgin and they BOTH can't be right.

 

[anat0l]

Re: Introducing Platinum One

Honest question... Where does QF get their FF insider information from to make these major decisions/changes?

Reason I ask is that the direction QFF is heading is vastly different to Virgin and they BOTH can't be right.

Considering you just had an intimate audience with QFF, perhaps you should be telling us!

 

[ozmille]

As I mentioned in the other thread, this is constrained to family members of a WP1.

I am sure there are a lot of people using the long lost cousin line. How will anybody know if a person is family or not? But true how many WP1's will there be to use this benefit...