EY Upgrade Auction

[bigfoot786]

Just got an upgrade offer from Y to J from KUL to AUH starting at $620 AUD
Return leg bid offer starting at $585.

It's on a Jet airways configured aircraft operated by Etihad.

Does anyone have experience in J on Jet Airways configured flight?

Thanks.

 

[AIRwin]

Does anyone have experience in J on Jet Airways configured flight?

I was recently on the same flight (EY413?) and had a window seat (4A) on an A332 Jet Airways configured aircraft. I seem to recall that the window seats on the other side (K) were more private as all the middle row seats face the A-side only. But it looks like they have now upgauged to a 77W...

 

[tinkybelle]

Decided not to pay for UG Easter Thursday.Syd AuhComped from J to F Happy EY member!100 full aircraft.

 

[mikenz]

I just returned from a trip to the UK on EY.

I booked SYD - LHR in economy using my VA points. I didn't receive the upgrade offer email from Etihad and at the airport there was no availability to upgrade the first sector, and they said I could only upgrade the second sector at AUH - which I didnt have time to go to the transfer desk to ask.

On the return leg I booked direct through EY website and I did receive the upgrade offer email but only for the AUH - SYD leg. Minimum bid was GBP735, I bid GBP740 and was succesful. I think that's aobut $1500 so it's getting a bit pricey in my opinion. i think I remember Irish Pete quoting the same leg upgrade for about $550 three years ago. Unfortunately the service was the worst I've ever experienced in EY business, and it definitely wasn't value for money.

In all my previous bid upgrades (maybe 7 or 8 over the last 4 years) I've always been given lounge access. The only time I wasn't was when I upgraded at the airport, and that was stated when I bought the upgrade. At AUH this time they told me I wasn't entiteld to lounge access because I had upgraded through the bid. I'm not sure if they've changed the rules, or if I just got away with it all the other times. Luckily through VA Gold I have access to another lounge at AUH but it's not anywhere near the standard of the EY lounges.

Just an update on this. I sent an email to Etihad and they responded a couple of weeks later offering apologies for the service onboard, and the fact that they wouldn't let me in the Business Lounge. I was, after all, supposed to be allowed into the lounge. They have offered me 20k miles as compensation, but I'm not a member of EY FF so I have no use for them. I book all my flights to VA, and I went to check my account yesterday and I have been allocated zero credits and zero miles for the sector that I upgraded. VA have said that they can't allocate SCs without the permission of EY. This all seems a bit too silly, surely I'd be allowed the SCs and points of the Y fare that I purchased, does anyone know? I appreciate I may not be entitled to the Bus class SCs and points. The flight originated in LHR, and I was awarded the SCs and points for the LHR-AUH sector.

 

[mikenz]

Decided not to pay for UG Easter Thursday.Syd AuhComped from J to F Happy EY member!100 full aircraft.

Nice! A lovely Easter Prezzie!

 

[cssaus]

Just to confirm, if I have purchased a business class ticket and subsequently get invited to bid for an upgrade and I am successful, I won't actually receive any status credits or points if crediting to my VA account, not even for the class of travel I've purchased.

 

[EtihadAirways]

Just to confirm, if I have purchased a business class ticket and subsequently get invited to bid for an upgrade and I am successful, I won't actually receive any status credits or points if crediting to my VA account, not even for the class of travel I've purchased.

Hi cssaus,

You will be able to earn the base miles plus 10% additional bonus for the relevant cabin upgrade if you're an Etihad Guest member. You can find more information regarding this on our website:[FONT=Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif] [/FONT]http://bit.ly/1kVViQv
*JP

 

[cssaus]

Hi cssaus,

You will be able to earn the base miles plus 10% additional bonus for the relevant cabin upgrade if you're an Etihad Guest member. You can find more information regarding this on our website:[FONT=Arial, Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif] [/FONT]http://bit.ly/1kVViQv
*JP

Thanks but what if I'm wanting to credit SC's & points to my Virgin Australia account?

 

[EtihadAirways]

Dear Andyc

That's right you can now bid to upgrade, please use this link to find out more, we hope this helps http://bit.ly/1CITXDQ

Thanks for sharing this,


Thanks *GW

I just got an email from EY announcing that you can now place bids to upgrade from Economy to Business or Business to First. Details are at ::ETIHAD AIRWAYS::

Seems that you can place a bid (with credit card details) 10 days prior and receive confirmation 2days prior.

I'll be curious to hear success stories as they emerge...

 

[Steelite]

Any recent examples of upgrades between SYD to LHR? Would imagine with the A380's, there would be a reduction in cost of upgrading? Thanks in advance

 

[EtihadAirways]

Hi Steelite,

Please have a look on the upgrade options on our website through this link: My upgrade options

Thanks,
*AS

 

[IrishPete]

My thanks to the Etihad rep for the direct link to the upgrade auction. I've previously always waited for the email.

And to everyone else, I notice the prices are no longer particularly attractive. For my forthcoming flights, to upgrade from Economy to Business:

Sydney to Abu Dhabi - starting bid is $1860
Abu Dhabi to Dublin - starting bid is $870

Dublin to Abu Dhabi - starting bid is $870
Abu Dhabi to Sydney - starting bid is $1575 (note the difference from the outgoing flight)

Total cost would be $5175 which, when combined with the economy class fare, is getting rather close to the price of a Business Class ticket in the first place.

I realise the cost may vary depending on the original fare class, but I expect the total arithmetic reaches roughly the same conclusion.

I think I can upgrade one of the shorter legs with points, possibly also the second short leg on the way back once the points from the outward journey credit to my account. But the long legs are going to have to be Economy unless an upgrade purchased at the airport is cheaper.

IP

 

[RAM]

My thanks to the Etihad rep for the direct link to the upgrade auction. I've previously always waited for the email.

And to everyone else, I notice the prices are no longer particularly attractive. For my forthcoming flights, to upgrade from Economy to Business:

Sydney to Abu Dhabi - starting bid is $1860
Abu Dhabi to Dublin - starting bid is $870

Dublin to Abu Dhabi - starting bid is $870
Abu Dhabi to Sydney - starting bid is $1575 (note the difference from the outgoing flight)

Total cost would be $5175 which, when combined with the economy class fare, is getting rather close to the price of a Business Class ticket in the first place.

I realise the cost may vary depending on the original fare class, but I expect the total arithmetic reaches roughly the same conclusion.

I think I can upgrade one of the shorter legs with points, possibly also the second short leg on the way back once the points from the outward journey credit to my account. But the long legs are going to have to be Economy unless an upgrade purchased at the airport is cheaper.

IP

That is a huge change from what I paid for the op-up at airport for Sydney to Abu Dhabi - 750 USD.

I wonder if the op-up at airport is now CHEAPER than the minimum bid?

 

[spudseamus]

This reflects the devaluation of the aud in the past 12 months and will most likely get worse

 

[IrishPete]

RAM - how recent was your 750USD upgrade? Even at current exchange rates that's still a lot less than the minimum bid I'm getting.

Spudseamus - the actual fares are not much different from when I booked mine! I could fly out on the same flight, and return a week later than I am booked, for about $100 less than I paid!

 

[IrishPete]

And a Business Class ticket is available near the same dates for under AU$7000!

 

[Aussie_flyer]

That is a huge change from what I paid for the op-up at airport for Sydney to Abu Dhabi - 750 USD.

I wonder if the op-up at airport is now CHEAPER than the minimum bid?

I suspect that was quite some time ago? $1200+ has been normal fora while

 

[RAM]

RAM - how recent was your 750USD upgrade? Even at current exchange rates that's still a lot less than the minimum bid I'm getting.

Spudseamus - the actual fares are not much different from when I booked mine! I could fly out on the same flight, and return a week later than I am booked, for about $100 less than I paid!

It was Jan 2011 when the exchange rate charged was 1 AUD = 0.99USD (despite rates at Travelex giving you 1.02 USD at the airport on that day! Absolute ripoff rate used by Etihad at Sydney Airport.

Fall in AUD vs USD since then would only make it around 1,080 AUD NOT 1,800.

So Etihad have effectively priced the min bid at 80% increase to what guaranteed op-up used to cost.

And remember 1,800 is Min bid vs 100% guaranteed op-up at airport if space exists.

Bids now priced out of market if you ask me.

Sounds like a Q sharing of the benefit.

 

[IrishPete]

Ancient history. 15 months ago I paid 1200 (or maybe a bit more) for that upgrade at the airport. I expect the airport upgrade is going to be the same price as the auction upgrade, and I don't think I can justify that amount. If I can use points (under the pre 8th July 2015 regime) to upgrade the Abu Dhabi to Dublin leg, at least I'll get decent lounge access in Abu Dhabi (the Al Rheem lounge I remember most for the queue for the shower and even for the toilet, but it apparently has had a refurb so there may be more than one shower now), and some sleep/comfort/goodfood on the short leg.

On the way back to Oz, I might have gained enough points to upgrade the short leg, and may pay the lesser price for the long leg upgrade.

With the post-8th July 2015 regime though, I can see me looking to Emirates as an alternative airline that also flies one-stop to Dublin. The Etihad loyalty is wearing off as they erode the frequent flyer program.

p.s. when the auction upgrades first came out, the minimum bids were three figures, not four.

 

[IrishPete]

Oops. Bit of a problem now. I booked my flight on 8th July to ensure it was under the old rules not the new ones, but just phoned Etihad to try to arrange an upgrade with points, to be told that the new rules came in for bookings from 8th July onwards. I've checked the various communications and Etihad's website, and they are ambiguous. For example cut and paste below from the FAQ page - note the use of "before" and "after" 8 July without clearly specifying what the cutoff date was. In other places different forms of words are used, but this isn't the only place where "after" is used.

"If I have booked an Etihad Airways flight before 8 July 2015, but I will be travelling after 8 July 2015, how many Miles will I earn?

The number of Etihad Guest Miles awarded will be determined by the date you bought the ticket, not when you are travelling. So, only tickets issued after 8 July 2015 will be affected by changes to earning rates.

For tickets issued prior to 8 July 2015, the current earning rates will apply, even if you are travelling after this date."