International Upgrade Chances?

[Javaboy32]

Hi all,
newbie to the forums here. Thanks for such a wonderful resources!

My wife and I will be doing the big jaunt to Europe next year, and are looking into an upgrade on the longest leg of the flight.
This is likely to be either QF9 or QF31, SIN-LHR on 23 Mar 2008. We've both got enough points to upgrade.

My question is, barring a minor miracle, I'll be losing Silver status before then. How likely are a couple of Bronze-level peons to get upgrades on one of these flights, given the popularity of the leg, the fact that it unfortunately lands on Easter Sunday, and that anyone who's flown anywhere in the last twelve months gets their upgrades ahead of us?

If it's completely unlikely, how do we make it likely? Will forking out for Qantas Club membership get us over the line, IYHO?

Thanks in advance!
Martin

 

[opusman]

My wife and I will be doing the big jaunt to Europe next year, and are looking into an upgrade on the longest leg of the flight.
This is likely to be either QF9 or QF31, SIN-LHR on 23 Mar 2008. We've both got enough points to upgrade.

You should bear in mind that if you are booked MEL-LHR via SIN on the same flight number you can't just upgrade one leg - you can only upgrade the whole way.

One way around this if you only want to try for the SIN-LHR upgrade is to do QF9 MEL-SIN and then switch to QF31 for the London leg (it's only an extra 30 minutes or so on the ground in SIN I think). And as a bonus you get more SC's.

 

[Commuter]

How likely are a couple of Bronze-level peons to get upgrades on one of these flights, given the popularity of the leg, the fact that it unfortunately lands on Easter Sunday, and that anyone who's flown anywhere in the last twelve months gets their upgrades ahead of us?

If it's completely unlikely, how do we make it likely? Will forking out for Qantas Club membership get us over the line, IYHO?

Probably not very likely that you'll get an upgrade, since anyone with a higher status gets the priority on points upgrade. I also don't think getting a Qantas Club membership would help you to get an upgrade.

You could certainly put the request in and see if you get it (nothing to lose, is there?) but I wouldn't fork out for a Qantas Club membership to increase your chance, because I doubt it would help you much (if at all). You can put the $600+ for the better use...

 

[Javaboy32]

Hi guys,
thanks for the replies!
Mercifully, I'm coming from PER, so it's QF71 to SIN, and then onto the long-haul.
We figured that all we could do is try! Guess we'll just have to apply and leave it in the laps of the gods.
Thanks again,
Martin

 

[NM]

There are some things that can help to improve your chances. Firstly choose your day of travel carefully. Avoid peak times like school holidays, remembering that different states have different holiday dates. secondly choose the day of the week carefully. Most business class demand (both paid and high status member upgrade requests) are on days that suit business travellers best. So that means avoid travelling on Friday through Monday. Tuesday through Thursday is generally quieter. This also has the advantage that if the upgrade is not successful, at least there may be a few spare seats around the economy cabin.

 

[serfty]

There are some things that can help to improve your chances. Firstly choose your day of travel carefully. Avoid peak times like school holidays, remembering that different states have different holiday dates. ...

Bit hard to do given that Easter travel is involved:

... on one of these flights, given the popularity of the leg, the fact that it unfortunately lands on Easter Sunday ...

 

[NM]

Bit hard to do given that Easter travel is involved:

Then chances are not good. All those other holiday-makers with higher FF status will be ahead on the waitlist. At least the load of paying business class passengers may be light on that day.

 

[Chucksta]

Scheduled for a 7.30pm international departure. It is now 3.20pm here (less than 5 hours before departure time)

Logged into QFF and it still shows biz class is waitlisted, economy confirmed.

Does this mean the upgrade will not clear in time?

What are the chances the upgrade will clear in the next few remaining hours before the flight leaves?

Chucksta

 

[NM]

Scheduled for a 7.30pm international departure. It is now 3.20pm here (less than 5 hours before departure time)

Logged into QFF and it still shows biz class is waitlisted, economy confirmed.

Does this mean the upgrade will not clear in time?

What are the chances the upgrade will clear in the next few remaining hours before the flight leaves?

Chucksta

Chances are most unlikely at this time.

 

[pksw]

Don't like your chances. A friend of mine just tried for an upgrade on a similar flight (Melb - HK - London) as a silver member, but missed out on using points to upgrade. (and flying out on a Wednesday)

That's what annoys me - that you only find out at the time of checkin whether the upgrade is successful. It would be nice to be able to definately know, or to have the option to spend more points to get a "guaranteed" upgrade.

I've redeemed all my QF points because of the difficulty in getting the flights I want, and the changes to the value of points over the years.

 

[MelUser]

I am flying Mel - LAX 5 Nov on QF 93 - H class (fully flexible) fare. The are 2 of us and upgrade request was put in 5 mins after the 90 days period opened. [FYI the 90 day period opened exactly 90 days before the time on which the flight is due to depart (ie 12:20pm)]. Upgrade request was put through by a Platinum QFF.

What are chances of this upgrade clearing?

When will the reservation change - ie will there be no change in the reservation until 24 hours before the flight?

thanks

 

[simongr]

Generally people's experience is that they discover the upgrade between 5 and 18 hours before departure when they log in an check their points.

A couple of examples:

Sat 11AM flight SYD-HKG - confirmed at 8PM Fri evening
Sun 2PM flight SYD-SIN - confirmed 4PM Sat afternoon

Mostly by seeing that points had been deducted or by logging on to AA.com and seeing the change in class of service.

Sadly with the confirmed upgrade SYD-HKG I wasnt called to ask what time i owuld be arriving and I was not able to track down a number to call teh lounge to confirm a spa treatment

 

[NM]

I am flying Mel - LAX 5 Nov on QF 93 - H class (fully flexible) fare.

The fare type does not not alter the priority on the waitlist. So long as its an upgradeable fare (which H is) you will be on the waitlist.

The are 2 of us and upgrade request was put in 5 mins after the 90 days period opened. [FYI the 90 day period opened exactly 90 days before the time on which the flight is due to depart (ie 12:20pm)]. Upgrade request was put through by a Platinum QFF.

So long as the upgrade will be funded by points from the Platinum member's account, you are going to be towards the top of the waitlist when it comes to deciding who gets any upgrades. You will be ahead of all later Platinum requests and all Gold, Silver and Bronze member requests. But I think you can still be trumped by Chairmans Lounge members.

What are chances of this upgrade clearing?

It all depends on how many seats QF Yield Manager dept decide will be made available for upgrades on that particular flight.

When will the reservation change - ie will there be no change in the reservation until 24 hours before the flight?

Nothing will change between now and 24 hours before scheduled departure. In my experience, international upgrades have been confirmed around the 16 to 20 hour mark. The first sign for me has been the removal of the points from my FF account.

 

[simongr]

It all depends on how many seats QF Yield Manager dept decide will be made available for upgrades on that particular flight.

Have you recently been on any QF F flights where the cabin was less than full? I am thinking back and on none of my 4 F flights was there an empty seat - different story on CX though to NRT.

 

[NM]

Have you recently been on any QF F flights where the cabin was less than full? I am thinking back and on none of my 4 F flights was there an empty seat - different story on CX though to NRT.

My last flights in F had a few (maybe 3, can't remember for sure) spare seats on one sector and completely full on the other.

 

[GDSman]

QF30 HKG-MEL last Sunday there were 5 empty seats in F, from memory. I upgraded on points - best 25k I've ever spent!

 

[serfty]

Hmmm ... It's a psuedo public holiday in Melbourne being Cup Eve.

Currently showing: F9 A9 J9 C9 D9 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 R9 L9 V9 S9 N9 Q9 O9

At this stage your chances are reasonable ...

Use SeatCounter - The Booking Class Availability Machine and keep an eye on the levels of J, C and D availability, if J starts to reduce, so does your chances.

 

[AviationNZ]

So long as the upgrade will be funded by points from the Platinum member's account, you are going to be towards the top of the waitlist when it comes to deciding who gets any upgrades. You will be ahead of all later Platinum requests and all Gold, Silver and Bronze member requests. But I think you can still be trumped by Chairmans Lounge members.

I am a QFF Silver and am going to use a relative's points (QFF Bronze) to upgrade my ticket shortly, will that mean that I will be last in priority because they will use his Bronze status and not my Silver status???

 

[MelUser]

If plans were flexible and an upgrade hadn't come through say 2 hours before flight departure one could rebook to the next day and then request another upgrade. This would comply with the minimum 24 hour request period rule.

Does anyone see any problems with this?

Also, if a flight with an upgrade requested is changed (by passenger and more than 24 hours before departure) does the upgrade request follow the booking?

Further, if the upgrade is granted say 15 hours before the flight and the points are taken from the QFF account and then the flight is changed (by passenger) are the points reinstated and/or does the flight upgrade request follow the booking?

 

[NM]

I am a QFF Silver and am going to use a relative's points (QFF Bronze) to upgrade my ticket shortly, will that mean that I will be last in priority because they will use his Bronze status and not my Silver status???

Yes, the waitlist priority is that of the account from which the points will come.

Another option is to use the Family Transfer process to transfer the points to your account, and if the upgrade is not successful then transfer them back. Note that there are limites on the number of points that can be transferred and the number of transfers in a year, so understand the rules before doing it.