International Upgrade Chances?

[simongr]

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?

Flight availability might be the problem and fare conditions.

 

[NM]

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.

Yes, technically you could do that so long as the fare rules permit the change.

Does anyone see any problems with this?

Only that by 2 hours before departure you are likely to already be at the airport and might find it a little inconvenient. If planning this type of action I would suggest making the decision more than 2 hours before scheduled departure. And its only really going to be of value if you know the flight the following day has lots of empty seats in the higher cabin and you have Platinum FF status.

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?

No, the upgrade request is for a specific flight. If you change the flight you will need to again request an upgrade waitlist.

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?

No. Once the points are taken they are gone. If you then cancel or change the flight you have lost the points. This is clearly indicated in the terms and conditions for international upgrades.

 

[v8Statesman]

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.

I was told that the priority was the higher of the two. So if I made a points request from my Cough _Brothers_ Cough account (He is PS) I would still be in the que at WP. Is this not the case?

 

[AviationNZ]

I was told that the priority was the higher of the two. So if I made a points request from my Cough _Brothers_ Cough account (He is PS) I would still be in the que at WP. Is this not the case?

I really hope you're right!!! Even though I'm only a Silver, it still puts me ahead of all the Bronze people outright. Certainly is handy having a Cough _Uncle_ Cough that has plenty of FF points!!!

 

[simongr]

You should really get a shot for that flu - the current strain is pretty deadly I hear.

 

[NM]

I was told that the priority was the higher of the two. So if I made a points request from my Cough _Brothers_ Cough account (He is PS) I would still be in the que at WP. Is this not the case?

That is not my understanding.

 

[v8Statesman]

That is not my understanding.

You scared me. So on to 13 12 11 I went. They confirmed you are correct

In the past I have been lucky getting Y - J upgrades using a then NB account.

 

[AviationNZ]

You scared me. So on to 13 12 11 I went. They confirmed you are correct

That's strange, I just did the same thing and they told me the opposite.
"Upgrade priority is based on the status of the passenger, not the status of the person who's account the points have come from."

Good to see Qantas have a firm set of rules!!!

 

[v8Statesman]

That's strange, I just did the same thing and they told me the opposite.
"Upgrade priority is based on the status of the passenger, not the status of the person who's account the points have come from."

Good to see Qantas have a firm set of rules!!!

I am sure that is what I had been told some time ago when enquiring. Maybe we all need to ring and it can be a best of 20-30 calls

 

[NM]

That's strange, I just did the same thing and they told me the opposite.
"Upgrade priority is based on the status of the passenger, not the status of the person who's account the points have come from."

I think you have been misinformed. If that were the case, then my last upgrade would have been very unlikely. My QFF number was nowhere near the booking, so as far as QF were concerned I was not even an FF member. But the upgrade was "paid" with a QF Platinum account (just happened to be mine, so no issue with being an eligible family member ). The F cabin was showing 1 seat available for the last few days before departure, and I was upgraded into what was then a full cabin. Surely I was awarded the upgrade based on the status of the account paying for the upgrade (Platinum) and not the status of the passenger (not even a member as far as QF knew).

 

[v8Statesman]

I think you have been misinformed. If that were the case, then my last upgrade would have been very unlikely. My QFF number was nowhere near the booking, so as far as QF were concerned I was not even an FF member. But the upgrade was "paid" with a QF Platinum account (just happened to be mine, so no issue with being an eligible family member ). The F cabin was showing 1 seat available for the last few days before departure, and I was upgraded into what was then a full cabin. Surely I was awarded the upgrade based on the status of the account paying for the upgrade (Platinum) and not the status of the passenger (not even a member as far as QF knew).

This is a (slim) chance that the less than NB NM was the only passanger to request the upgrade.

 

[NM]

This is a (slim) chance that the less than NB NM was the only passanger to request the upgrade.

Yeah, right. And note that the request was lodged less than a week before the flight. The fact that the F cabin was almost full already indicates the desire of passengers to sit up-front on that overnight flight.

And a very similar experience for a Y->J upgrade SIN-BNE a few weeks prior. Flight booked 2 days before travel and upgrade requested in the same manner. Again successful and into what was then a full cabin.

I have not failed to have a waitlisted upgrade clear when using this process. That is too much to expect for a non-status non-member. The priority was definitely from the paying account and not from the passenger.

 

[AviationNZ]

I have not failed to have a waitlisted upgrade clear when using this process. That is too much to expect for a non-status non-member. The priority was definitely from the paying account and not from the passenger.

But it was mentioned earlier that they take the higher of the two, in which case this would fit both scenarios.

 

[NM]

But it was mentioned earlier that they take the higher of the two, in which case this would fit both scenarios.

I also believe that is incorrect. The system is not that smart. The process is all about the membership account from which the upgrade is requested.