International Upgrades - Improved Experience

[Danger]

Thanks Danger, that is awesome. Does it need U availability?

I believe so, yes. See post 83 in this thread, and the thread more generally.

 

[dvt]

Just want to share my most recent upgrade experiences. I booked a return Mel to LHR. I put in an upgrade for both legs. The upgrade from PE to J came in at around 23 hours prior to departure which was great.

For the return leg I decided to cancel my upgrade, give PE a try and save some points. This was on QF10 departing London Sunday 22nd April. However, the flight didn't depart on time. The first delay was due to one of the pilots not feeling well enough to travel! The second delay came about from a fault with the plane. Those with status were sent back to the loung with no estimated time for departure. 2 hours later we were told that we would be departing the following day!

We were transported to hotels. I did however find out from one of the ground staff that I hadnt been transferred to the 'premium' hotel as there wasn't enough room. I called Qantas to explain the situation and requested an upgrade. They advised that this couldn't be done as there was only 1 seat left in J for LHR to Mel. I was aware that there were plenty of seats SIN to MEL but I was advised that they could only upgrade the whole ticket.

I arrived at the airport the next day and spoke to the rep at the gate. Once again she advised that nothing could be done. We had a polite conversation and I went back to my seat. 5 minutes later she came back to me and said that she was going to attempt to help me. She came back once again with a J boarding pass LHR to SIN and advised that she couldn't help with the final leg. A pretty good result i think!

I arrived in SIN went to the lounge for a shower. Once again I thought id try my luck with the rep in the lounge. I explained my situation and he said that he would call through to see if there were any notes on my booking about an upgrade. After a quick phone call he went to the computer and printed out a new bp for J! So all in all it was a pretty horrendous delay - 14 hours! But I at least managed to do it in J!

 

[Kangol]

Just want to share my most recent upgrade experiences. I booked a return Mel to LHR. I put in an upgrade for both legs. The upgrade from PE to J came in at around 23 hours prior to departure which was great.

For the return leg I decided to cancel my upgrade, give PE a try and save some points. This was on QF10 departing London Sunday 22nd April. However, the flight didn't depart on time. The first delay was due to one of the pilots not feeling well enough to travel! The second delay came about from a fault with the plane. Those with status were sent back to the loung with no estimated time for departure. 2 hours later we were told that we would be departing the following day!

We were transported to hotels. I did however find out from one of the ground staff that I hadnt been transferred to the 'premium' hotel as there wasn't enough room. I called Qantas to explain the situation and requested an upgrade. They advised that this couldn't be done as there was only 1 seat left in J for LHR to Mel. I was aware that there were plenty of seats SIN to MEL but I was advised that they could only upgrade the whole ticket.

I arrived at the airport the next day and spoke to the rep at the gate. Once again she advised that nothing could be done. We had a polite conversation and I went back to my seat. 5 minutes later she came back to me and said that she was going to attempt to help me. She came back once again with a J boarding pass LHR to SIN and advised that she couldn't help with the final leg. A pretty good result i think!

I arrived in SIN went to the lounge for a shower. Once again I thought id try my luck with the rep in the lounge. I explained my situation and he said that he would call through to see if there were any notes on my booking about an upgrade. After a quick phone call he went to the computer and printed out a new bp for J! So all in all it was a pretty horrendous delay - 14 hours! But I at least managed to do it in J!

Were the points deducted for the LHR-MEL leg, from what you've written it appears that the upgrade "request" was put in past the cutoff and your result was due to a facilitated op-up?

 

[dvt]

Were the points deducted for the LHR-MEL leg, from what you've written it appears that the upgrade "request" was put in past the cutoff and your result was due to a facilitated op-up?

No points were deducted as I cancelled the request well before departure. I'm assuming the upgrade was applied in order to 'improve' my journey home considering the lengthy delay and the complaints that I made?

 

[simongr]

Just got my SMS for my upgrade on Sunday

 

[pagingjoan]

Upgrade confirmed by text yesterday, for my departure for Europe tomorrow.
A very pleasant surprise, given the loads that were showing up.

 

[simongr]

Hmm - seems I can not select seats in F on my Sunday flight - still showing 4F rather than 4A. Also although all four flights are showing on the booking details page on the list of all my bookings only HKG-PEK is showing. I am not concerned about the booking per se - just wish I could confirm my seat...

 

[ozmille]

Hmm - seems I can not select seats in F on my Sunday flight - still showing 4F rather than 4A. Also although all four flights are showing on the booking details page on the list of all my bookings only HKG-PEK is showing. I am not concerned about the booking per se - just wish I could confirm my seat...

Maybe give the premium desk a buzz to see if they can do it...

 

[simongr]

I did and am now in 4A

 

[YQY]

I requested two upgrades from S to J (with a fallback to PE) on QF107/108 today. When I looked at my booking - I noticed the following message in my booking. The bookings are for my wife and myself flying next month.

" An upgrade to Premium Economy is requested. Status of upgrade will be shown 5 hours before departure"

Shouldnt it state that I had requested upgrades to J and that upgrades will be shown within 48 hours before departure?

 

[serfty]

...

" An upgrade to Premium Economy is requested. Status of upgrade will be shown 5 hours before departure"...

Standard stuff - it's quite normal - We have received J upgrade's in these circumstances.

 

[YQY]

Standard stuff - it's quite normal - We have received J upgrade's in these circumstances.

Ta, we are travelling with a 6 month bubs, I want make sure these upgrades come through.

 

[serfty]

Ta, we are travelling with a 6 month bubs, I want make sure these upgrades come through.

To double check - go back to the Upgrade request function - that will tell you what has been requested.

 

[YQY]

To double check - go back to the Upgrade request function - that will tell you what has been requested.

just checked - it said Business - thanks again

 

[Anna]

Upgrade from W to J on A380 confirmed by text at T -47.5.

Now do I want 12K or an aisle seat further back, I wonder. (No aisle seats are vacant in the mini cabin).

 

[Foxxy]

Standard stuff - it's quite normal - We have received J upgrade's in these circumstances.

Will be interesting to see how this works. I requested a J upgrade SCL -> SYD for my flight today. Received an SMS on Saturday confirming an upgrade to PE and not J. I just checked 'ExpertFlier' and it is still showing 9 'J' seats as available.

Wonder if I will get a nice surprise when I check in this morning? If not, I will be asking why I cannot be upgraded to 'J' when seats are available and I had originally requested it. I would have thought being WP is nearly as good as being a P1 if the seats are available.

PE looks to be practically empty according to ExpertFlier.

 

[Danger]

Will be interesting to see how this works. I requested a J upgrade SCL -> SYD for my flight today. Received an SMS on Saturday confirming an upgrade to PE and not J. I just checked 'ExpertFlier' and it is still showing 9 'J' seats as available.

Wonder if I will get a nice surprise when I check in this morning? If not, I will be asking why I cannot be upgraded to 'J' when seats are available and I had originally requested it. I would have thought being WP is nearly as good as being a P1 if the seats are available.

PE looks to be practically empty according to ExpertFlier.

Note, firstly, that the new international 'up-to-departure' upgrade process hasn't yet rolled out.

Second, Qantas is known to fly with many seats (as many as the entire cabin, I'm lead to believe) available, even when requests for upgrades are put in. This new process seems to suggest that will change but, again, it's only operating on domestic flights at the moment.

 

[rechoboam]

Upgrade from W to J on A380 confirmed by text at T -47.5.

Now do I want 12K or an aisle seat further back, I wonder. (No aisle seats are vacant in the mini cabin).

Always window. You can squeeze past the next seat without climbing. Large locker, spacious feeling as window curves out. The biggest prob in the J cabin is noise from meal service and talking if you are trying to sleep thru meals. Window seat very protected from this. I used to prefer aisles in the centre- both pax can get up easily - but not on A 380

 

[Princess Fiona]

Bump!
I'm now really loving the international upgrade experience even more as I've got one on QF 11 tomorrow
I'm running 3/3 on requests since the system tweaks earlier in the year.
This one wasn't quite so smoothly notified ( no text message, flight still waitlisted online,cannot select F seat online), I only knew I had it when my account showed the points deduction.
Nonetheless I'm still pretty happy, have my spa appointment booked and 4K awaits me
It's also my inaugural carry-on only trip and now the kitchen sink will fit in the overhead locker

 

[MEL_Traveller]

the kitchen sink will fit in the overhead locker

i'm pretty sure they include one in the amenity kit