International Upgrades - Improved Experience

[Berlin]

Perhaps in your situation you were in line for an op-up - but seeing as you had a points request in, they simply actioned that rather than give you a freebie.

:shock::shock:

 

[dvt]

Will these changes result in less chance of OP UPs on international flights? I've probably had a 40% success rate of being op-upd on international flights in the past 4 years as SG. Now that I've got a taste for premium cabins I'm now considering using points to lock in future upgrades. My next flight is in April to LHR so trying to decide what to do.

I've always booked economy in the past, this being my first time booking premium econ so if a points or op-up doesn't come through it wont really be a major disappointment...

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Will these changes result in less chance of OP UPs on international flights?

That was my first thought on the new upgrade process as well.

To add to this thread on another P1 experience with this... requested an upgrade for someone else J -> F on a380, 3 weeks out from departure using my "P1 status" and points. F was wide open when requesting the upgrade (F9, A9) and only a couple of seats were pre-allocated.

Upgrade didn't come through. I can only assume my first test of using this P1 benefit failed and that P1 status didn't mean squat. Unless there were 14 CL's on that flight all requesting J-F upgrades...what else could it be?

 

[dfcatch]

That was my first thought on the new upgrade process as well.

To add to this thread on another P1 experience with this... requested an upgrade for someone else J -> F on a380, 3 weeks out from departure using my "P1 status" and points. F was wide open when requesting the upgrade (F9, A9) and only a couple of seats were pre-allocated.

Upgrade didn't come through. I can only assume my first test of using this P1 benefit failed and that P1 status didn't mean squat. Unless there were 14 CL's on that flight all requesting J-F upgrades...what else could it be?

Last minute cash sales of F seats..??

 

[ozmille]

put in for an upgrade SIN-SYD for the first time in a long time, (un)fortunately I'm not flying whY till August so will be a time before I can report back

 

[ozmille]

put in for an upgrade SIN-SYD for the first time in a long time, (un)fortunately I'm not flying whY till August so will be a time before I can report back

Did have another flight I could test on this weekend and it worked, called Thursday for an upgrade whY to prem whY for the Saturday QF2 flight and when I checked on Friday morning it was confirmed (so aprox 33 hours out).

So far with the new system I am at 100% success rate

 

[enigma01au]

Mr Enigma01au and I had a bad experience with the new upgrade process in January, but I am happy to say that after a letter of complaint was sent to Qantas, this week we were sent a letter offering both of us a 1 class upgrade (ie. Y to PE, PE to J, J to F) for a flight of our choosing!
Needless to say, we are busy planning a trip to take advantage of a J to F upgrade!

 

[Paddy55]

Mr Enigma01au and I had a bad experience with the new upgrade process in January, but I am happy to say that after a letter of complaint was sent to Qantas, this week we were sent a letter offering both of us a 1 class upgrade (ie. Y to PE, PE to J, J to F) for a flight of our choosing!
Needless to say, we are busy planning a trip to take advantage of a J to F upgrade!

Now... if only that had come through in time for the Valentines 2 for 1 sale :mrgreen:

 

[MelUser]

One of the benefits of the new system is that Qantas Platinums will be able to have special meal requests reinserted into points upgraded flights.

A downfall of the old system was that all requests - food, bassinet etc were deleted when the waitlisted upgraded sector confirmed. By then it was too late for food and often a battle for bassinets etc.

Food (non kosher) requests have to be in 24 hours before takeoff. Kosher requests have to be in 36 hours before so these might still be tricky. It will still need proactive checking by the passenger of the reservation and a call to reservations when the sector jumps to "confirmed from waitlist" (now seen only via classic.checkytrip.com)

 

[GoldenWinger]

That was my first thought on the new upgrade process as well.

To add to this thread on another P1 experience with this... requested an upgrade for someone else J -> F on a380, 3 weeks out from departure using my "P1 status" and points. F was wide open when requesting the upgrade (F9, A9) and only a couple of seats were pre-allocated.

Upgrade didn't come through. I can only assume my first test of using this P1 benefit failed and that P1 status didn't mean squat. Unless there were 14 CL's on that flight all requesting J-F upgrades...what else could it be?

QF likes to ensure First Class in particular is left vacant to ensure there are seats for non-rev staff...you're absolutely right about the P1 status meaning squat...I am P1 and have had very similar experience - my upgrade was from Y to J and it did come through but only hours before - flight was complete wide open too...

 

[Happy Trails]

Submitted a request this evening, Y+ to J on QF30 at T-49.
Received confirmation SMS and had points deducted at T-48.
Took me by surprise a little; I'm used to a bit of brinkmanship with last minute cancellations of requests in the hope of an op-up, depending on loadings.
Loads looked fairly light all round, >9 everywhere except Y+ with 6 seats showing available.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Finally some more QF love for me!! Had a text at T-48 confirming J to F upgrade on QF31 SYD-LHR :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
I'm about to lose my A380 F virginity
Very happy if this improved experience continues. As a point of interest the J fare was I class and although I have had upgrades come through on I class before, every A380 one has been rejected until today

Now to decide what seat to sit in

 

[froggerADL]

I booked a JASA ADL-MEL-SIN for 50,000 FFPs (+~$300) for late Feb as a WP. This flight would take me to WP1. I put in an J-F upgrade request for QF9 MEL-SIN. It was confirmed at T-48 + 20 minutes. So the new system seems to work. I also got the call to book a spa treatment.

 

[ozmille]

From these accounts it seems the new system appears to be working. Good one QF. Will try again

 

[Katie]

Will be intersted to compare the stats for requested by WP vs requested by SG with WP on PNR on our upcoming trip. T-4wks and 6 days ....

 

[Princess Fiona]

I'm actually a bit suspicious that QF are in fact telling the truth about improved upgrades. Perusing the EF availability/ seating prior to my upgrade and since its pretty random.
Still selling F3, J9, nothing in PE and Y is wide open ( O available)
The seat maps show that F has 4 seats, J and PE are essentially full. Y empty.
Long winded way of saying I don't think the upgrade has anything to do with Economy overselling. ?freeing up small amounts of J and PE seats for late booking, although I don't know where they would seat 9 xJ passengers.

 

[Berlin]

Hmm, so from all I read here, it seems to sometimes come through right at T-48...

Got an upgrade request in from Premium Why to J for Friday and nothing so far. I keep looking at my mobile every other minute- flight looks wide open, I'm Platinum and made the request three months ago so I thought I'd have a really good chance but nothing so far :-|

Still hoping...

 

[Leumas]

I'm actually a bit suspicious that QF are in fact telling the truth about improved upgrades. Perusing the EF availability/ seating prior to my upgrade and since its pretty random.
Still selling F3, J9, nothing in PE and Y is wide open ( O available)
The seat maps show that F has 4 seats, J and PE are essentially full. Y empty.
Long winded way of saying I don't think the upgrade has anything to do with Economy overselling. ?freeing up small amounts of J and PE seats for late booking, although I don't know where they would seat 9 xJ passengers.

All they've said is they're improving the experience (which to me, is negligible anyway). The underlying process in determining the upgrades hasn't really changed. They just fiddled with the timing a bit.

 

[serfty]

Hmm, so from all I read here, it seems to sometimes come through right at T-48...

Got an upgrade request in from Premium Why to J for Friday and nothing so far. I keep looking at my mobile every other minute- flight looks wide open, I'm Platinum and made the request three months ago so I thought I'd have a really good chance but nothing so far :-|

Still hoping...

I don't believe time of request has anything much to do with the upgrade pecking order these days - even three months out.

Posted on a wing and a prayer

 

[simongr]

I think this new upgrade experience falls very far short of what people wanted/hoped for. Confirmable upgrades at booking is what people want - this doesn't mean filling up the cabin with freeloaders (a la US carriers) but I know that historically if I had been able to confirm J to F upgrades at booking a lot mre revenue would have flown to QF.