International Upgrades - Improved Experience

[Princess Fiona]

But the "new" process isn't just about earlier confirmations up to T-48, but it's also about later confirmations - right up until departure. This is probably an example of where there was no seat available at T-48 but a late cancellation/change resulted in a seat becoming available. As opposed to that seat potentially going empty in the past. In the past that may have also resulted in an op-up instead if Y/PE/J was oversold, but now it's allocated as a points upgrade.


Sent from my iPhone using AustFreqFly app

Thats my understanding also. I'm quite happy to use my points for a late upgrade.
The net cost to me for the upgrades SYD-LHR rtn was 68,000 (60K each way less 26K earned) and the flights so far have been excellent.
I'm not sure that the new upgrades are entirely instead of op-ups as the flight I'm on is very lightly loaded in all classes except PE. There are passengers at the back of whY with entire rows to themselves.

 

[pshepvic]

Thats my understanding also. I'm quite happy to use my points for a late upgrade.
The net cost to me for the upgrades SYD-LHR rtn was 68,000 (60K each way less 26K earned) and the flights so far have been excellent.
I'm not sure that the new upgrades are entirely instead of op-ups as the flight I'm on is very lightly loaded in all classes except PE. There are passengers at the back of whY with entire rows to themselves.

Yes agree - the new process doesn't necessarily replace the op-ups, and in some cases they will still need to happen if there are not enough upgrade requests. But now some situations that may have been an op-up in the past, may actually mean the upgrade goes to someone requesting it using points (which they would not necessarily have been given if it was done as an op-up - op-ups go to whoever they feel like at the time, whereas the new points process gives you more certainty that you'll get the upgrade when classes are oversold and last minute seats become available).

If the classes are lightly loaded, then maybe the process isn't working quite as well as it should, as they theoretically could confirm the upgrade much earlier! But if the load is that light, maybe they are trying to sell a few more F seats to make it even worthwhile for them to go!

 

[dfcatch]

If the whY load is light - there won't be op-ups.... Period.

The "late upgrades" are upgrades being granted that under the previous system would have gone as empty seats in the premium class.

And we FFs complained that there were empty J seats, yet our upgrade requests were denied. This is the problem the new system is designed to fill.

It's a totally separate issue to op-ups.

Though in a minority of circumstances - where whY is oversold, they now have the capability to clear remaining upgrade requests ahead of performing an op-up. So you're correct - but only if whY is oversold.

 

[simongr]

This is why I think this is a benefit neutral change and not an improved experience. And if it is improved the improvement is in my opinion minor to negligible.

This does reduce the chances of op ups - those chances were pretty minor anyway. To take it to the extreme if I as a WP was on a full flight I had a chance at an OpUp. Now if a SG has requested a points upgrade it is more likely that the upgrade will be late cleared when it might/could/should have gone to me.

I would have preferred to see a hybrid of the DOM and INT system - some seats confirmable at booking and some confirmed before departure. The new system does not make we want to strive harder for WP or make me more likely to try to use points to upgrade.

 

[MelUser]

Simon has hit the nail on the head.

There will never be an OPUP as long as there are unfulfilled upgrade requests from any tier (or even non member) passenger.

 

[medhead]

Of course, we have heard a lot about how qantas should protect the value of J by not just handing out seats willy nilly. The SG with the upgrade request is at least paying for the J seat with points, unlike a WP looking for a freebie.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Just to chip in.The flight from SIN-SYD was very quiet. No cabin full. Therefore my take on the new upgrade process is that Yield Management are releasing upgrades at anytime prior to departure and this process is not related to op-ups.
Similar in a way to AA

 

[Hvr]

Simon has hit the nail on the head.

There will never be an OPUP as long as there are unfulfilled upgrade requests from any tier (or even non member) passenger.

If the person isn't a member then how would they have points to seek an upgrade?

Should that be non-status member?

 

[dfcatch]

This is why I think this is a benefit neutral change and not an improved experience. And if it is improved the improvement is in my opinion minor to negligible.

This does reduce the chances of op ups - those chances were pretty minor anyway. To take it to the extreme if I as a WP was on a full flight I had a chance at an OpUp. Now if a SG has requested a points upgrade it is more likely that the upgrade will be late cleared when it might/could/should have gone to me.

I would have preferred to see a hybrid of the DOM and INT system - some seats confirmable at booking and some confirmed before departure. The new system does not make we want to strive harder for WP or make me more likely to try to use points to upgrade.

I agree with your second point. I am a big believer that that is the system that should be implemented.

But on your first point - the WP is NOT always the one who gets the op-up (even though they should).

I (and others on the forum) have been left languishing in whY on oversold flights as non-status pax have been given op-ups. Sucks for sure - but QF have been known for op-upping whoever solves their problem (family seating or whatever).

At least this system helps ensure that there is a fair process.

And in your example - if the WP wants to sit in the premium cabin - they should have an upgrade request, and then they would trump the SG in your example.

 

[MelUser]

If the person isn't a member then how would they have points to seek an upgrade?

Should that be non-status member?

I have upgraded non members domestically and am able to lodge an upgrade request for any "family" passenger
Flying internationally as long as I know name and pnr/Amadeus reference.

 

[simongr]

So we are 34 hours out from the SYD-WLG flight with the upgrade requested a little while ago - no points deducted or SMS so far so not much of an improved upgrade experience so far for this little duck Current 0 in all J classes and 9 in all whY classes - so looks like 4C for me...

 

[MEL_Traveller]

So we are 34 hours out from the SYD-WLG flight with the upgrade requested a little while ago - no points deducted or SMS so far so not much of an improved upgrade experience so far for this little duck Current 0 in all J classes and 9 in all whY classes - so looks like 4C for me...

improved upgrade experience~~#^^^

~~ in our opinion
# depending on availability
^^^ possibly for P1s

 

[Paddy55]

Just to chip in.The flight from SIN-SYD was very quiet. No cabin full. Therefore my take on the new upgrade process is that Yield Management are releasing upgrades at anytime prior to departure and this process is not related to op-ups.
Similar in a way to AA

... except that AA allows upgrades to be requested and confirmed at time of booking.
For me that was about 6 months ahead of the flight.

Here's to hoping QF emulates AA in that respect

 

[serfty]

... except that AA allows upgrades to be requested and confirmed at time of booking.
...

So do Qantas Domestically. Although, AA do appear to make much more A class available than Qantas' U ...

 

[Paddy55]

Was referring to AA internationally.

 

[serfty]

Was referring to AA internationally.

Yeah, but it's a tough quest to find availability < 300 days out - not to mention the USD375 co-pay ...

 

[Berlin]

Just a little update, got upgraded on my return from LA as well, was a really lovely A380 flight in 11A. New system, however, didn't work at all- no TXT and at around T-20 my booking suddenly showed up as "Flight cancelled !!! Please contact your nearest QF office immediately". I waited for another ten or so hours already sensing that might have gone wrong but then called from the US and got routed to the UK I think (according to the guy's accent at least) and he told me that my upgrade has come through but the system but was right in the process of cancelling my Why+ seat and hadn't booked in the J seat yet.

He sounded as if that happens all the time- anyone else had that? Quite inconveniencing if you have to call QF from overseas and kinda scary as well. Especially as I had the joy several times in the past two years when QF REALLY cancelled my flights :shock:

 

[MelUser]

Cancelling of the lower class segment happens every time although most people don't see it. It is automatically corrected by Qantas's computer when the reservation is revalidated which happens at the time that points are deducted.

I am currently watching a J(I) to F upgrade request for WPs, 2 pax - LHR to MEL. At T-48 hours the waitlisted segment appeared - this used to appear just inside of T-24 hours.

Other than the process starting at T-48 hours rather than T-24 I don't see anything different let alone "improved"!

 

[MelUser]

Interestingly this time around at T-48 hours the seat number allocations in business class have been deleted. This was never the case under the old system until the waitlisted higher class segment was confirmed.

I wonder if the deletion of allocated seats is in fact a hint that this upgrade request will be successful.

I will let you know when the waitlist changes on amadeus to "confirmed from waitlist".

 

[Berlin]

Cancelling of the lower class segment happens every time although most people don't see it. It is automatically corrected by Qantas's computer when the reservation is revalidated which happens at the time that points are deducted.

That's precisely what seems to have happened in my case. However, this causing a urgent error message asking you to call QF is certainly not ideal- I wonder when they will fix that as it must not only p+*s of customers but also cause lots of unnecessary work for their call centre staff. If QF doesn't care about their customers, at least the latter must cause them to do something

Other than the process starting at T-48 hours rather than T-24 I don't see anything different let alone "improved"!

Yep, I would agree with this statement!