International Upgrades - Improved Experience

[pagingjoan]

Interesting re Firs hosts - when I have upgraded to F before I only receive the in flight benefits rather than on ground benefits (prefilled cards, calls to book spa etc.) - maybe I am not maximising my benefits enough

I agree. Have never had the "F+" benefits on the ground. Not complaining. In the air service has been impeccable every time.
But now that we know more, simongr, we will be looking out for all those add ons?

 

[Princess Fiona]

I agree. Have never had the "F+" benefits on the ground. Not complaining. In the air service has been impeccable every time.
But now that we know more, simongr, we will be looking out for all those add ons?

Might be a special thing for royalty

 

[simongr]

I agree. Have never had the "F+" benefits on the ground. Not complaining. In the air service has been impeccable every time.
But now that we know more, simongr, we will be looking out for all those add ons?

Sadly my days of blowing points are curtailed for the remainder of the year until I have booked next year's 3 people to Europe in J awards...

Although I am tempted to upgrade SYD-HKG...

 

[TonyHancock]

Justin terms of this - does really make much difference getting the upgrade confirmed a couple of days in advance rather than at 18 hours before?

It does for me if I know I will be in J. It does change the way I pack.

Edit: Actually just reread your post.

It means less for me to get notification 48 hours before, but I think it is handy to get notification seven days out.

 

[pagingjoan]

Might be a special thing for royalty

Of course!
Highly presumptuous of we lesser mortals to expect such high falutin' service.
Grovelling apologies.

 

[pshepvic]

Interesting re Firs hosts - when I have upgraded to F before I only receive the in flight benefits rather than on ground benefits (prefilled cards, calls to book spa etc.) - maybe I am not maximising my benefits enough

I think previously spa treatments were not booked the day before because generally the upgrade was not confirmed before the flight. However I assume now anyone confirmed in F the day before will get the call to book the spa. They certainly call when people are on a FASA or F classic award on points.


Sent from my iPhone using AustFreqFly app

 

[TonyHancock]

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.

I agree. I'd be happy if there was a limit to one or two per year for status pax.

I'm at the start of the "improved experience" period and I notice in my booking that the "traditional" extra flight had now appeared as a business waitlisted flight. So it certainly appears that something different is happening.

I should add that at this stage the flight is showing J9 C9 D7 I1 U0. (I'm looking to upgrade from Y)

 

[pagingjoan]

I'm at the start of the "improved experience" period and I notice in my booking that the "traditional" extra flight had now appeared as a business waitlisted flight. So it certainly appears that something different is happening.

In my experience, that process occurred frequently in the past, for upgrade requests - but I have not seen it for quite some time.
Will be interested to see if it does become part of the standard system again.

 

[serfty]

In my experience, that process occurred frequently in the past, for upgrade requests - but I have not seen it for quite some time.
Will be interested to see if it does become part of the standard system again.

It never really went away¹ - some time ago, qantas.com was changed not to display the waitlisted segment. It could still be observed on amadeus www.checkmytrip.com or https://eitr.amadeusasia.com/index.aspx. If it's showing up on qantas.com again the new process may be doing things differently.



¹ although QF's processing has been somewhat quicker for the last 18 months or so.

 

[simongr]

It showed up on the QF page for me last week.

 

[TonyHancock]

It never really went away¹ - some time ago, qantas.com was changed not to display the waitlisted segment. It could still be observed on amadeus www.checkmytrip.com or https://eitr.amadeusasia.com/index.aspx. If it's showing up on qantas.com again the new process may be doing things differently.



¹ although QF's processing has been somewhat quicker for the last 18 months or so.

Can't say that I noticed it not displaying over the last couple of years. I haven't put in too may upgrade requests of late, but it was certainly there in December 2011, and previously Back in February 2011' and then April, May, and August 2010.

 

[TonyHancock]

I'm now 24 hours into my "improved experience" and there has been a change in my booking. The wait listed business booking has disappeared altogether.

Expertflyer is showing the following availability - J9 C9 D8 I0 U0

 

[Canny man]

Works for me
just received a text confirming an upgrade for a flight in one week's time.
That's excellent and much improved on the old system

 

[ozmille]

Works for me
just received a text confirming an upgrade for a flight in one week's time.
That's excellent and much improved on the old system

Excellent! The system is still quite new but good to see it is working. Enjoy the trip

 

[TonyHancock]

Works for me
just received a text confirming an upgrade for a flight in one week's time.
That's excellent and much improved on the old system

Do you know what expertflyer was showing for the flight at the time of upgrade confirmation?

Still no upgrade for me. It has now moved to J8 C9 D8 I0 for my flight and I'm three days into my "improved experience"!!!!!

 

[Canny man]

Do you know what expertflyer was showing for the flight at the time of upgrade confirmation?

Still no upgrade for me. It has now moved to J8 C9 D8 I0 for my flight and I'm three days into my "improved experience"!!!!!

I don't use expertflyer, but the booking engine was showing 9 seats available in F and offering discount F fares yesterday so definitely plenty availability. I've selected my seat and at the time only 1a was taken. I think it'll be pretty quiet.

J is looking quite full, so I did consider risking an opup, but on balance knew that if I didn't get one I'f kick myself. It's a daytime jnb departure, so plenty time to enjoy the product.

I haven't told the workmate I'm travelling with though......I'll pretend its a surprise.

 

[opusman]

I just got an upgrade text at about T-23 for a flight tomorrow. It's not 48 hours but it sure beats 5 hours!

 

[simongr]

I just got an upgrade text at about T-23 for a flight tomorrow. It's not 48 hours but it sure beats 5 hours!

Sorry to harp on this - but how is 23 hours any better than 5 hours? If it is a return trip then any luggage benefits from F wont accrue to the return trip and as you are WP your airport experience wont change.

I can't even actually see the benefit of 7 days notice for WP1.

I don't think I have ever changed my packing based on moving up to F other than maybe not taking my own PJs and maybe a tweak to the carry on amenities knowing that I would get some shaving foam.

 

[opusman]

Sorry to harp on this - but how is 23 hours any better than 5 hours? If it is a return trip then any luggage benefits from F wont accrue to the return trip and as you are WP your airport experience wont change.

It means I don't have to spend the next 18 hours fretting about whether I'll be in J or Y

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Sorry to harp on this - but how is 23 hours any better than 5 hours? If it is a return trip then any luggage benefits from F wont accrue to the return trip and as you are WP your airport experience wont change.

I can't even actually see the benefit of 7 days notice for WP1.

I don't think I have ever changed my packing based on moving up to F other than maybe not taking my own PJs and maybe a tweak to the carry on amenities knowing that I would get some shaving foam.

It makes a difference to me... fly F and i know i can take whatever i want on board. Fly Y or J and I have to be more careful about the weight of my carry-on and juggle between that and my checked luggage.

I think it also makes as difference in the way you mentally prepare for the flight. not so much an issue now A380 J beds are full flat... but in the days of the 747 whether I was going to get no sleep (J) or plenty of sleep (F) made a difference to how much sleep I would have to get at home before I left (in place of doing other stuff which needed to be done).