Is QF now filling the F cabin?

[Princess Fiona]

Semi-serious question. It has long been the bug bear of QFF elites that we are unable to secure confirmed upgrades on QFi at time of booking and previously QF would let seats go empty rather than process late points upgrades.
I would say that IME since the upgrade process was changed/ improved a couple of years ago I have noticed a significant increase in my successful points upgrades and that also on the vast majority of these flights the A380 F cabin is full. Prior to the changes my upgrades were certainly less plentiful but the cabin frequently had vacant seats.
I would be interested to know if the collective experience here on AFF has been the same as my own.
I would also be interested to know if anyone thinks that if QFF are now filling the F cabin could/should there be a pool of seats available for confirmed upgrades at time of request?

 

[suparockin]

Semi-serious question. It has long been the bug bear of QFF elites that we are unable to secure confirmed upgrades on QFi at time of booking and previously QF would let seats go empty rather than process late points upgrades.
I would say that IME since the upgrade process was changed/ improved a couple of years ago I have noticed a significant increase in my successful points upgrades and that also on the vast majority of these flights the A380 F cabin is full. Prior to the changes my upgrades were certainly less plentiful but the cabin frequently had vacant seats.
I would be interested to know if the collective experience here on AFF has been the same as my own.
I would also be interested to know if anyone thinks that if QFF are now filling the F cabin could/should there be a pool of seats available for confirmed upgrades at time of request?

I'm one for one at the moment, first time I tried to get First I got it, cabin was full.

I've never actually missed out on an upgrade to Business Class either, just luck perhaps?

 

[dfcatch]

My view has changed since the improvements were brought in....

I actually think the current system works well (both for QF and the FF).

I used to advocate for the confirmed upgrades but TBH I think it works well now that they have improved the upgrade process.

Combined with the ability to secure that U/P seat in the form of a mASA at time of booking (for better value of points compared with upgrade), I'm happy to sit with the status quo.

 

[tuapekastar]

My bugbear (expressed before) relates to upgrades from Y on QFi.
Current system is you cannot upgrade from the cheapest fares (EONQ?) so to be eligible for a possible upgrade you need to pay more for your Y fare.
Downside is that you may still not get an upgrade, in which case you have ended up paying more for your Y seat than you really needed to.
It sucks!

 

[dfcatch]

My bugbear (expressed before) relates to upgrades from Y on QFi.
Current system is you cannot upgrade from the cheapest fares (EONQ?) so to be eligible for a possible upgrade you need to pay more for your Y fare.
Downside is that you may still not get an upgrade, in which case you have ended up paying more for your Y seat than you really needed to.
It sucks!

Yes - that restriction needs to be removed.

You can't have a system where people have to book a higher fare class just to have a chance in a lottery. Either make it confirmable or simply remove the restriction.

 

[Orca]

Whilst on the topic of upgrades, I have a query. I have heard that the distribution is based solely on status (i.e P1 beats WP beats SG etc etc.) Is this confirmed by QF or purely speculation ? It must be the case for J to F upgrades but is it still the case for Y or Y+ to J upgrade allocation or does QF also take into account how much the punter paid for their ticket as well?

 

[QPProletarian]

Whilst on the topic of upgrades, I have a query. I have heard that the distribution is based solely on status (i.e P1 beats WP beats SG etc etc.) Is this confirmed by QF or purely speculation ? It must be the case for J to F upgrades but is it still the case for Y or Y+ to J upgrade allocation or does QF also take into account how much the punter paid for their ticket as well?

They don't seem to for the PCV or whatever is calculated for seating.

 

[Happy Trails]

Whilst on the topic of upgrades, I have a query. I have heard that the distribution is based solely on status (i.e P1 beats WP beats SG etc etc.) Is this confirmed by QF or purely speculation ? It must be the case for J to F upgrades but is it still the case for Y or Y+ to J upgrade allocation or does QF also take into account how much the punter paid for their ticket as well?

This is from the QF website:

International Flight Upgrade Award requests are always prioritised according to your Qantas Frequent Flyer membership level: Platinum first, followed by Gold, Silver and then Bronze.

http://www.qantas.com.au/fflyer/dyn/program/usingPoints/upgrades-international#jump2

 

[MrJetset]

Semi-serious question. It has long been the bug bear of QFF elites that we are unable to secure confirmed upgrades on QFi at time of booking and previously QF would let seats go empty rather than process late points upgrades.
I would say that IME since the upgrade process was changed/ improved a couple of years ago I have noticed a significant increase in my successful points upgrades and that also on the vast majority of these flights the A380 F cabin is full. Prior to the changes my upgrades were certainly less plentiful but the cabin frequently had vacant seats.
I would be interested to know if the collective experience here on AFF has been the same as my own.
I would also be interested to know if anyone thinks that if QFF are now filling the F cabin could/should there be a pool of seats available for confirmed upgrades at time of request?

Agree 100% PF.

Was flying LAX-SYD on QF11. Only 3 seats sold in F so was looking forward to a quiet flight, one delightful older couple who asked the First host if he was coming on the plane with them (cute) and myself).

In the F Lounge one woman was speaking out loud about how she registered for points upgrades for herself and her two kids to another pax.

I was escorted on board first, attended to by the CSM etc (CSM of QF32 BTW who had a diamond encrusted pin) and by the time the doors closed the cabin was full.

Having been in F when there are only 1 or 2 other pax I can say it is an entirely different experience when the cabin is full. One reason I prefer EY or EK with closing doors for privacy.

 

[zachary.august]

I've noticed a huge increase in paying customers in the F cabin. For example out of my upcoming flights in F there are three flights with full A380 F cabins already booked. Compare that with last year or 2011 and there were only ever a couple

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

I've noticed a huge increase in paying customers in the F cabin. For example out of my upcoming flights in F there are three flights with full A380 F cabins already booked. Compare that with last year or 2011 and there were only ever a couple

Are you basing that on the seat map or F0 in the GDS?

 

[zachary.august]

Are you basing that on the seat map or F0 in the GDS?

The seat map and the inability to purchase a ticket online for those flights

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

The seat map and the inability to purchase a ticket online for those flights

Hmm, interesting. What route?

 

[zachary.august]

Hmm, interesting. What route?

Both trips are to LAX

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

Both trips are to LAX

That is a popular route, considering QF have the best F product on offer with the only A380. They've always made money on that route specifically, even back in the 744 days. I'm sure AJ would love to shut down the rest of the network and just run SYD-LHR and SYD-LAX if they could get away with it.

I wonder if they're considering twice daily on some days with the arrival of the new A380s...? I know SYD-HKG is getting a Monday A380 taking it to 5 weekly.

 

[amaroo]

Both trips are to LAX

I've submitted 4 x J > F upgrades on QF11 for mid Dec - only three seats taken so far

Fat chance. But if you don't ask - you never get.

 

[serfty]

I've noticed a huge increase in paying customers in the F cabin. For example out of my upcoming flights in F there are three flights with full A380 F cabins already booked. Compare that with last year or 2011 and there were only ever a couple

That is a popular route, considering QF have the best F product on offer with the only A380. They've always made money on that route specifically, even back in the 744 days. I'm sure AJ would love to shut down the rest of the network and just run SYD-LHR and SYD-LAX if they could get away with it.

I wonder if they're considering twice daily on some days with the arrival of the new A380s...? I know SYD-HKG is getting a Monday A380 taking it to 5 weekly.

There have been some significantly discounted sale fares in both First and Business over the last six month - that's one way to fill the cabins.

---

Whilst on the topic of upgrades, I have a query. I have heard that the distribution is based solely on status (i.e P1 beats WP beats SG etc etc.) Is this confirmed by QF or purely speculation ? It must be the case for J to F upgrades but is it still the case for Y or Y+ to J upgrade allocation or does QF also take into account how much the punter paid for their ticket as well?

They don't seem to for the PCV or whatever is calculated for seating.

Certainly the levels of status are documented as the differentiator, what ir CiC is what happens within those level. There is some consideration that PCV may be used these days where in the past is was booking class (fare bucket). For more on that, read these threads:

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....rogram/qf-points-upgrade-whats-new-47639.html

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....gram/upgrade-request-cl-gold-flyer-41414.html

http://www.australianfrequentflyer....ational-upgrades-the-pecking-order-14811.html

 

[legroom]

Yes, P1 > WP > SG etc....


"..... 16.3.2 Qantas will determine which requests for Flight Upgrade Awards will be awarded, if any, at any time between 7 days and 24 hours before the scheduled departure of the flight from its port of origin, depending on the Qantas Frequent Flyer status level of the Member.

16.3.3 Flight Upgrade Awards will be awarded to Members according to their Qantas Frequent Flyer status levels in the following order: Platinum Members first, then Gold Members, then Silver Members and then Bronze Members...."

Link is here

Whilst on the topic of upgrades, I have a query. I have heard that the distribution is based solely on status (i.e P1 beats WP beats SG etc etc.) Is this confirmed by QF or purely speculation ? It must be the case for J to F upgrades but is it still the case for Y or Y+ to J upgrade allocation or does QF also take into account how much the punter paid for their ticket as well?

 

[anat0l]

My bugbear (expressed before) relates to upgrades from Y on QFi.
Current system is you cannot upgrade from the cheapest fares (EONQ?) so to be eligible for a possible upgrade you need to pay more for your Y fare.
Downside is that you may still not get an upgrade, in which case you have ended up paying more for your Y seat than you really needed to.
It sucks!

Yes - that restriction needs to be removed.

You can't have a system where people have to book a higher fare class just to have a chance in a lottery. Either make it confirmable or simply remove the restriction.

I disagree with both points, with some reservations.

If you remove the fare restriction to open up all fares for upgrades, the lottery pool gets bigger, or rather it'll flatten out at the bottom. I'm sure most elites will experience little difference due to their status propelling them to the front of the upgrade queue, but you get back to the dilemma of offering upgrades like that, which is that now you're effectively paying a lot less for a premium seat. OK so that may be a good thing for us pax but at the higher levels we know this isn't going to fly. Who knows - what would stop QF from instituting another upgrade cost level for "deep discount Economy" that requires more points than the current discount Economy to upgrade your class, and let's say that EONQ is restricted only to upgrading to Premium Economy (on aircraft where this is available)?

OK I'm aware that sometimes this is offered as a promotion, but there is a difference between a promotion and a standing offering.

I know the competition has just recently allowed upgrades on a selection of the cheapest fares, but mind you that is a cash bid and is only one class up.

It's fairly standard for most FFPs that an upgrade from Economy requires a fare which is not the cheapest buckets. And not all of them are confirmed upgrades either; yes, some of them give you a high probability (e.g. > 95% success by the heuristics), but it is still not guaranteed.

If the "lottery" seems to be working for many people to their satisfaction (including elites) then there wouldn't really be a reason to start instituting confirmed upgrades on international. One thing is that if you do offer confirmed upgrades is that the effect of status starts to diminish.

You can address many of my points above perhaps by only offering benefits by status, e.g. only WP can register upgrades in EONQ, 2.4k WPs are given two free one-way Y>J/J>F upgrades - not guaranteed but they are free, P1s same thing except they can be confirmed at time of use, etc.

To be honest, if I had to wish for one of those suggestions to be implemented, I'd go for confirmed upgrades but only for certain elites and with restrictions on how many times you can do it. Basically like the VA Platinum's model.

 

[nlagalle]

My bugbear (expressed before) relates to upgrades from Y on QFi.
Current system is you cannot upgrade from the cheapest fares (EONQ?) so to be eligible for a possible upgrade you need to pay more for your Y fare.
Downside is that you may still not get an upgrade, in which case you have ended up paying more for your Y seat than you really needed to.
It sucks!

Yes it is annoying on some respects, however EVERY international flight i have done, i have been offered at some point to upgrade a non upgradeable ticket - and succeeded every time. Last was in July with 2 J seats SIN-SYD.