QF to Confirm Points Upgrade Requests as late as at the gate when boarding

[Red Roo]

That is correct. This is because we cannot guarantee that you will be seated together when being upgraded late in the piece.
There are changes to both international and domestic Flight Upgrade Awards, see Qantas.com

Indeed. I just put in an upgrade request and saw the offer of a points upgrade on the day (or whatever the exact wording was). Problem for me is my booking has 6 people. But the conditions saw this late points upgrade is only available for bookings with 1 person.


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[docjames]

That is correct. This is because we cannot guarantee that you will be seated together when being upgraded late in the piece.

Bummer, I'm sure mrsdoc and I would gladly sit apart in J seats (vs together in Y....)

 

[serfty]

Bummer, I'm sure mrsdoc and I would gladly sit apart in J seats (vs together in Y....)

Split your bookings ...

 

[Limewood]

So if its only one pax seat does this mean at the gate counter they don't know if they have say 2 seats together?.

 

[medhead]

That is correct. This is because we cannot guarantee that you will be seated together when being upgraded late in the piece.
There are changes to both international and domestic Flight Upgrade Awards, see Qantas.com

Thanks. I'll have another look at that domestic upgrade as well.


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[trippin_the_rift]

This means goodbye to operational upgrades?

 

[simongr]

Only if people have requested upgrades. In theory this could lead to more J -> F OpUps or PE -> J as they might flow people forward if there are lots of upgrade requests - that way they can chew through more points.

 

[docjames]

Split your bookings ...

And when one of us only gets and upgrade......

 

[medhead]

This means goodbye to operational upgrades?

To add to simongr's reasoning. These upgrades can only be requested at the time of requesting a points upgrade. The conditions state that you can't add the at gate request later. Effectively, this is just an extension of the current points upgrade system for people travelling alone.


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[Limewood]

Mrs Lime booked in Y via her QFF membership and I did the same via mine, wonder when we both rock up they would seat us together?. When they say up seat class do they mean at actual boarding "gate" or at departure "desk"?.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

To add to simongr's reasoning. These upgrades can only be requested at the time of requesting a points upgrade. The conditions state that you can't add the at gate request later. Effectively, this is just an extension of the current points upgrade system for people travelling alone.

So, bronze member puts in domestic points request upgrade with gate waitlist.
At the gate, they are going through doing regrades because some flights shifted around.

Instead of looking for CL/WP1/WP to bump to biz, they now look for bronze members (aka: anyone who is willing to "pay" using points) to bump up.

Status member misses out... (Yes, I realise everyone can put in an upgrade request however if this was done, it means there are never ever op-ups again - for anyone).

Op-ups are part of the magic of flying. Take that chance away and what are you left with on QF?

 

[amaroo]

So, bronze member puts in domestic points request upgrade with gate waitlist.
At the gate, they are going through doing regrades because some flights shifted around.

Instead of looking for CL/WP1/WP to bump to biz, they now look for bronze members (aka: anyone who is willing to "pay" using points) to bump up.

Status member misses out... (Yes, I realise everyone can put in an upgrade request however if this was done, it means there are never ever op-ups again - for anyone).

Op-ups are part of the magic of flying. Take that chance away and what are you left with on QF?

Bronze today - WP/WP1 or even CL tomorrow :idea:

 

[serfty]

And when one of us only gets and upgrade......

For most, I'd expect SWMBO gets it ...

 

[SeatBackForward]

So, bronze member puts in domestic points request upgrade with gate waitlist.
At the gate, they are going through doing regrades because some flights shifted around.

Instead of looking for CL/WP1/WP to bump to biz, they now look for bronze members (aka: anyone who is willing to "pay" using points) to bump up.

Status member misses out... (Yes, I realise everyone can put in an upgrade request however if this was done, it means there are never ever op-ups again - for anyone).

Op-ups are part of the magic of flying. Take that chance away and what are you left with on QF?

From a business perspective, this is actually a freat way to cash in. And of course there may still be Op ups if not enough people have requested upgrades (which my opinion is quite likely)

 

[serfty]

...
Op-ups are part of the magic of flying. Take that chance away and what are you left with on QF?

When I became WP I was earning most of my status with domestic QF flights, op-ups were for a time less scarce that otherwise.

These days with more SCs from other oneworld carriers trhan from QF, op-ups have become scarcer ... fwiw, so have points upgrades.

I made a conscious decision a year ago to no longer look to upgrade with points - I either book directly into a premium cabin or fly economy (never expecting an op-up¹) (F/W/JASA's have made this feasible).

Do the math - East OZ to LAX is 96K QFF points as a Classic/ASA for Business (PE: 72K, First:144K), a waitlisted upgrade from most economy is 72K (from Z:45K). That a mere 25% less.


¹ Of course, I'll always accept an op-up ...

 

[trippin_the_rift]

From a business perspective, this is actually a freat way to cash in.

Short term gain and long term pain my friend...

 

[browski]

The next evolutionary step will be the OBU - On Board Upgrade.

This "enhanced" upgrade option will be available to those pax who did not opt for the At Gate upgrade and so missed out. Then......7 minutes into their 14 hour, Y class journey, the true horror of their mistake is realised and they apply for an OBU.......naturally priced at double points now.:shock:

 

[ozmille]

So upgrades requested before this change came into effect are not eligible for the airport upgrades? So the request I did for WP SWMBO to SIN on an N class fare which I can not cancel because I can not re-apply for it does not include this bit but a NB can include this and do get the airport upgrade, interesting thinking...

 

[MarcB]

I'll miss the OPUP which for sure will be harder to come by...but I do recall the old point upgrades system was something that people consistently complained about. It's great that Qantas has listened to that feedback and responded. As a few have pointed out, they're in business to make money - why should the person who pays with points be begrudged any more than the one who pays cash for a premium cabin? It's a simple scenario, you want to fly at the front, pony up them points or the cash.


EDIT: OPUP not ODU as originally posted.

 

[medhead]

So upgrades requested before this change came into effect are not eligible for the airport upgrades? So the request I did for WP SWMBO to SIN on an N class fare which I can not cancel because I can not re-apply for it does not include this bit but a NB can include this and do get the airport upgrade, interesting thinking...

In that situation it sounds very much like you're out of luck. However, this is pretty much a transitional issue. At the gate upgrades would be an option going (moving?) forward.


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