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

[simongr]

One question I always wanted an answer to for QF. Why doesn't QF give confirmed upgrades at time of booking assuming there is a seat available... like what CX, SQ and many others do

It is something that is oft vigorously debated here and it is one change/benefit of P1 I would love to see. QF are in business to make money and they are better than some and worse than others at that. We just need DJ/VA to do it first

 

[serfty]

It is something that is oft vigorously debated here and it is one change/benefit of P1 I would love to see. QF are in business to make money and they are better than some and worse than others at that. We just need DJ/VA to do it first

From around 2001 to 25th May 2005, Qantas use to confirm upgrades at the time of request on international flights if U / P class was available. These upgrade could be from any revenue class, using either points or UC's.

Before ~2001 they only allowed upgrades on Domestic flights - full stop.

 

[simongr]

I guess points plus pay option is similar to that.

 

[docjames]

For DOM there could be a change. For example now I turn up for 6PM flight at 5:15PM and ask for an ODU - sure Mr Simongr that will be 5,000 points. Mr X walks in at 5:19 and asks for an ODU - sorry but you will have to sit in cattle as Mr Simongr has the seat you wanted.

Future: T-89 days Mr X logs in and requests an upgrade - sorry no dice but you can waitlist... Mr X joins the waitlist. 17:00 on the day of the flight the system reckons they have sold as much J as they will and processes Mr X's upgrade in the background. Simongr turns up at 17:15 - sorry no upgrade for you! Mr X turns up at 17:19 and collects his J BP...

However QF "earns" more points for the J seat (presumably they charge Mr Xmore than 5000pts). So yes, it's worse for you, but better for QF. You could always list before 1715, but again, it's going to cost (you) more points.

 

[ChrisFlyer]

I've just spotted something that has currently gone unnoticed... ODUs used to be available for both (normal) domestic flights, as well as domestic sectors of international flights (eg. QF8 BNE-SYD). Now, the latter are specifically excluded on the new upgrades page, though they are still permitted by the FF T&Cs:

Domestic On Departure Upgrades at the airport

While you can ask for a Flight Upgrade Award any time after you have paid for your ticket and received confirmation, you can also request a domestic On Departure Upgrade at the airport if you are a Platinum or Gold Frequent Flyer or a Qantas Club member. You can request a domestic On Departure Upgrade for Qantas operated services with a QF flight number on your ticket (unless the QF flight number is from 1 to 199).

as opposed to:

17.3 On Departure Upgrades may be requested only for a one-class upgrade from Discounted Economy or Economy to Business class on Qantas Australian domestic services (QF400 and above). On domestic legs of international services, On Departure Upgrades may be requested from Economy to Premium Economy class, Economy to Business class, or Premium Economy to Business Class where Premium Economy and Business class service is available. On Departure Upgrades are not available on international services (QF1-399).

Did somebody say "enhancement"? .......

NOTE: Yes, I'm aware that I could request an upgrade ahead of time (and there are usually plenty to go around on QF8 BNE-SYD), though now the bulk of my domestic travel occurs at short notice, so if I were to book this flight after T-24, upgrades are no longer an option. Considering the number of empty seats on this service, you'd think that they'd want to do everything to try and extract every penny and point from this tag flight.

 

[Deleted member]

So even if half he J cabin is empty, and you have enough points to upgrade, because I am say flying BNE-AKL , I am not going to get to upgrade my seat.

 

[simongr]

So even if half he J cabin is empty, and you have enough points to upgrade, because I am say flying BNE-AKL , I am not going to get to upgrade my seat.

You could never do an odu bne-akl as that was an international flight.

 

[Deleted member]

Que sera sera

 

[sweens]

While I see this as a positive move by QF, the oustanding issue as I see it is that no matter what level of FF status you may have, most discount economy fares (classes E, N, O, Q and X) are still not upgradable.

I would have thought that points spent are better than empty J seats, even if these classes are deemed as the bottom of the upgrade priority list.

 

[k3nnis]

Hopefully one day QF will provide confirmed upgrades for International flights

 

[strance]

Hopefully one day QF will provide confirmed upgrades for International flights

they're called JASA/FASA's

 

[serfty]

Hopefully one day QF will provide confirmed upgrades for International flights

Like they used to? :

From around 2001 to 25th May 2005, Qantas use to confirm upgrades at the time of request on international flights if U / P class was available. These upgrade could be from any revenue class, using either points or UC's.

Before ~2001 they only allowed upgrades on Domestic flights - full stop.

 

[k3nnis]

yep like they used to

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Like they used to? :

yes - those were the days. I booked a LHR-SYD upgrade J->F for 30,000 points back in about 2000. I think they had just completed the roll-out of the new F cabins.

 

[Canny man]

I've just been texted confirmation of a doestic upgrade requested 3 days ago and for a flight in 3 days time.
This is a clear improvement on the old system where you either got lucky when you first requested or had to wait and pray for an ODU

 

[simongr]

I agree this is an improvement for some people. For others who might only decide to ODU on the way to the airport this will mean less ODU chances. I know you could plan better but sometimes after a long day or a contentious meetings the DU ismy way to destress....

 

[Canny man]

I'm kind of with you on this. I realise that as a WP1 I get a fair few Opups, and am usually willing to take the risk. This potentially has me paying points for something I might get for free. Nevertheless, the timing of this flight from BNE to Perth is such that being in J means that I don't have to fanny around getting dinner when I arrive. In this instance I prefer the security of a confirmed upgrade.

 

[Sera]

my question ...and apologies if its already been raised...

is Gold fllyer already waitlisted for an upgrade from PE to Bus..

this new system requires an "opting in"

does that mean the existing waitlist is replaced with a new one starting from opting in time?

thanks all

 

[simongr]

No - as a gold you were only processed within 24 hours. Now you are currently waitlisted until a set time. If you havent opted in then you wont get an at the gate upgrade - so I personally would opt in.

 

[futaris]

Has anyone done this on an Any Seat Award (ASA) yet?