The Operational Upgrade Thread

[Awesom Andy]

Was op-uped on CX714 on Friday night (Saturday 1am). It felt a little bit weird, since I'm only QF OWS, and it's the regional 773, with the highest number of Y seats in all available configs. About 5 pax received op-ups, and still has free seats in J after that.

 

[kiwitripper64]

We were flying from CDG-BKK via AMM on RJ with Mrs in J and teenage daughter and me in Y. Check-in at CDG was unusual because they could not give daughter a seat all the way through to BKK. We were assured the flight was only half full, just get the seat assigned in AMM. We arrived and got seat for daughter ( in hindsight we could have tried to trade her for a camel) and were told again the flight was only half full. A few hours later up in the lounge the lounge attendant came up and asked if I was a frequent flyer. I said yes. She then asked if I had shoes. ( I was wearing slippers in the lounge). Then asked if I would like an upgrade. I said yes and the look on the daughters face was priceless. What about MEEEE. After a discussion we got her up graded as well. It seemed a bit strange getting 2 upgrades on a half full flight, but when we finally boarded the flight was completely full. Which raises the question, was the flight ever half full, and where did all the last minute bookings from AMM to BKK at 2am come from???? Still we were not complaining

 

[tomlikesbeetroot]

Had my first ever op-up last week flying Virgin PER-DPS. Jetstar had cancelled a flight on the same day and a number of passengers were transferred so was a full flight. Strange thing was that noone told me, I was just given seat 1A on check in and assumed that it was a flight without business class similar to Jetstar on the same route. I did miss out on business catering, but was allowed to choose from the standard menu free of charge. If I had known it was a business seat would I have been able to access the emirates lounge?

Interestingly I am a velocity member but only 3 flights on my account in the past year so not sure how I was selected.
I would love to know how they choose who to select, as I have never had an op-up with qantas despite being platinum.

 

[JohnK]

I was upgraded to Premium Economy on my SYD-HKG flight about 4 weeks ago. I was told about the upgrade at First class check-in and I was also allocated the exit row on the upper deck. Had a bit of a tug-of-war trying to keep the seat as first it was available and then it was not and finally called supervisor who reluctantly let it go.

Interesting flight in that I had 3 different CSMs come and greet me at various times during the flight. All of them introduced themselves and had a nice chat with each one. In fact one of them came back again later on during the flight. I am also wondering why I got that type of treatment as the greeting has been hit and miss lately.

And I also got to meet a fellow AFFer on the flight. They came down from business class to say hello. Thanks and it was a pleasure to meet you.

Had a bit of a chat with the person next to me early on but I think after all these visits/greetings he may have got the impression I was some sort of celebrity!

 

[FlyboyAl]

Checked in this AM at ADL for ADL-SYD-LAX and got a J upgrade to SYD and Y+ to LAX. Interesting thing is was for myself AND my wife - she is Gold, I'm Silver. Bloody good show Qantas!
She has had an occasional upgrade domestically, but I have had more than my share of international upgrades - it is her first upgrade internationally and she is looking forward to it.

 

[Mollycram]

Got my first domestic op-up last week on a Mel -Syd. Was checking in at a kiosk when I noticed my seat was 5K. First reaction, was damn, they've moved me....thinking that I had selected row 4. I however then noticed that my traveling companion was still in row 25 and realized that I had been upgraded to J. Lovely surprise...though did find it interesting that they had split us up. However on boarding, my friend got the double beep and she ended up in the seat beside me...not bad for a NB.

 

[maomaocat]

On QF706 this morning, a change from a 737-400 to a 737-800 saw me in an exit row! Very happy. Qantas should do this for me more often.

 

[benlight]

Flew FCO-LHR-ORD/JFK-LHR with BA a few weeks ago with two family members in tow -- LHR-ORD and JFK-LHR were both booked in Y+. LHR-ORD was op-uped to J a day before departure, and JFK-LHR was op-uped to J at boarding (double beep and flashing red light). Both flights were heavily oversold, and the LHR-ORD leg even had non-crew pax occupying jump seats on the 747 upper deck (as far as I could see they weren't BA staff, and the crew had to instruct them how to use the seat)!

Most of my op-ups seem to come when I'm travelling with family, despite conventional wisdom saying that the chances are greater when you're alone.

 

[ozmille]

First Op Up on QF for both SWMBO and myself, and a very nice one indeed... QF1 SIN to LHR J to F, really enjoyed 2K

 

[asg29e]

Yesterday Mrs asg (WP) while travelling with her mother and our two small children (all NB) on the same PRN scored a nice upgrade for the lot of them, Y to Y+ LHR-MEL. Made for a much more pleasant trip by all accounts. Economy was apparently full to bursting.

 

[JohnK]

Op-up on QF MEL-SYD flight yesterday. Unfortunately I was so sick I could not eat anything although I did have a beer which I regret. Perhaps next time.

And by the way thanks to the gate agent in MEL the day before.

 

[ReLoad]

OP Up today MEL/BNE on QF604 Flexi Y to J (although on a 737-400)
First one in 12 months and ironically the first flight of my new FF year.
Seat selection had me in 13A (Exit row)
T-80; row 4 Avail
T-24; had Aircraft change form 737-800 to 737-400
Airport self checkin spat out 3A

Just about all of J was off duty staff.

 

[eosphoros]

Op-up on CX161 HKG-SYD on Monday from Y+ to J. While I have been op-upped before quite a few times, this is the first time it happened at the gate with the light going red. Previously it has always been at check-in!

 

[samh004]

Perhaps an op-up, perhaps a misunderstanding.

You were very lucky

Have you tried CX Y+ before? What did you think?

Presumably if it had only been the seat you would have had a different service to everyone else in the cabin.

 

[JohnK]

Perhaps an op-up, perhaps a misunderstanding.

Check-in at TPE for TPE-HKG flight in economy a couple of days ago. I had 30C bulkhead pre-allocated for many months.

Check-in agent prints out boarding pass and asks me if I realise I had chosen middle seat. No? Apparently aircraft has been substituted and I am now allocated 39F. Slightly disappointed I mentioned that I had 30C pre-allocated and I checked email the night before and 30C was still my designated seat. Check-in agent mentioned something about Marco Polo members sitting there and got on phone to what must have been supervisor. After a couple of minutes I have new boarding pass for 30G.

Board the aircraft only to realise this an A330 and that row 30 is premium economy and row 39 is economy bulkhead.

I was pleasant at all times and did not demand anything.

P.S First op-up on CX out of economy....

 

[JohnK]

Part of the same itinerary above in TPE I saw 37E printed for HKG-SYD QF flight. Middle seat. Business class? What happened to my 80K I had pre-allocated months ago?

After sorting out previous flight the check-in agent tried to change this seat without success. It is premium economy and apparently another op-up. But it is middle seat. Yikes! Apparently I went from 80K on A380 to 64K on 747 as there had been a late aircraft swap and now op-up into premium economy. Nothing I can do now but wait until I get to HKG but I do not want middle seat even if it is premium economy.

Got into HKG ~2 hours before flight and the airline desks at transfer counters were full with snaking lines. Quickly got through transit and went to gate 26 where they were just setting up flight. Managed to somehow jag 37J. Not bulkhead but at least an aisle seat.

Nice to get an op-up but my thoughts on premium economy have not changed. I would rather 80AK, row 50 bulkhead on A380 or row 40 bulkhead on 747 in economy than a non-bulkhead seat in premium economy.

Person in front fully reclined straight after meal which made my task of getting in/out of seat very difficult. Felt sorry for person in 37K as I must have fallen asleep and he wanted to get to toilet but he did not want to wake me. Finally woke up and they asked if they could go.

Funny thing though is that while setting up breakfast the FA approached me and said "Mr JohnK I am giving you first preference of breakfast" which I thought was a very nice gesture. Chose the hot option which was very nice and probably one of the best hot breakfasts I have had in the air.

Flight was delayed for ~90 minutes as after pushing back we returned to gate for some maintenance to switch of some generator which was playing up.

P.S Glad to get this nightmare trip out of the way and the 2 op-ups did go part of the way to relieve some of the pain....

 

[JohnK]

You were very lucky

Have you tried CX Y+ before? What did you think?

Presumably if it had only been the seat you would have had a different service to everyone else in the cabin.

First time in CX premium economy. Seat and legroom are quite OK. Service appears to be economy and not sure about IFE as I did not try to use it.

 

[Happy Trails]

First time in CX premium economy. Seat and legroom are quite OK. Service appears to be economy and not sure about IFE as I did not try to use it.

I don't believe PE is sold on that route so it would have been economy service, not that there's much difference.

 

[JohnK]

I don't believe PE is sold on that route so it would have been economy service, not that there's much difference.

You are probably right which also gets back to the checkin agent telling me those seats were reserved for Marco Polo members only but I did not quite understand what she was referring to as I was not aware this aircraft had premium economy.

Anyway breaks my op-up out of economy duck on CX....

 

[blu]

Op-Up QF006 SIN-SYD Y+ to J (return sector 11th Jan)
Not me, but Blu Jnr QF SG, who is just into second year of membership.
Apparently had the 'worst' Y seat (Flexi fare) on the first sector QF001 36F back row UD. Was looking forward to Y+ 32A for return.
Made the "24 hour clock mistake" (thinking 20:10 departure is 10:10pm). Luckily shared taxi to SIN with work associates flying elsewhere on earlier flights, when not knowing QF6 was close to closing.
Enquired at Business checkin counter (QF agent) if he had priority checkin as an SG or Y+. Was told no, join the Y queue.
Finally when BP printed at Y counter it was for business front row window seat. A nice surprise considering. (& all the planets must have come into in alignment).