The Operational Upgrade Thread

[Mr_Orange]

Only just found this thread, but my only (so far ) op-up was on QF5 (SYD-SIN) from Y+ to J on 24th December a few years ago.

 

[boomy]

Called P1 SST to upgrade the flight tonight and was told my seat has already changed from 4C to 1C
Nice to see QF not only take but also give.
Will make sure to spend the points I saved on QF flights because it's all about loyalty.

 

[emef]

On my 4th domestic upgrade this month this morning ADL-MEL. In each case, the boarding pass has: enjoy your flight - The Platinum One Team.

 

[Groundhog]

Received my first one ever today. Grabbed an earlier flight out of Syd with Qantas. Check in agent wished me a Merry Christmas and she handed me my new boarding pass. I looked down to see 3D as my seat. Made my last work flight for the year very enjoyable.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

On my 4th domestic upgrade this month this morning ADL-MEL. In each case, the boarding pass has: enjoy your flight - The Platinum One Team.

Technically speaking not an op-up if you see that comment on your boarding pass, but at least it means they like you.

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

No op up love for 3 years for this WP. Although internationally I've been in the highest class, you'd think the odd domestic op up wouldn't go astray. Clearly unloved.

Next year I'm showing QF the same level of love.

 

[timbods]

Wife (WP), daughter and I (SG) upgraded to PE at check-in for QF127 this morning. First in 3 years of her platinum flying, and also in the last month before back to gold.

 

[industryinsider]

I don't believe op-ups discriminate much in the way of what sort of ticket you are travelling with. If the gods smile on you while you are holding an award ticket then toward the front of the plane you go.

I think its more due to status than anything else, an airline would prefer to reward its frequent fliers than anyone else. Different airlines seem to have different policies but generally only oversell if they have the spare seats in the premium cabin so they can bump up their high value ( regular ) travellers. The only other ones that have the ability to change this order would be more senior check in staff or more senior back office operational managers, they do take a shine to some people so being friendly and grateful always helps as always. In the industry we do have access to some discounted fares which are firmly non up gradable and like everyone else if we have a chance of an upgrade we need to buy a revenue ticket.

My pet hate is seeing the J cabin empty when economy is full to the gunnels, I would really prefer to see a system whereby the highest value frequent fliers are upgraded and then the next highest status travellers are rewarded by more space in their row but this would be very challenging with the push for ancillary revenue and paid seating.

 

[serfty]

I think its more due to status than anything else, an airline would prefer to reward its frequent fliers than anyone else. ...

Look up this very thread for the term "Proactive Onload".

 

[mushez]

The upgrade that wasn't........

Traveling today on EK435 AKL-BNE saw all the signs I had been upgraded like looking at my booking and see I had lost my allocated seat and had no allocated seat T5hrs and at check in was told I had been upgraded from Y-J ......... However was flying with wife and three sons on different PNR ...... Already had suggested that I could have been upgraded and she wasn't, one look from wife and sitting here in Y with them.

Wife is pissed they didn't just upgrade all of us and was expecting/hoping they would upgrade all of us to J.

77J-23K- back to 77J....

 

[ozbeachbabe]

The upgrade that wasn't........

Traveling today on EK435 AKL-BNE saw all the signs I had been upgraded like looking at my booking and see I had lost my allocated seat and had no allocated seat T5hrs and at check in was told I had been upgraded from Y-J ......... However was flying with wife and three sons on different PNR ...... Already had suggested that I could have been upgraded and she wasn't, one look from wife and sitting here in Y with them.

Wife is pissed they didn't just upgrade all of us and was expecting/hoping they would upgrade all of us to J.

77J-23K- back to 77J....

They probably didn't need to upgrade 5 people, possibly only one or two. Sometimes it's easier to go with the flow & take the upgrade as it's more hassle for the airline to put you back in whY, particularly if EK have already reassigned your seat in whY to another pax.

 

[Awesom Andy]

CX650 SIN-HKG today (24/1) Y -> Y+. Y is completely packed, with a few spare seats in Y+, and a lot of off-duty cabin crew paxing in J. I think about 5 - 6 Y pax had the op-up, having looked at the seat map a few days ago. How the new CIV system works on CX is still a mystery, but it worked well for me this time. I would've expected quite a few elites on this flight as it's the first CX HKG-bound flight out on a Saturday morning.

 

[Lowjhg]

Booked QF8404 for yesterday in J. Boarding pass beeped red at the gate. Ended up in 2A. Finally i can say that I've flown F haha

 

[Shan Man]

Op-up this morning on QF417 and i wasnt the only one with around 12 other BP's at the gate waiting for pax to move to J.

I suspect the cancellation of another Syd-Mel flight scheduled just after ours helped us all get better seats.

 

[cmon0005]

Op-up this morning on QF417 and i wasnt the only one with around 12 other BP's at the gate waiting for pax to move to J.

I suspect the cancellation of another Syd-Mel flight scheduled just after ours helped us all get better seats.

Were you booked on red edeal or flex fare?

 

[im.daniel]

Upgraded from Y-"F" on QR 1048 from DOH-AUH at the gate. Flight was completely full in Y and F had 4 pax, with 2 Op-Ups.
Nice first time experience on QR - The entire airport and lounge were excellent!

 

[docjames]

They probably didn't need to upgrade 5 people, possibly only one or two. Sometimes it's easier to go with the flow & take the upgrade as it's more hassle for the airline to put you back in whY, particularly if EK have already reassigned your seat in whY to another pax.

I'm not sure that's how mushez's wife would have seen the situation......

 

[Shan Man]

Were you booked on red edeal or flex fare?

Red - E - Deal and in Q fare bucket. Only booked yesterday as well!

 

[mushez]

I'm not sure that's how mushez's wife would have seen the situation......

I knew well before the day what she would feel. She rolls her eyes everytime I suggest about doing something to gain or maintain status - so wouldn't have minded if I could have somehow put her up in J, but neither wife or check in person was going to allow it.

I have a 10 year old son who fends for himself and is very independent & mature, a 8 year old special needs son, who to most don't know it at first glance - but have 5 minutes with him and you will see it - who has the mental age of a 4 year old, who needs/demands one on one attention, who would have food on everyone beside him within a minute if left unattended - and by default has been my one on one responsibility when we travel, and a one day off 3 year old toddler who is a true mummies boy, and requires the attention that any toddler requires.

So while I would have had a good crack at trying to keep our clan in order by myself if she wanted to go up - or they would have allowed her and the toddler to go up - there is no way unless we all went up, that I was going to see J and still be married.

 

[mushez]

Looks like I am on a roll (no wife and kids in tow), and finally getting the legs of my Platinum status working - starting to make me think trying to maintain Platinum might be a good idea...........

Forgetting nothing on QF51 - I am now Two from two - looking good three from three today on EK434.........

Just landed off EK432 and was upgraded Saver Y to J. 3 days out was looking like it was oversold, and every seat preallocated to someone 2 days out. Lost my pre-allocated seat (18K) 8 hours prior to departure, with no pre-allocated seat and no seats to select - which has always meant an upgrade.

Got to check in an hour prior to it opening, after a rough night roughing it in SIN with no Airport Hotels available or pre-booked (my bad) - only to find a handful of people showing up early wanting to get checked in also, meet random lady whom I took under my wing to guest her into the lounge - but also because I was 5kg over baggage allowance and she had 5kg to spare so was a sure cover, but normally have never been hassled in SIN for over baggage allowance at check in with EK - but she didn't have a pre-allocated seat either - which I logged in to her booking while waiting and yeah, no pre-allocated seat and no seats open to select, which confirmed prior to check in that it was a given I would be upgraded as they really had oversold.

So at check in, got told I had been upgraded 18K-6B, but that my "friend" hadn't and would have to fly in Economy - not really worried, but there was a lot of messing around in getting seats allocated and she got 38H or something like that - but had my suspicions I had put some upgrade platinum dust over her booking as well with all the messing around, like 20 other PAX had checked in on the counter next to us, while they were sorting out seats for the two of us.

Hit the lounge, and sure enough at gate, my new friends boarding pass beeped - and upgrade to 6A for her.

Looks like they upgraded 19 people from Y to J, not a spare seat left in either Y or J, but all F seats remained unfilled.

Also what was interesting, was they took the meal orders, and seems everyone wanted the beef, so didn't have enough - so came back to us, and others who seemed to be upgrades, to tell us we had to choose one of the other two options because there wasn't enough - which I thought was good, but also interesting.