UPGRADE DECLINED / Chance of getting ODU?

[Ben174]

HI Guys
FLying JFK-LAX on QF108 today 14th July.
Had a upgrade request on for 3 months i think and just checked and it was declined.
WHen i log on to Expert Flyer i see 2 empty seats and 4 blocked seats in business. With just 11 hours til departure why would this happen if seats still empty? DO you think its worth praying and asking the check in agent for upgrade or is it a lost cause?
Cheers!

 

[mannej]

2 words- yield management!


Sent from my iPhone using Aust Freq Fly app

 

[TonyHancock]

What does Expertflyer say about availibility? Seat allocation may not show whether J is full or not.

 

[JohnM]

HI Guys
FLying JFK-LAX on QF108 today 14th July.
Had a upgrade request on for 3 months i think and just checked and it was declined.
WHen i log on to Expert Flyer i see 2 empty seats and 4 blocked seats in business. With just 11 hours til departure why would this happen if seats still empty? DO you think its worth praying and asking the check in agent for upgrade or is it a lost cause?
Cheers!

It all might rest on your FF status.

 

[Ben174]

I'm gold. Should I ask at check in or go qantas club ?

 

[JohnM]

I'm gold. Should I ask at check in or go qantas club ?

Asking politely at any contact point never hurt anybody.

 

[serfty]

ODU is not available for "international" flights heading overseas¹.

¹ Not all QF "international" flight segments travel overseas.

 

[JohnM]

ODU is not available for "international" flights heading overseas¹.

¹ Not all QF "international" flight segments travel overseas.

What, out of Australia? I've had upgrades granted at LHR at departure. The one that most impressed me was an upgrade to J when I was on a classic award PER-LHR-PER. Sweeeeet!

 

[mannej]

I'm gold. Should I ask at check in or go qantas club ?

AFAIK you can not upgrade at intl QP's?

Of course there have been occasions where the planets have aligned, but I believe Serfty is correct

 

[Will]

What, out of Australia? I've had upgrades granted at LHR at departure. The one that most impressed me was an upgrade to J when I was on a classic award PER-LHR-PER. Sweeeeet!

Is it possible this was an operational upgrade? ie with no points deducted? That can happen at any point until take off (and occasionally even after that) for operation requirements; eg over-sell, seat re-assignments, aircraft substitutions etc.

On-departure upgrades (ODU) are a separate beast. Only for domestic flights, available 3 hours before flight time (IIRC), points deducted at the time you are given the new BP in the lounge. Comes out of a separate availability pool so may be possible even if you couldn't upgrade the flight over the internet.

On a third note, just because your upgrade says 'declined', doesn't mean it is. All upgrade requests are 'declined' at T-24, then at a later point some of them become successful. When is your flight? Worth checking at the airport!

 

[JohnM]

Is it possible this was an operational upgrade? ie with no points deducted? That can happen at any point until take off (and occasionally even after that) for operation requirements; eg over-sell, seat re-assignments, aircraft substitutions etc.

On-departure upgrades (ODU) are a separate beast. Only for domestic flights, available 3 hours before flight time (IIRC), points deducted at the time you are given the new BP in the lounge. Comes out of a separate availability pool so may be possible even if you couldn't upgrade the flight over the internet.

On a third note, just because your upgrade says 'declined', doesn't mean it is. All upgrade requests are 'declined' at T-24, then at a later point some of them become successful. When is your flight? Worth checking at the airport!

Thanks for the clarification of ODU vs op-up. Yes, it was an op-up out of LHR because of overbooking, so all the more sweet given I was on a classic award!

 

[munitalP]

ummm not wanting to be too up front, get over it....

 

[tuppaware]

ummm not wanting to be too up front, get over it....

I agree with you, I have had upgrade requests declined twice on A380 flights back from LAX and felt pissed off.
But gone on to have great flights. It does test my loyalty.

 

[Will]

Also, there are 72 business seats and 14 first seats - so likely a lot of competition for any available seats downstairs!

 

[Sprucegoose]

I'm gold. Should I ask at check in or go qantas club ?

Roll with the punches Ben, like the rest of us,!Gold is quite common these days. I like short FF member numbers.Have a good flight anyway. A spare seat does it for me these days.

 

[Simo]

A spare seat does it for me these days.

I always like a spare seat next to me...

The only time i haven't had a spare seat next to me is when i have got an earlier flight and i am just glad to be on the way home... I have even got the middle seat but the flight was 4 hours earlier than the one i had booked....

 

[TonyHancock]

Gold is quite common these days.

Indeed, one wonders whether QF will be giving SG away in cereal packets in the near future. :shock: I forecast a lot more people with QF "status" being disappointed at not being able to use it.

 

[Simo]

I forecast a lot more people with QF "status" being disappointed at not being able to use it.

I have been at the counter and someone protested loudly that they where silver and not a QP member but still should be allowed into the lounge because being silver. I could have just guested them in but i just flashed my Plat card and kept walking..

Being a plat member some staff recognise your status and some don't and probably want to do less for you because of it..

 

[connieguy]

I have been at the counter and someone protested loudly that they where silver and not a QP member but still should be allowed into the lounge because being silver. I could have just guested them in but i just flashed my Plat card and kept walking..

Being a plat member some staff recognise your status and some don't and probably want to do less for you because of it..

Gotta admit, the "WP1 Flash" has always worked. Nice to see the smile, the "Flash" generates.