upgrade from PE to J less probable?

[eklob]

Just a quick question...

I deduced from another thread that those requesting an upgrade from Premium Economy (T) to J have had less success than those upgrading from say Y to J? Can anyone confirm this?

Thank youu

 

[MelUser]

Upgrades into J are done firstly by arranging all passengers into the following bands:

(1) Chairmans Lounge
(2) Platinum Member
(3) Gold Member
(4) Qantas Club Silver Member
(5) Silver Member
(6) Qantas Club Bronze Member
(7) Bronze Member

Within in each band passengers are ranked by fare bucket. So Full Premium Economy and Discount Premium Economy would be the first two fare buckets, third would be Full Economy (Y) and then down through the Discount Economy (but still upgradeable) fare buckets.

A tie at a fare bucket is resolved by the lower QFF membership number getting preference (ie that person has been a member longer than the one missing out).

So, in theory, having a Premium Economy seat does put you ahead of your band for an upgrade.

However, if you are a Bronze or Silver, it can still be difficult to get an upgrade especially if Business only has a few spare seats.

Enjoy playing the Qantas international upgrade lottery - I for one love the thrill of playing and winning it. Others here don't like the uncertainty!

 

[oz_mark]

There are probably many more folk trying to get the upgrade from Economy than from Premium Economy, so can be hard to tell from anecdotal evidence which gives you the greatest chance.

 

[NM]

Within in each band passengers are ranked by fare bucket. So Full Premium Economy and Discount Premium Economy would be the first two fare buckets, third would be Full Economy (Y) and then down through the Discount Economy (but still upgradeable) fare buckets.

I know there has been speculation on this topic for a while, but this is the first time I have seen it stated as a fact.

A tie at a fare bucket is resolved by the lower QFF membership number getting preference (ie that person has been a member longer than the one missing out).

This is the first time I have seen this suggested. Others have suggested, as was previously noted by Qantas before some recent program changes, that the time the upgrade waitlist was requested was the tie-break factor. Do you have specific inside knowledge of the process or is this based on your own experience and deduction?

 

[MelUser]

Both of these facts come from a contact within Qantas.

I made some enquiries when they did away with the time of putting in the upgrade request - this just seemed to disappear from the rules one day.

I summise that these changes were made so that at the 24 hour cut off point everyone is judged according to their status/QF priority and within that by fare bucket as many people travelling on work don't book their flights nearer to flight departure compared with leisure travellers. The old time of lodging request favoured leisure/holiday travellers over work travellers.

 

[NM]

Both of these facts come from a contact within Qantas.

I made some enquiries when they did away with the time of putting in the upgrade request - this just seemed to disappear from the rules one day.

Thanks.

I summise that these changes were made so that at the 24 hour cut off point everyone is judged according to their status/QF priority and within that by fare bucket as many people travelling on work don't book their flights nearer to flight departure compared with leisure travellers. The old time of lodging request favoured leisure/holiday travellers over work travellers.

That was always a problem for me as tickets were often issued only a few days before travel.

 

[serfty]

Assuming this to be the case (and recent anecdotes indicate this), I wonder how oneworld elites from other FF programs fit in to the scheme of things. (Such as the ubiquitous Emerald AAdvantage Executive Platinum member.)

 

[oz_mark]

Assuming this to be the case (and recent anecdotes indicate this), I wonder how oneworld elites from other FF programs fit in to the scheme of things. (Such as the ubiquitous Emerald AAdvantage Executive Platinum member.)

For the purposes of an upgrade request on Qantas, how relevant is your AA status? (unless you can use AA points to upgrade!)

 

[serfty]

For the purposes of an upgrade request on Qantas, how relevant is your AA status? (unless you can use AA points to upgrade!)

Good Question!

I did think about this and if you go by the Web Site, it does not matter who's QFF account the upgrade points are coming from:

... When using your points to upgrade an eligible family member, the upgrade will be awarded according to the eligible family member's priority not the status of the Qantas Frequent Flyer whose points are being used. ...

e.g. Consider a QF PS who is also an AAdvantage EXP and has their AAdvantage number in the booking. They submit an upgrade request using their QFF points.

Where do they come in the 'pecking order'?

 

[MelUser]

We then get into the argument of whether the status of the person requesting the upgrade (and not the passenger) is the status considered by QF in ranking.

Officially "no"

Anecdotally "yes"

 

[canabear]

i am sure this has come up before - why do they not look at the booked class before the FF status?

Theorically what you are saying is that if a SG on fully paid business fare and a WP on a discount economy fare both apply for the same First seat the WP wins???

 

[MelUser]

With QF, you can only upgrade into First FROM Business so in your example the Platinum member can only upgrade into Business (assuming that the discount economy fare is an upgradeable one).

If both were in business then the WP would be the first person considered for an upgrade into First.

Fare bucket is only relevant to distinguish between 2 passengers holding the same QFF status.

For example 1 First Class upgrade seat. 2 Platinum members travelling in paid business, both having requested an upgrade to First. One is travelling in full fare "J" and the other is travelling on an around the world ticket in Business "D". The "J" Platinum member will get the upgrade.

 

[NM]

i am sure this has come up before - why do they not look at the booked class before the FF status?

Theorically what you are saying is that if a SG on fully paid business fare and a WP on a discount economy fare both apply for the same First seat the WP wins???

Nope, you cannot upgrade from economy to first. Only upgrades from economy are to premium economy or to business class.

 

[canabear]

I think you got too caught up it the detail and missed the point. Going back to the OP scenario with WP upgrading from Paid Economy to Business and the SG is in Paid Premium Economy upgrading to Business the WP wins even though the SG is in a higher class cabin?

I can understand looking at FF status and then fare within the same cabin, but not when there is a class difference to begin with.

 

[serfty]

i am sure this has come up before - why do they not look at the booked class before the FF status?

Theorically what you are saying is that if a SG on fully paid business fare and a WP on a discount economy fare both apply for the same First seat the WP wins???

Maybe you meant "discount Business fare" ... in which case you post makes more sense. If you didn't then your example is implausible because, as posted, you cannot upgrade using points from Y to F!

In any case, it's currently status first ...

 

[eklob]

Just a quick question about the status of my upgrade request:

Presently, on the My Bookings page on the QFF website, it reads -

Status: Confirmed
Upgrade status: Requested
Class: New Economy (T)


Is the entry "Requested", as opposed to say "Waitlisted", indicative of anything out of the ordinary?

I was just under the impression that it should read "Waitlisted" next to the upgrade status.

Thanks

 

[oz_mark]

There is no waitlist as such for upgrades. They all are requests and then around 24 hours prior to the flight they will go through the requests and decide who does and who does not get an upgrade.

 

[MelUser]

The word waitlisted is only used with sense when looking at your reservation via www.checkmytrip.com.

Note that via checkmytrip.com your reservation only shows things changing in the 24 hours before the flight leaves.

With luck, your reservation will change from "Waitlisted" to "Confirmed from Waitlist" sometime between 16 and 8 hours before the flight leaves.

 

[medhead]

We then get into the argument of whether the status of the person requesting the upgrade (and not the passenger) is the status considered by QF in ranking.

Officially "no"

Anecdotally "yes"

I don't think it is that grey at all. My impression from the various debates about this is pretty clear.
If the person requesting the upgrade is travelling together with the other passenger then they use the status of the requestor. If the requestor is not travelling then its the status of the passenger. This is entirely consistent with the rule quoted by Serfty

 

[MelUser]

I was speaking from personal experience from:

(1) having myself upgraded in days of no status; and

(2) more recently upgrading others with no status.

However, Qantas policy is the official line and it is probably best to accept this.