Upgrade Priority. Staff vs. Paying Passenger

[**TBA**]

Hi everyone, first post but a long time reader of AFF.

I'm flying to LAX later this week and have put in my upgrade request from PE to J.

I have a friend who is able to check flight loadings via the Qantas Staff log in, and apparently there are 7 J seats available at the moment, but 9 staff waitlisted..

Does anyone know whether Staff have priority over a passenger's upgrade request?

Thanks!

 

[smit0847]

I dont know the answer to this but I would certainly hope passengers upgrading with points would receive priority!

 

[AIRwin]

Congrats on your 1st post! By the way, I do like your user name... When I used to work for SQ, there was a set of rules on the priority of uplift + upgrade so I'd expect something similar for QF.

 

[**TBA**]

Thanks for your quick responses!

I always thought passengers had priority, but my friend seemed to think staff did.. Maybe it depends on the type of staff travel, whether they're on duty or just on holidays.

 

[FuzzyAUS]

Which date are you flying? i am out Saturday on QF11

 

[smit0847]

I think this would be quite the scandal if it was revealed staff receive priority.....

 

[Paddy55]

Hi everyone, first post but a long time reader of AFF.

I'm flying to LAX later this week and have put in my upgrade request from PE to J.

I have a friend who is able to check flight loadings via the Qantas Staff log in, and apparently there are 7 J seats available at the moment, but 9 staff waitlisted..

Does anyone know whether Staff have priority over a passenger's upgrade request?

Thanks!

I sure know what I hope the priority is!
V interested to see how you go

 

[RooFlyer]

I think this would be quite the scandal if it was revealed staff receive priority.....

Well, I guess some staff would receive priority in some circumstances. If, say flight crew or even FAs (and I don't mean that in a derogatory way) are being re-positioned and need to go on duty soon after arrival, then there would be a case, in my view.

Not saying that's the case here, but I have no probs with a uniformed pilot/FO sitting in the J cabin after I walk past to whY having failed in an upgrade request. He/she might be flying me in the next sector, and I wouldn't want them grumpy

 

[**TBA**]

Which date are you flying? i am out Saturday on QF11

Flying on QF93 on Thursday!

I will let everyone know if my upgrade was successful.

 

[UP4014]

None of those seats might be available if they are sold between now and then. Don't think because you didn't get an upgrade a staff member did.

m

 

[smit0847]

Well, I guess some staff would receive priority in some circumstances. If, say flight crew or even FAs (and I don't mean that in a derogatory way) are being re-positioned and need to go on duty soon after arrival, then there would be a case, in my view.

Not saying that's the case here, but I have no probs with a uniformed pilot/FO sitting in the J cabin after I walk past to whY having failed in an upgrade request. He/she might be flying me in the next sector, and I wouldn't want them grumpy

I mean if staff (leisure) travel trumps FF points upgrade requests. Of course positing pax need to go first.

 

[smit0847]

I'm going to ask in the 'Ask the flight attendant' thread.

 

[Standby]

As I understand it the points upgrade requests get actioned first from highest to lowest cabin ie P cabin first then J and finally PY which makes sense as this shuffle forward actually opens up more upgrade opportunities eg a J cab confirmed pax upgrading to P frees up space in in J for PY and Y to J upgrades. Leisure staff travel only get upgraded subject to space at flight closeout within an hour or so of flight departure. Not sure about duty crew but know there are award requirements that see them booked straight into higher cabins

 

[GoldCanyon340]

Wouldn't be too concerned. 'Regular' staff travellers (i.e. leisure travel) will not be upgraded before a commercial pax. Duty travellers will be onloaded and upgraded depending on their individual onload/upgrade priorities and whether their award situation dictates they must ride. Even most duty travelling pax with a J/P booking (i.e. onload in J if space available and upgrade to P if space available) will be bumped if commercial reasons dictate.

 

[lovestotravel]

Keep in mind another 1-14 passengers will likely be moved from business to first, so that opens up another chunk of business seats

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Well, I guess some staff would receive priority in some circumstances. If, say flight crew or even FAs (and I don't mean that in a derogatory way) are being re-positioned and need to go on duty soon after arrival, then there would be a case, in my view.

Not saying that's the case here, but I have no probs with a uniformed pilot/FO sitting in the J cabin after I walk past to whY having failed in an upgrade request. He/she might be flying me in the next sector, and I wouldn't want them grumpy

Problem is that staff seats are all last minute.

So, crew coming in from LAX that need to be shipped down to MEL - QF know the arrival time and could book staff on a flight but instead J seats on SYD-MEL appear very open, and FFers put upgrade requests in, only to find them denied. When the FF gets onboard to see staff there it's a big kick in the teeth.

I'm fine for staff in J, but FFS - confirm seats for them, at least that way FF'ers know the loadings and don't feel screwed when they see biz full of staff.

The way it currently works certainly appears like staff get preference over paying upgrade requests 100% of the time.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Wouldn't be too concerned. 'Regular' staff travellers (i.e. leisure travel) will not be upgraded before a commercial pax. Duty travellers will be onloaded and upgraded depending on their individual onload/upgrade priorities and whether their award situation dictates they must ride. Even most duty travelling pax with a J/P booking (i.e. onload in J if space available and upgrade to P if space available) will be bumped if commercial reasons dictate.

Basically means duty travel is only bumped if a paying passenger suddenly appears.

 

[brett-au]

Sorry. But I think its the exact opposite. Lets pick some random numbers. Spose on an A380 you have 10 seats in sale fare bucket, 10 seats for full FF purchase, 10 seats for upgrades and the rest are available for purchase with the computer picking the price. As the departure date gets closer you will probably look at the unsold seats and the people requesting an upgrade and throw another 10 seats their way. All the remaining seats will most likely be unsold or given to staff. If you are person number #11 (or #21), all the staff will get upgraded ahead of you or the seat will remain empty. This keeps the cabin 'exclusive' and makes the seat worth the crazy asking price.

/two cents

 

[simongr]

Not sure why a points upgrade should beat a paid staff leisure travel ticket. In terms of cash in the bank QF will probably earn the same from the two tickets. I would expect though that CL/P1 will get upgraded before paid staff leisure travel as they get upgraded potentially seven days out. Similarly WP should beat staff leisure as they get confirmed three days out. Not sure how SG would fare...

 

[N860CR]

Your QF friend really shouldn't be discussing the details of staff travel with non-staff members... but that aside, they're incorrect.

Qantas now start processing upgrades up to 7 days prior to departure with most (if not all) finalised by the night before departure. Staff do not BOOK tickets, they LIST on flights as a standby and only get on-loaded if there are spare seats.

I'll give an example. Say a SYD-LAX has 8 seats in Y and 2 in J available at the start of check-in. This flight is considered to be heavily booked and staff will not be accepted for travel until the flight has closed. So while you're sitting onboard already (sparking wine in hand!), the staff are standing outside at the check-in counters waiting for the final load to be completed (this includes the loading of commercial cargo, as it is a higher priority than staff). Then, and only then, will the staff be on-loaded (and will rush through security to be the last onboard the aircraft).

In another case, a BNE-SYD has 100 seats in Y and 8 in J available. The staff member will check-in and be issued with an Economy boarding pass. Once all passengers are onboard, they may be upgraded to business if there are any empty seats left in business. Again, everyone else is already onboard and there is no chance of a passenger buying a seat or upgrading to J.

Business is not free to staff members. They pay extra for the privilege of possibly sitting in business and this can be a big expense. For domestic flights, if a staff member books and pays for a business upgrade, they do not receive a refund if business goes out full and the forfeit the money (which can be over $100).

Duty travel is different as the crews are entitled to travel in business while they are travelling for work purposes only. That said, only a limited number of seats in the cabin are available for duty travel (generally).

So no, staff are not given any priority at all over passengers (I'm not going to say paying passengers, as the staff are paying as well - often just as much as some passengers are). Staff are the lowest of lows when it comes to on loading.