UpgradeMe pricing and success

[mel-world]

I know this is OT but, I believe a cabin crew member needs to be near the coughpit door if and when a pilot needs to come out or requires refreshment etc. so unlikely cabin manager/crew would be 'down the back for a good 15-20 mins of a one our flight'. Sometimes crew will assist with catering in Y if they are running late.

 

[Harthagan]

I know this is OT but, I believe a cabin crew member needs to be near the coughpit door if and when a pilot needs to come out or requires refreshment etc. so unlikely cabin manager/crew would be 'down the back for a good 15-20 mins of a one our flight'. Sometimes crew will assist with catering in Y if they are running late.

I'd take the 15-20 minute figure as an exaggeration, probably more likely to be 5-10 minutes which I've certainly experienced myself on 1 hour flights.

Reason for this:

"where I was questioning whether the crew had totally forgotten their RSA training. They simply wouldn’t take no for an answer"

That excerpt shows me that they don't mind a bit of an exaggeration for effect, as there's no way I believe that to be true. No flight attendants are gonna respond that way when it comes to a passenger turning down a drink, let alone a top-up!

 

[1022]

Believe me that QF fa with the generous topups was pretty insistent..but yeah “wouldn’t take no for an answer” was lighthearted, not literal.

As for the CM disappearing down the back, it happened….believe it or not as you will.

 

[dandandan]

Just as a data point, I received the below message and turned out my card had expired, within 5-10 minutes I had updated my card however it appears Virgin still processed upgrades of others. There were seven upgrades available and around the time I got this message that went to 2 upgrades available. I am not sure why Virgin bother sending the below type of message if they don't give you a chance to update your card or even call to process the payment. I am not sure why Virgin would be trying to process the payment unless they were trying to process the upgrade. The upgrade system is terrible in the fact you can modify your bid however you can't see what card you have used or update the card!

Thank you for your UpgradeMe Premium Bid request to upgrade your upcoming Virgin Australia flight(s).

We received an error while processing your payment. Please ensure you have provided the correct card details. To complete your offer, please re-enter your card details here. Should you choose not to take any further action from this notification, your card will not be charged and any upgrade offer will not be actioned. You can resubmit your payment details up to 4 hours prior to your scheduled departure.​

 

[odysseus]

Just as a data point, I received the below message and turned out my card had expired, within 5-10 minutes I had updated my card however it appears Virgin still processed upgrades of others. There were seven upgrades available and around the time I got this message that went to 2 upgrades available. I am not sure why Virgin bother sending the below type of message if they don't give you a chance to update your card or even call to process the payment. I am not sure why Virgin would be trying to process the payment unless they were trying to process the upgrade. The upgrade system is terrible in the fact you can modify your bid however you can't see what card you have used or update the card!

Thank you for your UpgradeMe Premium Bid request to upgrade your upcoming Virgin Australia flight(s).

​

We received an error while processing your payment. Please ensure you have provided the correct card details. To complete your offer, please re-enter your card details here. Should you choose not to take any further action from this notification, your card will not be charged and any upgrade offer will not be actioned. You can resubmit your payment details up to 4 hours prior to your scheduled departure.​

It would be a form message whenever card details are incorrect when trying to process payment.

Upgrades can be manually assigned, or released earlier. Thus it's not a given that it's the last minute for upgrades being processed so in some cases updating your card may work and be applied subsequently. However, in this case it was too late.

 

[pippen_2k]

Would anyone bother bidding for an upgrade for a flight between Darwin and Melbourne noting:
The flight departs around 1.30am,
There is no Lounge in Darwin,
It's on a 737-800.

Would there even be an inflight meal at this time?

Also, if I had a connecting flight later that morning to Queenstown, would I get lounge access if my connecting flight was Economy ?

Thanks

 

[MooTime]

Also, if I had a connecting flight later that morning to Queenstown, would I get lounge access if my connecting flight was Economy ?

Thanks

Yes lounge access for J pax (not Qantas)
So that makes worthwhile the possible upgrade.
Decent domestic trip so I'd opt for upgrade.

How to use Qantas, Virgin ‘on arrival’ lounge access

Savvy frequent flyers can take advantage of visiting an airport lounge after their flight…

www.executivetraveller.com

 

[lesrowe]

Avoid at all costs - virgin's upgrademe system is a massive scam

Whatever you do, don't be fooled.

When my wife and I received the upgrademebid email we were curious. We put in offers that were deemed "very poor" for both our outbound and inbound flights - yet both were accepted.

The first was an eye watering $740 for our perth to melbourne leg. When we allocated separate seats in different rows, we phoned customer service, who informed us that if we simply request to be downgraded back to economy at the airport, we will be refunded the upgrade fare. We were downgraded to economy at the airport and submitted a refund request. We also noted that business class was full on our flight.

We then tried to cancel the upgrade bid for the return flight to ensure we didn't go through this drama again, but the website wouldnt let us cancel. We phoned customer service , who said there was no outstanding upgrade bid for our return flight.

A day later, we were upgraded again.

This time, for a slightly less eye watering $490. However having seen the "business class" seats on our first flight - a continuation of economy, separated by a rope and with no real point of difference from economy, we wouldn't pay $50 more for these seats.

We phoned customer service again, who told us to repeat the same process at the airport and request a refund after flying economy then submit a refund request after. Because our tickets would show economy, virgin wouldn't charge us the upgrade fare, so they said.

We have since been charged for both flights - a total of $1,230 - despite flying economy both ways and with business class full on both flights.

We will never fly virgin again and express the strongest caution for anyone entertaining the scam that is Virgin's Upgrademebid

 

[Harthagan]

having seen the "business class" seats on our first flight - a continuation of economy, separated by a rope and with no real point of difference from economy

This is a tad harsh. You definitely get a more comfortable and spacious seat, both in width and more leg room. Sure it doesn't lie flat, that's the main downfall of Virgin's business class product.

But you do also get served a pretty decent meal (for domestic airline food standards) as well as complimentary drinks throughout the flight while in business class.

Other points of difference include lounge access, increased luggage allowance, priority check-in and priority boarding (if you aren't already gold or platinum)

 

[simmomelb]

Avoid at all costs - virgin's upgrademe system is a massive scam

Whatever you do, don't be fooled.

When my wife and I received the upgrademebid email we were curious. We put in offers that were deemed "very poor" for both our outbound and inbound flights - yet both were accepted.

We will never fly virgin again and express the strongest caution for anyone entertaining the scam that is Virgin's Upgrademebid

You call the UpgradeMe bid "eye-watering" yet you agreed to pay that amount. You weren't forced to do this.

You say you wouldn't pay $50 more for Business Class (although you agreed to pay much more), yet it's packed full of extras you don't get in Economy - a great meal, beers, wines, bubbly, lots of leg room and width, a comfy seat, included WiFi internet on upgraded planes, a lot more Status and Velocity points (for full fare paying passengers), lounge access, FlyAhead, priority boarding, quick access to the front lavatory, last minute changes allowed, disembark first etc.

I'm not sure what world you think it's a "scam", nothing about it is a scam, it's more to do with you not taking the time to read the very digestible T's&C's which makes it clear that you may not be sitting together, ie if they have 2 spare seats and you've successfully bid for 2 seats, you'll be given them, rather than miss out of them, even if that not be 2 seats together.
It's clear you do not understand how UpgradeMe works nor took the time to understand it.
You've alluded to your surprise that you were accepted Business upgrades for offers that were considered "very poor", why? It happens quite often if no other passenger is bidding (no such thing as "very poor" when bidding, offer strengths are 'poor', 'fair', 'good', 'strong' & 'excellent').
Perhaps do a little research next time before exclaiming "scam", as it doesn't make you come across as a passenger any airline would want to have onboard.

You've obviously not travelled Business on a Qantas 737 - is that also not worth paying more than $50 for?

The complete guide to Qantas Boeing 737 business class

From airport lounge access and a comfortable ride to your destination, here's your guide to Qantas' Boeing 737 business class.

www.executivetraveller.com

 

[MooTime]

Avoid at all costs - virgin's upgrademe system is a massive scam

Whatever you do, don't be fooled.

When my wife and I received the upgrademebid email we were curious. We put in offers that were deemed "very poor" for both our outbound and inbound flights - yet both were accepted.

The first was an eye watering $740 for our perth to melbourne leg. When we allocated separate seats in different rows, we phoned customer service, who informed us that if we simply request to be downgraded back to economy at the airport, we will be refunded the upgrade fare. We were downgraded to economy at the airport and submitted a refund request. We also noted that business class was full on our flight.

We then tried to cancel the upgrade bid for the return flight to ensure we didn't go through this drama again, but the website wouldnt let us cancel. We phoned customer service , who said there was no outstanding upgrade bid for our return flight.

A day later, we were upgraded again.

This time, for a slightly less eye watering $490. However having seen the "business class" seats on our first flight - a continuation of economy, separated by a rope and with no real point of difference from economy, we wouldn't pay $50 more for these seats.

We phoned customer service again, who told us to repeat the same process at the airport and request a refund after flying economy then submit a refund request after. Because our tickets would show economy, virgin wouldn't charge us the upgrade fare, so they said.

We have since been charged for both flights - a total of $1,230 - despite flying economy both ways and with business class full on both flights.

We will never fly virgin again and express the strongest caution for anyone entertaining the scam that is Virgin's Upgrademebid

Clearly you didn't read the basic T&C's. Upon winning the bid, it clearly states you are not guaranteed to be seated together, what seats are left you get.

You made the bid..... You. Nobody else Eye watering price..... You selected that amount, hahaha. My goodness.

Continuation of economy, yeah exactly the same seats just continue, forgot your bifocals did we?

Back to social media formats to complain, you sound the type.

 

[SydneySwan]

Avoid at all costs - virgin's upgrademe system is a massive scam

Whatever you do, don't be fooled.

When my wife and I received the upgrademebid email we were curious. We put in offers that were deemed "very poor" for both our outbound and inbound flights - yet both were accepted.

The first was an eye watering $740 for our perth to melbourne leg. When we allocated separate seats in different rows, we phoned customer service, who informed us that if we simply request to be downgraded back to economy at the airport, we will be refunded the upgrade fare. We were downgraded to economy at the airport and submitted a refund request. We also noted that business class was full on our flight.

We then tried to cancel the upgrade bid for the return flight to ensure we didn't go through this drama again, but the website wouldnt let us cancel. We phoned customer service , who said there was no outstanding upgrade bid for our return flight.

A day later, we were upgraded again.

This time, for a slightly less eye watering $490. However having seen the "business class" seats on our first flight - a continuation of economy, separated by a rope and with no real point of difference from economy, we wouldn't pay $50 more for these seats.

We phoned customer service again, who told us to repeat the same process at the airport and request a refund after flying economy then submit a refund request after. Because our tickets would show economy, virgin wouldn't charge us the upgrade fare, so they said.

We have since been charged for both flights - a total of $1,230 - despite flying economy both ways and with business class full on both flights.

We will never fly virgin again and express the strongest caution for anyone entertaining the scam that is Virgin's Upgrademebid

So you signed up to AFF just to get this off your chest? Welcome to AFF!

 

[Jfaith]

MEL-CBR - Min bid of $60 accepted at T-25

What is t-25?

 

[MEL_Traveller]

What is t-25?

Take-off minus 25 hours (ie 25 hours before scheduled departure!)

Also elsewhere on AFF you’ll see T-80 in respect of qantas opening up their seat maps for non-status pax. They do this 80 hours before scheduled departure time.

 

[Jfaith]

Take-off minus 25 hours (ie 25 hours before scheduled departure!)

Also elsewhere on AFF you’ll see T-80 in respect of qantas opening up their seat maps for non-status pax. They do this 80 hours before scheduled departure time.

Thanks for the quick reply

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Sometimes some crew may leave your glass empty for a little bit if you're drinking too fast due to RSA. One drink in the air is equal to two on the ground.

I thought RSA was signs of intoxication, not number of drinks consumed?

On most of my VA flights where the crew have been actively engaged with service they have been in the aisles freely topping up, and my flights are an hour!

 

[simmomelb]

I thought RSA was signs of intoxication, not number of drinks consumed?

On most of my VA flights where the crew have been actively engaged with service they have been in the aisles freely topping up, and my flights are an hour!

Yes, I've walked out of J quite happy a few times, but they were still responsible.

At one point the CM said to me "You aren't driving once we arrive, are you?" to which I confirmed I was getting an Uber and he gave me one last top-up.

They have provided plenty of water generally also.

I've found them very responsible but not tight with wine.

 

[mel-world]

No luck with a near minimum bid ($135) for 2 of us on VA841 MEL-SYD, the midday flight on Sunday. I guess the lunch is worth more to others than it is to me.

 

[Jfaith]

I thought RSA was signs of intoxication, not number of drinks consumed?

On most of my VA flights where the crew have been actively engaged with service they have been in the aisles freely topping up, and my flights are an ho

Yes, I've walked out of J quite happy a few times, but they were still responsible.

At one point the CM said to me "You aren't driving once we arrive, are you?" to which I confirmed I
was getting an Uber and he gave me one last top-up.

They have provided plenty of water generally also.

I've found them very responsible but not tight with wine.

I got myself a coffee cup of red wine to hold on landing Christmas Eve 2021

 

[CaptJCool]

Optimal amount to bid for a flight upgrade revealed

The dark arts of upgrade bidding have long been shrouded in mystery. So we spoke to an expert frequent flyer, to ask how he does it.

www.escape.com.au