UpgradeMe pricing and success

[serfty]

Can you please explain this for a noob?

VA use W, R and O for different valued seat fare bucket for PE travel. W is the most expensive, R mid-range and O the cheapest.

See this thread for hints on how to read loadings:

Interpreting GDS Fare Bucket Availability (Expert Flyer / KVS)

 

[zealbee]

VA use W, R and O for different valued seat fare bucket for PE travel. W is the most expensive, R mid-range and O the cheapest.

See this thread for hints on how to read loadings:

Interpreting GDS Fare Bucket Availability (Expert Flyer / KVS)

So is the key to check how many O seats are available when wanting to bid for an upgrade?

 

[bullerdude]

Hi Everyone

I am new here but have been lurking for some time. Anyway I am due to fly out from BNE to LAX next week and have submitted a bid for an upgrade. My bid amount at a paltry 440 bucks, while I dont hold out much hope am I right to be slightly encouraged by there being 26 premium economy seats available.

I booked a saver class ticket does that mean if successful I get to be in premium economy? I am hoping so as that is the reason I put in my offer, rather than paying an extra 400 bucks to sit in the same cabin.

Seat map for the day of my flight.

To try and answer you question more specifically.

If you are successful you will pay the $440 and get a seat in PE.

If you are unsuccessful then you will not pay the bid and remain seating in economy.

 

[meshelle]

Thank you to all who answered my questions, I appreciate the help. I am happy that it is to PE, I have flown PE in the past out of BNE to LAX and loved that I could sleep and stretch out and arrived refreshed and ready to go on the other side.

I received the email today that my offer is under review so I am hoping that I will get some positive news regarding it in the next few days fingers crossed.

 

[zealbee]

Thank you to all who answered my questions, I appreciate the help. I am happy that it is to PE, I have flown PE in the past out of BNE to LAX and loved that I could sleep and stretch out and arrived refreshed and ready to go on the other side.

I received the email today that my offer is under review so I am hoping that I will get some positive news regarding it in the next few days fingers crossed.

Please let us all know whether you were successful or not.

 

[Deleted member 29185]

Just looked at the UpgradeMe option for BNE-CNS-BNE and they start at $200 from a $247 flexi fare. I could purchase J at $539 so who'd bother with the upgrade lottery, no guarantee of the seat and not receive J SCs for a pittance saving? I may actually go for this scheme, if they gave J SCs with the upgrade.

 

[meshelle]

The o class seats has jumped from showing o5 to o7 5 days before travel, is that out of the ordinary

 

[jackthomas]

Upgrade Price MEL-BNE next Saturday is minimum $200 a pop, same for the return the next day... While this still brings the total cost to about 50% of what the full fare is, My Y tickets were $225 each way... No Deal for a 2 hour flight in a 737.

 

[Moopere]

The o class seats has jumped from showing o5 to o7 5 days before travel, is that out of the ordinary

Fares returning to inventory ... I wouldn't mind betting that some lucky PE guests have bid, upgraded or otherwise been moved to J

Yield management appears mostly as magic from the outside though, so it could just have easily been a transfer of fare class from the higher (unsold) W or R to O in the hope of them getting sold (though I think this is unlikely, I don't know that inter fare class transfers are a common occurrence ... then again, see: Magic

I'm not sure if allocations are made for 3rd party ticketing houses which might expire if not sold - I suspect not in this day and age, but again, don't know for sure. If I had to bet, I'd say its at least a couple of upgrades to J

 

[serfty]

I would suggest a bit of both - pax upgraded as well as YM endeavoring to sell those seats for what they can get.

 

[meshelle]

Happy to update that my bid of $420 was successful for my upcoming flight this Wednesday. Notification of update came today at 2pm. Thank you guys I'll keep you updated if there are any problems etc.

flight was for BNE to LAX

 

[meshelle]

Question, on expert flyer it shows that there 15 seats taken in Premium economy ( one of them is mine ) when I changed my seat from row 31 to row 14 the change was almost instant on Expert Flyer but the V Australia site shows that there is only 6 seats or so left. As I understand it row 14 is not so good in terms of seat recline and would like to change to one of the ones that are blocked out rather than changing my seating to a row of four and sharing with another passenger. Will these blocked out seats come up as available before the flight leaves or is it something that is always blocked out and saved for full fare passengers.



Ideally I would like to try for row 11 what do you think my chances are of that.

 

[kevrosmith]

Question, on expert flyer it shows that there 15 seats taken in Premium economy ( one of them is mine ) when I changed my seat from row 31 to row 14 the change was almost instant on Expert Flyer but the V Australia site shows that there is only 6 seats or so left. As I understand it row 14 is not so good in terms of seat recline and would like to change to one of the ones that are blocked out rather than changing my seating to a row of four and sharing with another passenger. Will these blocked out seats come up as available before the flight leaves or is it something that is always blocked out and saved for full fare passengers.

Ideally I would like to try for row 11 what do you think my chances are of that.

My guess is that these are blocked initially for passengers who have status. Do you have your Velocity number in your Expert Flyer account? (EF will then apply your status when doing the search and therefore any status blocks would show as well). Not sure how it works with VA entirely, though.

These may open up when you check in and/or you may be able to request at check-in. I'm not too familiar with VA on international flights though, I'm sorry. Others may be able to help better.

 

[meshelle]

I dont have my Velocity number listed in my Expert Flyer account, I am silver status so not really a big wig like some. I don't expect that I would be able to see much more. My velocity number is listed in my booking though and no additional seats opened.

 

[meshelle]

I also noticed that the O class went from 7 to 5 so I am assuming that 2 of us got the upgrade. I am very pleased to say the least.

 

[TomVexille]

Just got the "Bid for your chance to upgrade" email for my SYD-MEL flight next week. Minimum bid is $230. I do think that it's just a tad overpriced for a 1 hour flight. But maybe that's just me...

 

[kevrosmith]

I dont have my Velocity number listed in my Expert Flyer account, I am silver status so not really a big wig like some. I don't expect that I would be able to see much more. My velocity number is listed in my booking though and no additional seats opened.

If you add your number, then have a look at the seat map again and see if it shows row 10 and 11 as blocked there as well. Better likelihood that you'll be able to get a better seat that way.

Having said that, my philosophy is to always choose the best seat in what is currently showing as available and not wait thinking that a better seat is going to open up. Select the seat now that you will be happiest with if you end up staying there. YMMY

 

[meshelle]

On the Expert Flyer website it has all the seats open other than those occupied, on the VAustralia site it has it as only having limited seats available. I chose to sit in the seat I like the best even though it has mixed reviews. I figure I will just keep checking the website until I go and see if anything opens up in front. If it doesnt and on the day of the flight after we take off I will just move to the seat I like best. Thank you for your responses did I mention how awesome this site is.

 

[MH_fan]

Just got the "Bid for your chance to upgrade" email for my SYD-MEL flight next week. Minimum bid is $230. I do think that it's just a tad overpriced for a 1 hour flight. But maybe that's just me...

I can't understand how they come up with these figures. The minimum bid for most SYD-MEL flights is around $200 and that's for a 1.5hr flight, which isn't worth it in my opinion. However, a minimum bid for SYD-CNS is $250, which is a 3hr flight and much more worth it. I've noticed that a saver fare plus minimum bid usually amounts to 50% of what the J fare is at the time. Has anyone else noticed this?

 

[TomVexille]

I can't understand how they come up with these figures. The minimum bid for most SYD-MEL flights is around $200 and that's for a 1.5hr flight, which isn't worth it in my opinion. However, a minimum bid for SYD-CNS is $250, which is a 3hr flight and much more worth it. I've noticed that a saver fare plus minimum bid usually amounts to 50% of what the J fare is at the time. Has anyone else noticed this?

I think you're pretty close with your calculations.