Any chance of success in asking for a free upgrade?

[serfty]

With Qantas these days the majority of such upgrades are predetermined - the check-in agnety has little power, other than to make a 'phone call and recommend/request.

Search for "Proactive Onload".

 

[Musongman]

Cathay will sometimes give out free upgrades to passengers flying on their birthday. Most of the reports of it happening are from people with status with Marco Polo Club (Cathay's FF program). Were you a member of MPC when you got the upgrade? Or did you have status with another Oneworld airline (e.g. Qantas)?

No richie9x, I do not have MPC, and they didn't know it was my birthday as far as I know, just had my QF/FF number in the PNR. Just a touch of Kismet!

 

[Gav]

You're a tool Gav.

Used to be, mate. Used to be. I'm much more settled down now! Yes I was bragging, but frankly the first story rates as one of the best weeks of my life, and the latter was to see I team I've supported for 30 years win their first trophy in 36, so again, spirits were high...

 

[Skyring]

When I hear about people asking for upgrades, i think back to Richard Butler, who made an absolute pig of himself when appointed to the Tasmanian Governorship. Booking the cheapest possible fares and then demanding an upgrade. And then lying about it afterwards.

I score the occasional unexpected upgrade. AA J-F FRA-DFW was very nice. I told the Admirals Club agent that he had the best job in the world, making people happy. Particularly as the security goons had given me a hard time during checkin, asking how a humble cabbie dressed in cargo pants could afford Business.

Now and again a seat will map into something nicer, through equipment change or WPs scoring Y+ for Y- prices.

Nicest of all was KAN-HEL with Finnair, just before that bloody volcano blew up. Wife and I were given upgrades to J from Y. That made her happy, and happy wife = happy Skyring.

Another time we got on the 747 at Heathrow for the long night ride and the rest of the row which I'd carefully selected for window seat viewing pleasure was full of a sports team and they were already half-tanked. Still WP then, and the FA offered nicer seats further forward. Wife jumped at the chance to get away from boisterous roisterers. The seats were only middle bulkheads at the front of Y, and I lost my window, but again, for the happiness of my wife, no sacrifice is too huge.

Maybe some can score the occasional upgrade for the asking. I'm not that sort of guy.

 

[Muriel]

We have never asked for an upgrade but have twice been offered one. Once on a Qantas flight to NZ and once on Air New Zealand (even though on the ANZ flight I had a Thai silver card)
With the Qantas flight, we had just rejoined Qantas Club and when we checked in, I said to the staff member, we prefer to sit in the forward area of the aircraft. (I did not mean in business class - simply, towards the front of the plane). She smiled sweetly and said "I can give you 2 seats at the front end but you'd have to sit separately and I guess you want to sit together" to which we replied "yes". She checked us in to economy class but when we were in the lounge, our names were called and, low and behold, we were offered an upgrade - sitting separately. I immediately said "yes, we'll take it". We couldn't believe our luck. Having said that, we were travelling for a special occasion and were dressed as if we had booked business class. With Air NZ, I was travelling alone - on points - and was given an upgrade on check in - apparently, the flight was full.

 

[anabolism]

Is this what we're talking about..... frequent liar program n.

Travelers who will say anything to receive upgrades on flights or hotel rooms, free meals, etc

Good one.

For many years I worked on the 'other' side of these requests/demands/pleads.
Most of us were taught as a child if you ask you won't get..... that is pretty much what it's all about at check-in as well. There is the odd occasion where that is not the case and that's when the controllers are looking for 'x' amount of people to upgrade due to circumstances on that particular flight.
The check-in staff will then choose who to upgrade, and believe me it's not the ones that ask, it's not the ones in thongs, it's not the ones in stubbies and a singlet.

You're saying that when you needed to op-up people, you wpuldn't just work from the list of status or fare paid, but rather would look to see how people were dressed, and pass over anyone who looked sloppy? Did you check their appearance when they checked-in, or did you remember who was who and looked around the waiting area?

 

[fall502]

I worked with a man who nearly always got upgraded when he flew. Asked him one day how this happened and he told me that his Qantas profile was noted to upgrade wherever possible. Helped that he managed a travel contract with Qantas that was worth quite a lot of money. This was over 10 years ago and as far as I know does not happen to him anymore.

 

[anabolism]

Those who say asking is a sure way to not get it are assuming that the agents have full discretion in who gets upgraded. I think by now most airlines have policies for how to handle op-ups, and realize that rewarding their frequent fliers and/or those on higher fare classes is good business. That said, there are surely some cases where an agent or FA decides on a whim to be extra nice to someone, but probably not very often.

Earlier in the thread someone said asking is a U.S. attitude (I can't find the post or I'd quote it). I think that's right -- here in the States people like to think they know the "secret" to everything: scoring a free upgrade, getting a good deal on a car, getting approval for changes to a house that don't meet code or regulation, etc. Whatever it is, they know the secret.

 

[bob draper]

Sorry, but as a frequent flyer from Spain to Australia via heathrow every year I have had in the past 12 years 6 or 7 upgrades, mainly club world but on one occasion my wife and I were upgraded to executive first class which was just fantastic, this was in 1997 and at that time we were taken up on the flight deck this was on Air Canada I think and I still have the menu to prove it.It really is just a case of asking in the correct way. As we know all flights are over booked especially those on the London to Australia flights.I don't bother now as I have found the best seat on the A380 and I book it well in advance. But don't just take my word for it, give it a try you will be suprised how easy it can be, and nothing could be better than going to the gate to be told that they are giving you an upgrade

 

[rbakker]

I've flown hundreds of times over the last 35 years and I've never had an upgrade. I've never asked for one either.
Still kicking myself for not taking up the offer once to pay $100 for an upgrade to 1st class on a LAX-HNL flight in the 80s or 90s.
A friend in the USA tells me that Continental seems to have the policy now of filling First Class (sounds more like Business Class to me) with FF people in Economy.
Platinums go first, then Gold (if any space left), then Silver. She's Silver and gets upgraded nearly every time now - including again today!

 

[Robmn]

A mate who fly’s very frequently on various airlines, to ridiculous countries, always business, I asked couple of days ago if he ever scored upgrades, told me only on Ethiad a couple of times never on QANTAS, that’s been over the last 8 years.(has life gold.)

 

[missafternoondelight]

I've only had 1 free upgrade to date (only 18 months of having QF status under my belt though), and that was an op up SYD-MEL (overbooked flight). I was SG, and the J cabin was full, too - a few other pax looked surprised to be in J.
I have asked on flights I know to be light to be moved to get an empty row - checkin staff have always been very obliging on this front. 4 Y seats in a row on an A330 actually yields better sleep for me than the sloping 'flat' Skybed in J... so very grateful when snagging a free row.

 

[2impulsiv]

A colleague of mine who has been QFF platinum for a few years was having a good run with an upgrade nearly ever fortnight from DRW - BNE. This went on for a few months. He still receives upgrades here and there...

I myself have not been so lucky...

 

[graxx]

For about years I was a QFF platinum (until QF took it away- don't fly them much anymore) and flew QF First to London every few weeks. At a promo dinner Q threw, there were about 6 FFs at each table of 6 Q execs. The Q people worked their way around the table asking what each passenger wanted most and it was all free upgrades.
Except me of course- I paid full price for 1st and got thoroughly cheesed when someone got upgraded for free!!
Now of course I am back further down the plane I would love it, but can always remember my feeling of being ripped off by free-loaders, so don't ask.

 

[BAM1748]

A colleague of mine who has been QFF platinum for a few years was having a good run with an upgrade nearly ever fortnight from DRW - BNE. This went on for a few months. He still receives upgrades here and there...

I myself have not been so lucky...

Sometimes the yield manager might take pity, as they look after specific flight numbers if they see your name regularly on their flights they might ask in house if you can be upgraded.

Matt

 

[samh004]

For about years I was a QFF platinum (until QF took it away- don't fly them much anymore) and flew QF First to London every few weeks. At a promo dinner Q threw, there were about 6 FFs at each table of 6 Q execs. The Q people worked their way around the table asking what each passenger wanted most and it was all free upgrades.
Except me of course- I paid full price for 1st and got thoroughly cheesed when someone got upgraded for free!!
Now of course I am back further down the plane I would love it, but can always remember my feeling of being ripped off by free-loaders, so don't ask.

If you used to travel QF First to London every few weeks, did you not make it to LTG eventually? I ask as you said you don’t fly them much anymore, but surely your lifetime tally must have been quite high.

 

[neon_crossing]

The only time I have ever asked is on VA when they lost my bags for a full week when I was in the USA, lost them on the way up they only got them back to me 2 hours before me return flight about 7-8 days later. Explained the story to the CSO and that 'it would be nice to get a bump up to J to make up for it' was very polite about it all but was knocked back pretty sharply.
I almost saw someone get upgraded mid flight, just after boarding another flight on VA from LAX to MEL a few years ago I was sitting in the dead last row on VA (possibly the worst whY flight i have ever been on) and there was a 16-17yo american kid flying alone next to me, he asked the FA if there was any charging ports for his laptop because it was running low and she said "i'll check if there is a free seat in Y+ and if there is I'll let you sit there" but came back about a minute later apologetic that it was full.
I too run on the theory 'what's the worst that can happen?' RE: asking for an upgrade but I don't think I would ever ask in a tone that suggested I expected/deserved it, I think in a joking chatty way might be the gee-oh.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

A colleague of mine who has been QFF platinum for a few years was having a good run with an upgrade nearly ever fortnight from DRW - BNE. This went on for a few months. He still receives upgrades here and there...

I myself have not been so lucky...

Quite likely particularly if the dry season April/May to Sep/Oct when flights get pretty good loads. Travelling at the beginning/end of school holidays or to/from sporting events like V8 Super Cars & Darwin Cup will see very heavy loads on all airlines.

Sometimes the yield manager might take pity, as they look after specific flight numbers if they see your name regularly on their flights they might ask in house if you can be upgraded.

Matt

Are you talking about your time in BA Yield? Actually might be another AFFer I'm thinking of.

I don't necessarily think all YMG people for airlines would have the time to go trawling through endless pax lists looking for names they might have seen previously & 'feel sorry for them' & upgrade them.

Airlines who use Amadeus' Altea checkin system have the ability to list their top tier pax so if they had to op-up 10 pax they can simply look at the list & action the necessary upgrades accordingly. It's quite likely that pax who travel regularly would have some status anyway so may well end up on the list of people to get an op-up.

Most of the time people in YMG have a heavy workload so they need to find the most time effective way of selecting suitable pax to op-up & move on to the next flight.

 

[Saji]

I have had a few in the past with Singapore Airlines but not in the last 2 years. Most of the time I received these upgrades cue to an overbooked flight and my theory is that if you fly during peak seasons like school holidays, there is a better chance to get an upgrade from Economy to Business. I have never asked for any of the upgrades but never complained if i received one free of costs.

 

[BAM1748]

Are you talking about your time in BA Yield? Actually might be another AFFer I'm thinking of.

I haven't worked for BA, not me, but I have a sibling who is a yield manager for an airline, a good source of info on the workings.

Matt