Are free upgrades a thing of the past?

[ddd]

I'm flying Etihad economy tonight out of SYD and when I checked in there was barely any line. I'm VA gold so I got to check in at the business counter (3 open counters with no passengers at them) and got chatting to the bloke at the desk. He mentioned that first class is empty and business is half empty. Thinking this would be my once in a lifetime chance to fly long haul business I asked if there was any chance he could bump me up, and he replied that unfortunately he can't - airlines (not just etihad) don't really do free upgrades anymore because they lose money from it.

Fair enough I'm not complaining, I've got what I paid for, but I was just quite surprised that's the case. I would have thought the cost to the airline of business over economy would be negligible if the seat is going empty anyway.

Anyone had similar experiences?

 

[DC3]

You need to factor in the loss of future J class sales to the airline if the opportunistic NB flyer were to be have been upgraded when they sit next to a pax who has paid thousands of dollars to sit there. The first thing they're going to do when they sit down is boast to their seatmate they've just scored a free upgrade to J ....

Always some bogan who will brag about that, I guess. Although have never witnessed it even on flights where 6/12 seats were still vacant just prior to boarding (on EF) and the all seats taken on doors close. Me, keep my mouth shut if I should be so lucky.

At least meal order sequence usually reflects this in my experience.

 

[serfty]

Are you SURE that there are free upgrades on THOSE flights?

AA offer main cabin to Business on those three class flights for statused PAX.

 

[serfty]

Always some bogan who will brag about that, I guess. Although have never witnessed it even on flights where 6/12 seats were still vacant just prior to boarding (on EF) and the all seats taken on doors close. Me, keep my mouth shut if I should be so lucky.
...

Once saw a transpacific VA 773 business cabin with only half its seats allocated go from J7D7I7 to J0D0I0 with all seats allocated at T-59 minutes. Staff travel.

 

[Forg]

You need to factor in the loss of future J class sales to the airline if the opportunistic NB flyer were to be have been upgraded when they sit next to a pax who has paid thousands of dollars to sit there. The first thing they're going to do when they sit down is boast to their seatmate they've just scored a free upgrade to J.

Freaks that talk to you on public transport are why they invented shirts emblazoned with "I murdered the last person who talked to me on public transport"!

 

[Quickstatus]

The few times I've received op-ups, the gate agent has asked me not to discuss the upgrade with other passengers on board. I thought that was fair enough.

Yes, when in J you should look like:
(a) you are a regular J customer, and know the routines and customs of J
(b) you paid for the seat and not reveal you got there by charity

 

[drron]

Well I remember being on one of the last BA flights BNE-SIN.I was on a pay J,fly F ticket.Before take off from BA the FA asked if I would like the lobster for dinner.I asked why ask now."Because sir you and the passenger behind you are the only fare paying passengers and we only have 2 servings of lobster."
So in the 90s there were a lot of free loaders but the staff didn't hesitate to tell you that fact.No wonder BA pulled out of BNE.

 

[flybynight]

I am in Hong Kong every few weeks and use HK as a hub to go to other places in Asia (like Taipei) - usually on Cathay. Have been offered 4 upgrades over the last 2 years which I have politely refused because I have been travelling with others.
At the other end of the spectrum I was booked Business on American Airlines from New York to LA when they tried to force me into Economy because they had overbooked. I refused and told them I would accept a seat in First instead which they initially refused. At the last minute when they saw I wasn't budging and they would have the pain of finding and offloading my bag, they grudgingly relented and I ended up in 1A !
As a rule I can't be bothered trying to get a free upgrade - I would rather preserve my dignity rather than grovel to some check-in clerk.

 

[ozstamps]

I feel the check-in agents these days have generally no discretion to do it ON REQUEST even if they wanted to, and even if Premium cabins were empty. Needs to have a paper trail to a supervisor to OK it these days, and clear reasons seem to be needed in the PNR or heads might roll.

Lounge agents seem a little more empowerment level, but again they must be accountable.

That is quite different to their ability in all cases in IRROPS to get pax on planes in whatever seats are available, due to weather, mechanicals, flight cancellation etc.

I was a United 1K for over a decade and flew near 2 million real miles with them, and never once paid them for a First Class or Business Class seat, as UA "gave" the upgrades to me due to that Status, and I did pretty much all those flights upgraded. Via domestic and international upgrade vouchers given to you each year, and that you could also (discreetly!) trade with others who did not use them.

I could book SYD-SFO-ORD-IAD-Brazil/Argentina etc on a cheap paid coach ticket, and upgrade and confirm all 40 hours of flights and seats in advance using just one free upgrade cert, and did that a few times each year.

The US system is wildly different to oz. There, top status is near essential in order to be upgraded in advance, and even then, getting far tighter in recent years, as the airlines now aggressively SELL upgrades at gate.

On Virgin in recent years op-ups is a truly RARE occurrence in my experience except for oversold planes, and Plats usually are whom are rewarded with those. Here top status does not count for much. I let my 4 Virgin free upgrade Certs expire the last 2 years due, to the onerous ticket class one needs to book in, to use them.

​

 

[emwolf]

Thinking this would be my once in a lifetime chance to fly long haul business I asked if there was any chance he could bump me up, and he replied that unfortunately he can't

Partner was upgraded several times on QF when travelling for work on horrible connections and had to go directly to meetings. I think a decent (and possibly verifiable) story sometimes helps. People who work for travel or related magazines often get upgraded. It's like a contra for good PR.

I was upgraded on EK on 2 legs of a return flight from Syd to Paris without asking but my tickets were full flex. I was QF gold but had no status with EK. Y cabin was definitely overbooked. This was 3 years ago.

 

[Libertyscott]

BA often upgrades on long haul flights, but almost always just its Emerald status and above FFs. I've never been in a First cabin that hasn't been full, most recently there were only 3 passengers booked in that cabin on a route I flew a week ago, and it was full on the day of departure. The flight wasn't full at all in the rear cabins.

Similarly, I've been op-up'd on BA from premium economy to Club World on long haul flights several times (but only since getting Gold/Emerald status). Air NZ still offers its premium tier FFs "recognition upgrades" that can be spent on flights. 1 for Silver, 2 for Gold, 2 plus a short haul upgrade for Elites. QF op-up'd myself and my better half Trans Tasman once, but that was with us both having BA status (Emerald/Sapphire) (my QF status was lowly Silver/Ruby).

 

[dajop]

I feel the check-in agents these days have generally no discretion to do it ON REQUEST even if they wanted to, and even if Premium cabins were empty. Needs to have a paper trail to a supervisor to OK it these days, and clear reasons seem to be needed in the PNR or heads might roll.​

For international travel, at outstations, where many airlines operate via contract staff, from what I understand it is definitely not the check-in agents nor their supervisor that can do this (to much potential for corruption one assumes), only the station manager. In fact on many carriers, it even takes a call from check in desk to someone to even secure an "upgrade" to an empty exit row.

 

[Hvr]

What's wrong with this picture?
The Death of Free Upgrades

Answer: All of us who fly know that you turn left for J/F not right.

 

[chillbaby]

Been QF P for around 15 years (never P1) and have never had a "free" upgrade on Qantas. Have had over the years, however, a number of free J - F upgrades on CX and EK without asking. A couple of times on CX I was using points and still got upgraded to F. Usually fly paid J or F internationally and Y domestic however it would still be a nice surprise to be offered an upgrade by QF. I do find, however, if I put in a points upgrade request it usually comes through...

 

[Ekka]

If they "all do the same", surely that somewhat negates the assumption by dk4?

Personally, in my limited experience, an airline that crams a premium cabin, often has a sub-par product. If they had a policy of routinely doing that, it would make me less likely to book them if I were a premium traveler, so I wonder just how effective that proposition actually is. Have the "cost sensitive" traveler (perhaps) flocking to you (I have my doubts about that assumption, if they "all do it") to buy the lower fare bucket tix, whilst watching the higher value pax choose another airline to gain a bit of peace and privacy and the service for which they are prepared to pay extra cash??

I've often wondered about QF dom J. It's nearly always full so I wonder if that's predominently op-ups, paid upgrades, freebie upgrades or paid outright? I also wonder if the QF product is sub-par (which I find it is) because of this, whereas the VA dom J cabin is often not full (despite having fewer seats), but they seem to manage the J promises so much better. It's a deliberation I'm currently having with myself, so I was curious with all three quoted posts above.

I haven't flown VA J for a while, largely because the last time I did, across the aisle were two people who could not possibly have passed any dress standard other than that of offensive slobs; they had previously been allowed into the lounge.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Husband in Nov (?) Last year flying to new York was upgraded from business to first for the leg Syd to LAX. They do exist
As he was flying Syd to JFK you can't request an upgrade

Just to clarify you certainly can request an upgrade on QF11, I’ve done it several times successfully myself. Most recently June

 

[Denali]

I haven't flown VA J for a while, largely because the last time I did, across the aisle were two people who could not possibly have passed any dress standard other than that of offensive slobs; they had previously been allowed into the lounge.

If the person was wearing crocs, it might have been me

 

[dajop]

Answer: All of us why fly know that you turn left for J/F not right.

Aaah, must be a sign when entering the airbridges at many (but not all) airports when boarding an A380 with all J/F upperdeck. Then, and only then, do you head right rather than left.

 

[babysun]

AA offer main cabin to Business on those three class flights for statused PAX.

So do Delta. You can request it as on a Delta flight with VA status but you're dreaming if you think you'll get one. Maybe at 5am on a Sunday to coughsville to Pootown.

 

[andye]

BA often upgrades on long haul flights, but almost always just its Emerald status and above FFs. I've never been in a First cabin that hasn't been full, most recently there were only 3 passengers booked in that cabin on a route I flew a week ago, and it was full on the day of departure. The flight wasn't full at all in the rear cabins.

Similarly, I've been op-up'd on BA from premium economy to Club World on long haul flights several times (but only since getting Gold/Emerald status). Air NZ still offers its premium tier FFs "recognition upgrades" that can be spent on flights. 1 for Silver, 2 for Gold, 2 plus a short haul upgrade for Elites. QF op-up'd myself and my better half Trans Tasman once, but that was with us both having BA status (Emerald/Sapphire) (my QF status was lowly Silver/Ruby).

At one stage BA had a system of upgrading people who seemed to be rapidly climbing the status ladder, in an attempt to suck them in

 

[drron]

At one stage BA had a system of upgrading people who seemed to be rapidly climbing the status ladder, in an attempt to suck them in

Unfortunately as I was rapidly climbing the BAEC status ladder the only flights on BA I have had have been in F.