On Departure Upgrades (WTP to CW)

[justinbrett]

In a few months I will be flying KUL-LHR and LHR-JFK as part of a DIY round the world trip. The BA flights are actually a one way fare from KUL-JFK despite having a three week stopover.

As such, BA sales say I can't upgrade the KUL-LHR leg to CW, I would have to upgrade all sectors to CW which is going to cost many thousands of dollars and aren't worth it (I'm happy flying to JFK on WTP as it is a daytime flight, the flight from KUL is overnight).

She he also said there is no BA ticket office at KUL so options there will be limited.

Does anyone know if the airport upgrades can be offered without a ticket office, and if not, is there an option to upgrade on the aircraft itself through the cabin manager?

I am one world sapphire (through QF) so slight chance of an op-up (has happened to me several times) but I don't have avois.

I'm guessing odds are slim.

 

[andye]

From the FT BAEC forum, odds are slim if no ticket office or qualified agents.
I wondered if you might be able to get hold of some avios and upgrade a leg with these but if ticket is mixed carriers, this doesn't seem possible either

 

[justinbrett]

It's a BA ticket with only BA flights (one AA flight booked with BA codeshare) - I have SYD-KUL booked with MH and DFW-SYD with QF with 3 separate tickets. However I don't know how I'd get avíos?

Not a big deal, just happy I at least booked WTP so don't have to face WT.

 

[TonyHancock]

However I don't know how I'd get avíos?

Do you have access to a US/UK/EU address you could use...actually I should ask if you have a BAEC account already first.

It is possible to buy Avios, you can also credit OW flights. There is an offer at the moment giving 2000 Avios per Hilton stay too.(Up to 10000) Do you know if there is any upgrade availability on the date you are traveling? If not it is all a bit of a gamble.

You may get lucky with an upgrade, BA certainly appears to have an unusual policy, often upgrading other OW flyers ahead of it's own elites. (Presumably to try and attract future business?)

 

[andye]

Suggest join BAEC (need a non-Au address so either borrow one, make one up or use your own but choose Austria. You only need it for a physical card, unless the ticket is via a travel agent when your country and the TAs country must match)
Search ba.com to see if reward availability in CW for your flight-this should ensure you will be able to upgrade
If so you will want some avios to upgrade with (64750 or 70000 I think depending on whether peak or off-peak)
In addition to THs suggestions you can buy SPG points or transfer Amex points to SPG and then onto BA
Good luck if you go for it.-KUL-LHR is on the wrong edge of the avios priceband it seems. You'd also need to credit the flight to BAEC but you would get the points for the WTP cabin at least

 

[TonyHancock]

In addition to THs suggestions you can buy SPG points or transfer Amex points to SPG and then onto BA

Excellent suggestions, and by far the easiest too.

 

[justinbrett]

Thanks for your suggestions - I normally only regain QF Gold each year by a small margin so don't want to start crediting points to BA in order to gain avios. I'll be LTG in a few years so maybe then. My travel partner has no ow status so it's just too difficult (I'll give cash a go at the airport).

I've been op-up'd a few times on BA (even when travelling with someone without ow status) so wait and see. I think a lot of these second-tier Asian routes don't have that many elite pax so probably improves the chances (previous upgrades have been on similar routes). But if not I'll manage - it's not as if I'm going straight from Australia (spending a few days in KUL) so it's just one flight.

 

[Flashback]

How'd you get on with this?

In the meantime, there have been changes to the FLY system that is used and AUP's should now be able to be processed by check-in staff no issues.

 

[justinbrett]

The MH agents at the BA desk actually offered this to me on check in (I didn’t ask) - I can’t remember exactly but it was around A$1000 each. My friend didn’t want to spend the money so we declined. They were actually a bit pushy about it so maybe they got a cut....

WTP was bearable (walked back to see the WT 3-3-3 seat - noooope!) but not the best BA flight. I later flew LHR-JFK in WTP and it was much better.

 

[Flashback]

The MH agents at the BA desk actually offered this to me on check in (I didn’t ask) - I can’t remember exactly but it was around A$1000 each. My friend didn’t want to spend the money so we declined. They were actually a bit pushy about it so maybe they got a cut....

WTP was bearable (walked back to see the WT 3-3-3 seat - noooope!) but not the best BA flight. I later flew LHR-JFK in WTP and it was much better.

I'm not sure there is such a thing as a good BA flight anyway

 

[justinbrett]

I'm not sure there is such a thing as a good BA flight anyway

Compared to MH SYD-KUL, BA was 5 Star.

I usually have really good experiences with BA - and even this (KUL-LHR) wasn’t particularly terrible but wasn’t great either. From memory the complaint was inattentive service and cutlery/glassware was plastic (it’s supposed to be metal/glass in WTP - and was on the JFK flight).

 

[Flashback]

Compared to MH SYD-KUL, BA was 5 Star.

I usually have really good experiences with BA - and even this (KUL-LHR) wasn’t particularly terrible but wasn’t great either. From memory the complaint was inattentive service and cutlery/glassware was plastic (it’s supposed to be metal/glass in WTP - and was on the JFK flight).

I've only flown WTP once LHR-BLR, can't remember whether it was the right cutlery or not though.

Going off-topic slightly, interested in what wasn't so great about MH (Y I assume?), as I've heard good things about their Y product, especially around seat pitch of up to 34"!

 

[justinbrett]

I've only flown WTP once LHR-BLR, can't remember whether it was the right cutlery or not though.

Going off-topic slightly, interested in what wasn't so great about MH (Y I assume?), as I've heard good things about their Y product, especially around seat pitch of up to 34"!

A380 might be a different story - but A330 was old aircraft, old seating, bad food, slow/inattentive service. Far worse than Qantas on a bad day. Maybe about the same as AA 10 years ago - though I quite like flying AA nowadays, they've really stepped up.

I have a friend married to a Malaysian and they fly MH 5-6 times a year from SYD, they share the same view - his wife said they used to be a lot better but since MH17/MH370 they've cut so many costs they can't be considered an equal with other full service airlines.

Also their booking IT system is woeful - they upgraded it between when I booked and when I flew, but I didn't see much improvement - but it might be better now.