PS upgraded from Y to J SYD-NRT

[MrJetset]

So one of my colleagues who is PS just told me that her and her NB husband got op-uped at the gate SYD-NRT on 18 December 2012. All of my FT/AFF knowledge makes me question how this could be? Surely single WP1/CL/WP/SG would have been given priority?

 

[simongr]

Maybe late arrival of a bassinet requirement or family group needing to be together - might just have been the easiest shuffle option.

 

[eosphoros]

I was op-uped from Y+ to J on my first ever QF flight SYD-NRT a few years ago (while NB). Points and SCs posted as J as well!

 

[samh004]

I was op-uped from Y+ to J on my first ever QF flight SYD-NRT a few years ago (while NB). Points and SCs posted as J as well!

You were very lucky!

 

[TonyHancock]

I was op-uped from Y+ to J on my first ever QF flight SYD-NRT a few years ago (while NB). Points and SCs posted as J as well!

Now that is a very nice win.

 

[cdp88]

We were upgraded from Y+ to J on a bne-sin flight last month. Only qc bronze so it was an unexpected bonus.

 

[MrJetset]

Curiouser and curiouser.... So op ups are not prioritised according to status?

 

[flyingfan]

Curiouser and curiouser.... So op ups are not prioritised according to status?

From what I've read here, status is usually the key to op-ups - but when the airline needs to move around/make certain seats available, it may decide to just give the op-up to low/no status pax as that may be the easier or faster route, especially when shuffling of groups is involved. It is certainly possible for entry-level status pax to get that lucky calling from Y to J. So, a high-status pax won't necessarily be the first cab off the rank.

 

[drron]

Sometimes the stars just align.I have had an upgrade at the gate domestically SYD-ADL just as a QPNB.
Internationally when I first joined Aadvantage before Mrsdrron or I had any status we were upgraded on AA from J to F on award tickets NRT-LAX

 

[piperlance]

My most recent experience from NRT-SYD was to select my Y seats in advance, and to note with eager anticipation that they appeared to be in Y+ which would have made our sector much more comfortable...

However my joy was short-lived as the seats were changed on check-in with no explanation - and we were firmly back in Y. The metal on this sector changes between 4 and 3 class 747's so I figured it was a late aircraft substitution that brought about this change. Still disappointing though...

I was further disappointed when checking-in in SYD for the code-share flight to Seoul to be told that QF don't do that check-in, and I was directed to the code-share to join the queue there. There was no mention of lounge access when checking in either. As QF platinum I enjoy the abbreviated check-in process of using the First counter... Secondly, I am sure that (admittedly some years ago) I was able to check-in for the same flight at the QF counter. It was a QF flight number. I guess someone will set me straight on all this, but it seems there are fewer and fewer reasons to remain loyal to QF, when those relatively minor (and inexpensive) benefits are removed.

 

[simongr]

Happy to be corrected but my understanding was that you always have had to check in with the operating airline so this isn't something that has removed.

Unlucky with the seats though - always not nice to have an upgrade only for it to be taken away - happened to me last year - I upgraded my flight using points for my last MEL-SYD trip of the year - aircraft changed that morning to an int'l config A330 - so a skybed (after 76 flights mostly domestic it would be nice to have that sort of comfort for once but obviously not really necessary) only to be changed back to a 763. I would have been happier with it just being a 763 the whole time. Had a chat with a nice a paxing CSM and great service from the onboard CSM though.

 

[lc_461]

I was further disappointed when checking-in in SYD for the code-share flight to Seoul to be told that QF don't do that check-in, and I was directed to the code-share to join the queue there. There was no mention of lounge access when checking in either. As QF platinum I enjoy the abbreviated check-in process of using the First counter... Secondly, I am sure that (admittedly some years ago) I was able to check-in for the same flight at the QF counter. It was a QF flight number. I guess someone will set me straight on all this, but it seems there are fewer and fewer reasons to remain loyal to QF, when those relatively minor (and inexpensive) benefits are removed.

I believe the ground handling contract for OZ Sydney recently changed from QF to Menzies - so different check in systems.
When QF does the ground handling they are able to access all the flights of all their 'customer' airlines I believe - eg in Brisbane QF can check in a flight for PX.
Seeing as QF lost the OZ contract, even though they codeshare, they are no longer able to check in OZ pax, as the operating carrier has no agreement with QF.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

So one of my colleagues who is PS just told me that her and her NB husband got op-uped at the gate SYD-NRT on 18 December 2012. All of my FT/AFF knowledge makes me question how this could be? Surely single WP1/CL/WP/SG would have been given priority?

Just because those NB/PS couple got an upgrade at the gate doesn't necessarily mean it was at the expense of those pax that have a higher ff status. If they are doing op-ups it's more than likely that they were actioned 5 hours before the ETD so the higher tiered pax would have already been in possession of their new boarding passes for the higher cabin.

Also during the Dec/Jan period there aren't as many business travellers so probably few pax that are SG/WP/CL/WP1 travelling at this time. It may have just been those particular seats the couple was in - maybe the seat was u/s & engineers couldn't fix it so it was a last minute thing hence the beep at the gate.

 

[piperlance]

I believe the ground handling contract for OZ Sydney recently changed from QF to Menzies - so different check in systems.
When QF does the ground handling they are able to access all the flights of all their 'customer' airlines I believe - eg in Brisbane QF can check in a flight for PX.
Seeing as QF lost the OZ contract, even though they codeshare, they are no longer able to check in OZ pax, as the operating carrier has no agreement with QF.

Thanks for the explanation. I was sure I had checked in for exactly the same flight with QF before. The QF staff however told me that they "have never been able to check in code-share flights" which implied that I was an idiot for trying. I always deal with these things quietly and calmly, but when I suggested to the staffer that I had been able to do this in the past I was categorically told that I was wrong. Rather humiliating really, as I make an effort to understand how things work and try to be a model passenger without making undue demands on the system.

 

[MrJetset]

Thanks ozbeachbabe. You sure are a wealth of knowledge!

 

[MrJetset]

Thanks for the explanation. I was sure I had checked in for exactly the same flight with QF before. The QF staff however told me that they "have never been able to check in code-share flights" which implied that I was an idiot for trying. I always deal with these things quietly and calmly, but when I suggested to the staffer that I had been able to do this in the past I was categorically told that I was wrong. Rather humiliating really, as I make an effort to understand how things work and try to be a model passenger without making undue demands on the system.

Perhaps it was 'never' for that particular agent?

I'd like to be able to check in for JQ at the F counter, but alas I can't.

BTW, QF F check in for QF codeshare flights is not a OW elite benefit, regardless of whether it had been performed in the past. We regularly fly BA and have to check in at the BA F desk, even when on the QF codeshare.

 

[AVC]

We flew on a BA codeshare 2 weeks ago on Qantas metal, and we walked straight up to the Qantas check in counter and had no problems (just as well as the BA lines were like a mile long).

Having said that, they didn't have our party of four sitting together as the flight wasn't officially open to them yet. But they sorted this out at the Business Lounge and re-issued the BPs.

 

[MrJetset]

We flew on a BA codeshare 2 weeks ago on Qantas metal, and we walked straight up to the Qantas check in counter and had no problems (just as well as the BA lines were like a mile long).

Having said that, they didn't have our party of four sitting together as the flight wasn't officially open to them yet. But they sorted this out at the Business Lounge and re-issued the BPs.

Ummmm, that's precisely the point. You have to check in with the operating carrier. You would not have checked in at the BA counter for that flight.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Ummmm, that's precisely the point. You have to check in with the operating carrier. You would not have checked in at the BA counter for that flight.

You would only checkin at the BA counter if the flight was BA metal.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

We flew on a BA codeshare 2 weeks ago on Qantas metal, and we walked straight up to the Qantas check in counter and had no problems (just as well as the BA lines were like a mile long).

Having said that, they didn't have our party of four sitting together as the flight wasn't officially open to them yet. But they sorted this out at the Business Lounge and re-issued the BPs.

The key phrase here is QF metal so QF checkin - makes no diff whether flight was booked as QF1 or BA123, Qantas plane Qantas checkin.

Similarly if it was a QF flight number but BA metal, you use BA checkin.