QF Gold trying to upgrade Bronze member

[500miles]

Hi all,

Been following this forum for a long time and just want to thank you all for your wealth of knowledge! Have looked around but couldn't find answers to my current scenario.

My husband (Qantas NB) is booked in PE and I (SG) am in J (work paid) for a trip to Chile in a few days’ time and I have requested Classic Upgrade Rewards for both his flights using my points. As my booking was made by work, we have separate booking references. My questions:

1. Would calling Qantas to link our bookings make ANY difference to his upgrade priority? Probably not, I gather.
2. We have also requested the “up to gate” upgrade option. How late should he wait to change his FF details from QFF to his Top Bonus Gold, which he is trying maintain?

Thanks for your help.

 

[RichardMEL]

My thought is that he could change his FF status to Top Bonus anytime because his OW status will outrank the NB in terms of late in upgrade processing(am happy to be corrected on this but I would have thought it wouldn't matter too much since the points and request are coming from your account). I would have thought that it would do no harm to change it prior to checking in, but as I said others may correct me on this.

As for changes etc, if you give the dates and specific flights then we can look at the loadings via EF to see if there's even half a chance. If it's full then it may not be an issue, but if it's mostly empty then it could be good.

good luck

 

[exceladdict]

Following this with interest as I'm keen to know whether OW status will actually affect upgrade chances on QF.

 

[opusman]

WP1 is the only status tier that "enhances" the priority of upgrades for lower-status family members.

 

[RichardMEL]

My thinking is that having OWS or OWE status MAY influence when the upgrade is processed, even though the request/points is coming from another account. So the donor's SG status is irrelevant (because not P1) but perhaps the recipients status may have a (small) influence over say another NB. It's hard to know (I suppose calling QFF may help, but probably not). Certainly if it came to an op up situation, a OWE or OWS/OWR would trump a QFF NB, but it's uncertain in terms of points upgrades. I don't see how it could be any worse, unless QF decide that if the pax is crediting to another program, their request won't get looked at - but I am not sure why that would make a difference.

That's my thinking anyway. At least having a paid PE fare would have a request seen to before the Y upgrades I should think

 

[opusman]

I'd be surprised; you can't upgrade on QF except as a QFF member, so I doubt any other oneworld tier would come into it. Paid PE would definitely mean they're above everyone in Y though.

 

[Anna]

WP1 is the only status tier that "enhances" the priority of upgrades for lower-status family members.

Officially - unofficially I've had good results ringing up to reinforce points upgrade requests for elderly NB relatives.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Officially - unofficially I've had good results ringing up to reinforce points upgrade requests for elderly NB relatives.

Wow!! That's really useful info. Thanks Anna I've never tried ringing before.

 

[MelUser]

I would have a feeling that a one world emerald (non-QF status) would be better in booking than QF Bronze which is really no status isn't it?

On many of the oneworld airlines (AA is best example) being a qantas Platinum (ie one world emerald) gives you similar benefits to their own members - eg seating, baggage, priority access etc etc. When I phone an on AA reservation as a qantas platinum the AA computer seems to route call to the executive platinum (AA's version of QF Plat/OWE) desk.

 

[500miles]

Thanks for all your comments so far. Alas, as a lowly SG, itwould appear we’ll just have to play the upgrade lottery. Do you think changing my husband's FF details to his OWS (again, not OWE) would be of use?

As an aside, we are flying QF 27 on Oct 30 and I wasinitially quite excited about being able to request seat 4K, which I believe isin the old First Class on one of the few remaining four-class Boeing 747-400s.Much to my disappointment, I noticed at T-7 days that I have been placed inanother J seat on the upper deck due to an aircraft change.

 

[RichardMEL]

Thanks for all your comments so far. Alas, as a lowly SG, itwould appear we’ll just have to play the upgrade lottery. Do you think changing my husband's FF details to his OWS (again, not OWE) would be of use?

As an aside, we are flying QF 27 on Oct 30 and I wasinitially quite excited about being able to request seat 4K, which I believe isin the old First Class on one of the few remaining four-class Boeing 747-400s.Much to my disappointment, I noticed at T-7 days that I have been placed inanother J seat on the upper deck due to an aircraft change.

hmm QF27/30OCT is showing

J6 C0 D0 I0 U0 W4 R3 T0 Z0 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 V9 S9 N0 Q0 O0 G0 X9 E0

Chances for upgrade look slim to none for most pax, let alone a NB

However, I see 5B and 5J are both free, which you may consider (but only if hubby can't get up there with you, which looks unlikely)

My 2 cents.

 

[500miles]

Thanks for looking, RichardMEL. Won't hold my breath!

 

[kitkatff]

In terms of bookings: you can request to "upgrade a family member", and when you provide his name+booking reference you specify what your relationship is. Can't remember the exact name of the option but look around.

As SG, I had 2/2 success upgrading NB SWMBO on a separate booking, and upgrading the NB spawn on the same booking as me (ie. overall 3 upgrades from Y to J on the same flights), just specifying the family link. Of course would depend on cabin availability.

If that doesn't work, well, you'll still have champagne to drown your sorrow ...

 

[500miles]

Update: Mr500miles points upgrade came through at the lounge Not sitting together but we'll take it! I did link our bookings and changed his FF details to OWS. No idea whether either of those helped but happy with outcome.

 

[RichardMEL]

wow that's great!! That J6 didn't look promising. awesome news for such a long flight!