The Funniest Upgrade Story Ever...?

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CDS1959

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A young business associate and one of his mates recently flew QF to a long-haul overseas destination (departure city and o/s destination withheld to protect identity of Qantas employee).

At the international economy check-in counter, "Mr Smooth Talker" told check-in attendant "My girlfriend is a Qantas flight attendant, and she said to ask you to upgrade us" (which was a fabrication).

The result? Two premium economy class boarding passes.

CLASSIC!
 
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But only PE… I suppose any upgrade is better than nothing, but I’d have expected J to consider that a success.

What status with QF was he, who bought the tickets?
 
But only PE… I suppose any upgrade is better than nothing, but I’d have expected J to consider that a success.

What status with QF was he, who bought the tickets?

He has no premium status with Qantas, is just a Frequent Flyer member; probably wouldn't fly more than three or four times a year domestically, overseas once every two or three years.

He and his mate bought their own tickets.
 
lol. pretty funny.

Reminds me of tactics that someone I know of used to use,

Congrats to them, but I suspect there may have been more reasons other than their blustering that got them upgraded.
 
At the international economy check-in counter, "Mr Smooth Talker" told check-in attendant "My girlfriend is a Qantas flight attendant, and she said to ask you to upgrade us" (which was a fabrication).

The result? Two premium economy class boarding passes. CLASSIC!

He may have been in PE anyway due to operational reasons so would have got those boarding passes in any case. If the F/A really wanted something done I think she would make enquiries ahead of time to an appropriate person.

I don't think anyone would seriously swallow that line in all honesty.
 
He may have been in PE anyway due to operational reasons so would have got those boarding passes in any case. If the F/A really wanted something done I think she would make enquiries ahead of time to an appropriate person.

I don't think anyone would seriously swallow that line in all honesty.

The fabrication was that his girlfriend flew for QF.
 
The fabrication was that his girlfriend flew for QF.
Isn't exactly the point people are making. That if the story was true then the girlfriend would have made arrangements and the guy wouldn't be there telling the story during check in. so as others have suggested they would have probably got those seats anyway.

Well done to him anyway.

not sure that i think it is funny - anyone can get something by deception. Am i supposed to laugh at how guilable the check in person was for "believing" your collegue or something?
 
Also, assuming the fabricated girlfriend had been going steady with him for some time, mightn’t he of got staff travel perks, eg. standby seats. If so, then the check-in attendant would have noticed that he wasn’t on standby.
 
My upgrade story is not funny and I do not have a Qantas girlfriend (MY bad luck...). But last year flying Etihad MEL-GVA I asked for upgrade to BUS. I was told that it is too expensive (few k$) but was offered blocked off 4 seats in the ECO for free. Said thank you very much.
PIN:)
 
Also, assuming the fabricated girlfriend had been going steady with him for some time, mightn’t he of got staff travel perks, eg. standby seats. If so, then the check-in attendant would have noticed that he wasn’t on standby.

Haha good point - checkin should have said "well if your girlfriend's a QF f/a why aren't you on her staff travel"? and wait for the response. Mind you if she was employed in the last couple of years she wouldn't get staff benefits as she be a MAMS casual (Maurice Alexander Management) who are contract staff and not employees of the Qantas Group.

Other upgrade requests from pax:

Pax: "it's a long flight can I be upgraded to business class"
Checkin: "it's a long flight for everyone"

Pax: "I'm travelling with children can I be upgraded to business class" :evil: :evil:
Checkin: "If you're a Qantas Club member you're more than welcome to ask in the Club how many points or credits you would need to upgrade".

Pax: disrupted pax from a cancelled JQ flight (A320 ops whY only) transferred to a QF one "can we get an upgrade to business class because our flight was cancelled".
Checkin: "That wouldn't be very fair to the other disrupted passengers as we would have to do it for everyone and there aren't 177 business class seats on this plane". Goes without saying there might be QF premium pax who would like to do points upgrades etc.....but let's not think about other people.
 
Because he doesn't want to travel standby and all the associated stress that comes with it!

WT
Staff standby isn't like normal standby. Back in the 1980's we had the son of a friend (BA Pilot) of my Dad visit us in Cairns. I'll never forget him trying to arrange his flight out of cairns, he spent 3 hours ringing them multiple time. He'd ring up tell them he was standby and get told sorry no seats. Then he'd say he has a priority number only to be ignored and told to go away. Finally, someone on the phone checked the priority number, came back and said "why didn't you tells us you were staff". That was it he was on the flight that was previously full.

Long time ago, no doubt things have changed. But I'm sure staff will try anything to help other staff.
 
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A friend of mine who is airline staff is eligible for interline staff travel on BA but only in Y yet has only ever travelled in J class. This has sometimes been at the expense of BA staff who were not suitably dressed for J. Why? She dresses for it.

A while back the bought a Chanel jacket and pants which she wears when travelling and looks a million bucks. You'd think she was a magazine editor for a glossy not an airline staff member travelling incognito.

You would never know when she gets to a destination that she trades the Chanel suit for a backpack to travel around countries such as India & Morocco and goes fjord hopping on Norwegian mail boats.

Reminds me of that old adage "dress for the job you want, not the one you have".

Same same, but different. :p :p
 
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