Upgrade cost more than advertised price

[jackscas]

Hi everyone,

I've recently started following this forum, and this is my first post.

I am flying on QF597 (BNE-PER) today on a N class ticket. This morning I rang the hotline to enquire about upgrading to business, using cash. Was told that the total cost with fare change and fees would be $2,600.....!! This seemed excessive to me, especially as I was able to find seats on the same flight for several hundred $ less. Hence I declined.

Is this normal, or did I just get some person trying to play Qantas hardball line? How is it possible for an upgrade to cost more than the current advertised price?

I'm a Platinum member, although I doubt that makes any difference in this situation.


Cheers

 

[opusman]

Change fee should be $77 per person, and they may have added $10 fee for doing it over the phone, and then add on the fare difference. Presumably you paid more than $87 for the original flight so it seems strange that they would quote you more than the currently advertised price.

Note that Red e-Deals do not normally allow changes on the day of departure.

 

[jackscas]

Hi opusman,

Yes, you presume correctly. I did pay more than $87 for the original flight It was somewhere between $300-400, booked as a return so not sure of the each way breakdown. Oh well, economy it is.

 

[harvyk]

They say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing twice and expecting a different result. That said that definition get's put on hold when you're talking about calling QF...
Try again and see if a different operator gives you a more friendly price...

 

[anat0l]

It was somewhere between $300-400, booked as a return so not sure of the each way breakdown. Oh well, economy it is.

Without having done the research, that might have done it.

On the other hand, changing fares from Red e-Deal to Business - you almost always expect to get hit hard for it (why didn't you buy Business in the first place), so I think the fact that it was charged incorrectly is almost irrelevant.

Why don't you consider using points to upgrade?

 

[jackscas]

Hi anat0l,

Quite simple really. The company paid for the economy seat. I was curious as to how much it was going to cost for me to upgrade. And the reason I'm not using points is I no longer have enough. I used them on a holiday

Trying again seems to be a fairly common suggestion from what I've read on here harvyk. Don't think I'll bother this time tho, as the fare difference will still be too costly for my little wallet anyway.

 

[suparockin]

I do this quite a bit because work pays for an economy fare and I upgrade using cash to pick up J status credits, a few trips to Auckland and the SC's really add up.

It's not cheap (considering the change fees etc).

 

[jackscas]

Basically that was my intent suparockin. I've barely flown this year and as a result I'm well short on SC's. Thought I might be able to pick up a few extras by upgrading.