Upgrades on partner airlines

[angella44]

I usually travel Qantas and have been fairly lucky with upgrades from W to J on long international flights.

In the past I've travelled on BA and not got an upgrade. That was before I had this forum to ask Now I'm thinking of booking SYD-LON and back on BA. What are my chances of getting into business, as a Qantas gold?

 

[RichardMEL]

to be honest.. your asking and getting it was more luck than much else tbh. I would not expect an upgrade.

 

[equus]

When you are referring to being fairly lucky with upgrades, are you referring to points upgrades, or op-ups?

Because, there is no option for points upgrades using QF points flying on BA, and your place in the queue for op-ups will be well behind BA members,

So I suspect the answer is very, very low.

 

[defurax]

If you are referring to operational upgrade (without using points) the chance is typically zero. BA would upgrade basically every passenger on the aircraft before a Qantas Gold.

 

[angella44]

Thank you. I was wondering if Qantas status was any use on other airlines. My Qantas upgrades have always used points. I haven't had a free one for 20 years!

 

[RichardMEL]

Thank you. I was wondering if Qantas status was any use on other airlines. My Qantas upgrades have always used points. I haven't had a free one for 20 years!

of course your QF status is useful on partner airlines!! However just not for upgrades - at least with points (with some unique exceptions). In terms of airlines assessing who to give an op up to in the case of a cabin being oversold, then status CAN influence choices but, to be frank, QF Gold, aka Oneworld Sapphire status, is not that high up the tree (sorry) and, for example, BA will have a slew of it's own high tier members such as Gold Guest List, Gold (oneworld emerald) and so on ahead of other partner airline emeralds and sapphires etc.

However oneworld status such as sapphire is most useful ! It will give you access to partner lounges (ie: BA), in the USA it can give free bags on AA flights, lounge access, and priority boarding and check in (as with most oneworld airlines).

So whilke your chances of an upgrade are very very small (but it never hurts to ask!) your status absolutely is valuable with the partner airlines.

See this page for more information: Benefits | oneworld

 

[angella44]

of course your QF status is useful on partner airlines!! However just not for upgrades - at least with points (with some unique exceptions). In terms of airlines assessing who to give an op up to in the case of a cabin being oversold, then status CAN influence choices but, to be frank, QF Gold, aka Oneworld Sapphire status, is not that high up the tree (sorry) and, for example, BA will have a slew of it's own high tier members such as Gold Guest List, Gold (oneworld emerald) and so on ahead of other partner airline emeralds and sapphires etc.

However oneworld status such as sapphire is most useful ! It will give you access to partner lounges (ie: BA), in the USA it can give free bags on AA flights, lounge access, and priority boarding and check in (as with most oneworld airlines).

So whilke your chances of an upgrade are very very small (but it never hurts to ask!) your status absolutely is valuable with the partner airlines.

See this page for more information: Benefits | oneworld

Thanks. That page provides a helpful summary of everything.

 

[Zanzara]

I wonder how far you would get the other way round? Say you’re a BA Exec Member with Gold status and asked Qantas for an upgrade.

Could be wrong, but I feel that unless they are heavily overbooked, they would probably just politely smile and decline. They would likely suggest that you may want to pay for an upgrade.

IMHO it’s very, very, unlikely you would get upgraded. Anyone suggesting otherwise is living in virtual reality.

These days they are fierce competitors, one world alliance or not.

Actually thinking about it & knowing how arrogant Qantas can be, they would probably just laugh in your face.

 

[angella44]

Thanks. When I asked this question, I was wondering whether there was a points trading system within Oneworld. That is, would BA redeem my upgrade points at Qantas.

But yes, what you say all makes sense (especially the arrogance bit).

 

[andye]

There is a way of upgrading BA flights with American Airlines miles but it has a few restrictions.
No upgrades on other airlines with QF miles though.

BA does sometimes give free upgrades but I've only ever heard of them going to BAEC members
Cathay had a reputation for sometimes giving free upgrades to status members of Oneworld partners but I'm not sure of the current state of play

 

[Ade]

Cathay had a reputation for sometimes giving free upgrades to status members of Oneworld partners but I'm not sure of the current state of play

Cathay (CX) offers upgrades to OW partners if the cabin the passenger was originally booked in is overbooked. Recent experience HKG-MAA and MAA-HKG, upgraded from Y to PE as Y was overbooked. I had a Saver fare on onward and Flex fare on return. I'm QF-G/OW-S

 

[Lendav Orav]

I've had op-ups on BA a couple of times but always on trans Atlantic flights. Pretty sure I was Qantas gold (oneworld sapphire) at the time. It was about 10 years ago though.

 

[justinbrett]

I’ve had two opups on BA Asia-LHR a few years ago when I was Qantas gold. I’ve never had an op up on QFI. So for those saying it can’t happen are incorrect, Unlikely, yes, but probably better chance than on Qantas.

These days they are fierce competitors, one world alliance or not.

BA and Qantas are not “fierce competitors”. They have one overlapping route (SYD-SIN-LHR) and this lack of market overlap was one of the main reasons the proposed merger never went ahead some years ago (nothing to be gained by merging). There relationship was a bit frosty after the end of the JV but that doesn’t make them fierce competitors. Plenty of codeshares in each other’s markets if nothing else.

 

[BD1959]

BA and Qantas are not “fierce competitors”. They have one overlapping route (SYD-SIN-LHR) and this lack of market overlap was one of the main reasons the proposed merger never went ahead some years ago (nothing to be gained by merging). There relationship was a bit frosty after the end of the JV but that doesn’t make them fierce competitors. Plenty of codeshares in each other’s markets if nothing else.

The relationship appears to have cooled through the years. BA used to own 25% of QF and the JSA (not a JV - much more involved) fed a lot of BA's short-haul out of LHR. That said, CAPA reported BA claiming a $30m turnaround on its Sydney route in the six months following the JSA's termination; that was some cost to a friendship!

The claim was that people did not want more than one-stop flights between the Australian East Cost and Europe, which a stop in SE Asia plus a transit at LHR necessitated; this was the marketing line used to push the one-stop EK codeshares via DXB. That EK/QF relationship also appears to be cooling and it will be interesting to see any emerging agreements if Project Sunrise ever becomes a reality and EastCost/LHR non stop allows one stop access to Europe via LHR. Will BA - at this point - completely abandon Australia?

All good conjecture - and I apologise for the topic creep!

Regards,

BD

 

[Max Samuels]

If you are referring to operational upgrade (without using points) the chance is typically zero. BA would upgrade basically every passenger on the aircraft before a Qantas Gold.

I don't know if you are specifically talking about BA, or operational upgrades in general on other (non-QF) airlines.

If it is the latter, I have to disagree because I have received the MOST operational upgrades on other airlines - CX, AA, EK - many times. I think I have only been given a QF upgrade once.