VA Complimentary Upgrades

[aus_flyer]

Well I do. If there are 8 seats available for 'anytime' awards, but none for standard awards, even for a WP, then that amounts to scalping. Compounded by the instant upgrade flights being cough timing. Masking it behind smart-sounding terms like "yield management" doesn't make the experience seem any more rational for the WP trying to use a published benefit. It'd be nice if VA treated these certificates as an earned reward for pax loyalty and not a liability that requires lottery-winning luck or a love of red-eye flights to redeem.

Worth noting that Qantas doesn’t offer award/upgrade seats on every domestic flight. Plenty of flights (particularly in peak times) never have U class availability.

 

[AirAdl]

I ve used all 4
Fiji
Darwin
Perth
Perth
With out any hassle
Has anyone got a complimentary upgrade

 

[PERLHR]

I ve used all 4
Fiji
Darwin
Perth
Perth
With out any hassle
Has anyone got a complimentary upgrade

I've tried for the likes of PER to SYD or MEL or BNE. No chance. They would rather keep on sale a staggering 1,300 dollars (conservative..and can go up to to 1,800 dollars one way option opens, or wait for bids which can be also quite high by the end of the process. Good enough for VA , but not so good for Plats who are struggling to find any benefit in staying with VA at the moment.

 

[the8guy]

An update to this original question. I have tried every few days to get an upgrade without any luck. I tried again this morning and once again no luck. However I had an epiphany and realsied that this morning when I checked was 1 week to the day minus a few minutes to the actual flight time. At around the same time I received an email to ask if I wanted to bid for an upgrade for this same flight. To cut a long story short I tried again this afternoon and low and behold despite the fact that the points price was still at around 55,000 point (instead of the normal 15500 points) I managed to get an upgrade. So I guess persistance is the key when it comes to trying for an upgrade.

How did you manage to get the upgrade? Complimentary business via WP or did you pay with points ? I had the exact issue where I can't enjoy the benefit despite seeing business class reward seat available

 

[Bolthead]

How did you manage to get the upgrade? Complimentary business via WP or did you pay with points ? I had the exact issue where I can't enjoy the benefit despite seeing business class reward seat available

Complimentary WP upgrade. However not for long as I am down grading to SG in July.

 

[the8guy]

Complimentary WP upgrade. However not for long as I am down grading to SG in July.

How did you get it ? Did they upgrade you at the counter or you had to ring them persistently despite no more business reward seats being available ? I have one booking coming up thinking that I could use the complimentary upgrade but ended up being told there was no more business reward on that flight...

 

[Bolthead]

How did you get it ? Did they upgrade you at the counter or you had to ring them persistently despite no more business reward seats being available ? I have one booking coming up thinking that I could use the complimentary upgrade but ended up being told there was no more business reward on that flight...

I persistly rang up everyday and 1 week prior to the flight I got an email asking if I wanted to bid for an upgrade. (Almost to exactly 1 week and the time of the flight) It was then that I rang up again and I go the complimentary WP upgrade. As far as I can remember eben with 1 week to go they had not filled any J seats for that flight.

 

[the8guy]

I persistly rang up everyday and 1 week prior to the flight I got an email asking if I wanted to bid for an upgrade. (Almost to exactly 1 week and the time of the flight) It was then that I rang up again and I go the complimentary WP upgrade. As far as I can remember eben with 1 week to go they had not filled any J seats for that flight.

Great I'll give them a call 1 week prior to try my luck, thanks for the datapoint