[qu1ettrave11er]

I first joined the BA Executive Club in 1995 as a junior but the account was dormant until 1999. Since then I have been an active member retaining gold tier for the majority of the time but never worse than Silver. In all those years of flying BA, I have never once been upgraded despite seeing others upgraded around me.

I once heard that when you join your account is assigned a code and if that doesn’t change, your upgrade status doesn’t change either. Anyone heard similar or am I just seriously unlucky ?

[Window-seat]

The summer they were bringing in their new software system (2016 I think) I was nearly constantly upgraded and a bit before that. Since then nothing! No I am wondering the same thing.

[BugAdvisor]

I believe their system is revenue rather than status based. As a regular Gold, my only long-haul upgrade was 2012 (from Mauritius) and even then they tried to sell me an upgrade at check-in (I didn’t take it) before upgrading at the gate. Since then, only one short haul upgrade as economy was full.

In 2018, a friend of mine without status, had economy tickets purchased without regard to cost by her company. We often flew the same LHR-PRG route and she was almost always upgraded.

I believe Delta regularly offer status-based upgrades several days before departure. I’d be happy to fly with Delta or Virgin long haul, but Avios are so useful for short-haul bookings that I continue to suffer BA.

[NorskSaint]

I really think it really has to be luck. I flew last week to Singapore on redemption and was upgraded at the gate as Y was overbooked and they had to bump up and up. I’ve been Silver for the last 10 years and finally this year made Gold for the first time, I’ve not flown on BA metal for 6 months or more, choosing (with this forums help) Qatar to the FE and Oz or AA to US.

I think its always down to who else is on the plane, their status, travel patterns, class, price of booking and possibly the size of the account to BA. I’m sure its all automated these days to a certain extent, but others in this forum will know far more than I.

Norsk

[capetonianm]

its always down to who else is on the plane, their status, travel patterns, class, price of booking and possibly the size of the account to BA

Correct, every ‘customer’ has a commercial value in points, based largely on the criteria above. These criteria are also used when there is a divert or disruption, the airline has a strategic department which looks at the total ‘value’ of all on board, costs, and so on, and all are taken into account. Obviously if it’s a safety critical emergency then all that is bypassed.

[canucklad]

A while ago now, and even before I flew to YVR another forum member ( possibly Posh Girl ? ) predicted I’d be upgraded, which I was at the gate from PE to Club.
Apparently on certain routes there’s a better chance to be upgraded than on other routes.

In the case of LHR-YVR it’s apparently due to the higher level of leisure travellers compared to business , so everybody is shuffled up one class .

And critically, I was also flying by myself !! At the time I was Diamond member Gold match so probably helped. Not sure if this advice still holds true these days, but try checking in at the last moment ?

[SimonS1]

Anecdotal evidence across the forums would suggest that there is no set model on BA.

Just because someone is a regular flyer or a status holder it does not guarantee an upgrade….instead there have been cases of lower status travellers getting the upgrades, perhaps to give them an experience they might pay to repeat. In fact there is a compelling reason not to upgrade the status member, basically because they are loyal without needing to be rewarded in that way and perhaps unlikely to pay to repeat travel in a higher class.

[MartynSinclair]

long haul I get upgrades about 1 in 15 to 20 flights (roughly every 2 to 3 years. Seriously not really bothered as I only take a longhaul in one of my preferred seats on BA, in which I manage 7 to 8 hours sleep. Perfeeeecct (for me)…

[Gold-2K]

[postquote quote=987467][/postquote]

Silly question, but do you order a special meal? If you do you will not be upgraded.
A vegan frequent flyer colleague complained about the same, I told her to stop ordering a special meal and next long haul flight she was bumped up from WT to J.

1 user thanked author for this post.

tomwjsimpson

[capetonianm]

do you order a special meal? If you do you will not be upgraded.
A vegan frequent flyer colleague complained about the same, I told her to stop ordering a special meal and next long haul flight she was bumped up

I suspect this is anecdotal and that the upgrade was coincidental. This was not the case with any airline I’ve worked for. If we didn’t have enough meals, and usually there were extra, we would advise the passenger that they might not get a meal corresponding to the upgrade cabin.
On my last BA l/h segments the W meals were the same as the J meals, only in J there may be one or two more options and better wine (better … less bad!)

[Manyatta]

As BA Silver I was upgraded last year to CE. The gate agent happily informed me and I pretended to be thankful, naturally. This was ex T3 mid morning so I had just over-indulged with the dim sum in the CX lounge and then had to give up my regular 11A (invariably with no one sitting beside due to the cost for most pax to reserve) to move to the front. So I needed no food and lost the legroom. Sometimes no need to be upgraded as I’m not convinced this was a better deal!

[SimonS1]

[postquote quote=987480][/postquote]

Indeed I have seen that point made before ie that it is easier to move someone who has no ‘special’ requirements as these are harder to reorganise at the last minute.

On the other hand that would only be the case on long haul, as there is no free catering on SH.

Honest answer to your question though, I only fly BA when there is no other choice so I have no first hand experience either way. I can generally manage to renew BAEC status without having to set foot in a BA aircraft.

[cwoodward]

We joined youngest son (13) up to Marco Polo 3 weeks ago.
First flight as a member and upgraded to business class from HKG to CPT.
On the way back today he had to make do with Premium Economy though.

[rcfyelee98]

When I was still living in London and had the dubious privilege of BA being my preferred carrier, I used to get upgraded every 3/4 months. I was invariably flying by myself, no special meals, flying business transatlantic or to asia, and i was pretty high up some unpublished list (a crew member once showed me the passenger list and i am going to say i had 97(?) next to my name.

now i am back in asia – running my own startup and i never get upgraded by anyone! on a brighter note, i dont miss flying BA

[Inquisitive]

I think BugAdvisor is right. I was on assignment in UK for 3 years and had to travel long haul in business class very frequently. So very quickly attain silver and gold.

I was upgraded a few times to First class – that I believe due to the fact ticket cost was quite high in the sectors I used to fly. I even got seat 1A without asking twice.

Once I redeemed miles for business class travel for holiday (Long haul) and even then I was upgraded to First at one sector. Only difference I noted during the redeemed flight, the air hostess asked me (instead of automatically given), if I want sleeping PJ and shirt!

[Author]

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