[Anonymous]

[Kilted_Scot]

“What women want?” could be a similar question.

I am a frequent traveller and have been upgraded on a number of occasions, either from Economy to Business, or from Business to First. My strategy has always been to remain exptremely polite with the person I am dealing with (usually the check in staff or check in supervisor), even if there is a problem with the flight, booking etc. I always explain that I know that is not their fault, it must be hell for them dealing with this situation, especially with irate passengers. I try an form a psychological bond with them and think I get upgraded a reasonable number of times. Of course I could be completely wrong and bonding with the wrong people. I must also admit that I have seen passengers who go completely ballistic at the check in counters also receiving an upgrade.

So what is the best strategy?

I know that this is a subject most frequent travellers discuss, complain or gloat about. So let’s hear it from you. I would be particularly interested to hear from current or former airline staff with their views.

[Potakas]

I Don’t know.. once got upgraded to business and i didn’t realize why, I was waiting on the economy queue , when the business one was empty, the girl from the business counter wave me, i went there and she checked me with upgrade to business. without saying a word. I didn’t know that i can ask for upgrade at the check in process, is it really works?

[SimonRowberry]

Potakas – no it doesn’t very often, unfortunately!!

Kilted Scot – the most reliable way of getting a First or Business Class seat is to buy a First or Business Class ticket, which is what I guess most people on this Forum will also tell you. Upgrading appears to hang on so many uncertain variables, that when and if it happens these days, it should be seen as a lucky but rare event!

Mind you, if airline staff are losing their travel privileges, there may be more seats available to which to upgrade the “bona fide” traveller. Who knows….

Simon

[NTarrant]

Simon is quite right, if it comes along then accept it as a bonus. There is no clear method, my wife and I were upgraded to First from Club when using an Amex companion voucher. Most unexpected, but most welcome!

[RichardB]

to get upgraded get a frequent flyer card for the airline and build up lots of miles on it so that you have more status than the other passengers. When your class (economy or business) is oversold the computer will sort the passengers and you will be picked for an upgrade (the upgrades are done by computer, the gate agents generally just follow its instructions).
for this to work your booking class must be overbooked, so book flights that will be busy.
do not travel on cards from partner airlines. airlines pick their own members first for upgrades.
do not order a special meal, if you do you will not be upgraded.
travel on your own.
with the above I get about 20-25% upgrades on LH.

[freeling]

I do not have such luck. Not once.
It doesn;t matter whether the flight is full or not.

But I do heard that if you are the frequent flyer the chances are higher.

[MartynSinclair]

I follow Simon Rowberry’s view, buy the ticket instead of trying to turn left without paying – a bit like buying a car and begging for free petrol!

[npchuaMY]

I got upgraded many times from Y to C by TG, usually at the boarding gate, and at least on 2 occasions when seated in the plane, before the door close, the cabin crew called my name through the PA and ask me to bring along my hand luggage to the C-class.

What RichardB say is right, you have to be the airline’s FF member in 1st place, do not order special meal and travelling alone, you stand a better chance to be upgraded in an overbooked flight.

[LuganoPirate]

I have to agree with Simon as well. In 30 years of flying I was upgraded once, at Vienna – some 10 years ago, traveling Y with Austrian, when I complimented the check in girl on her nice red stockings!!! It was only when I boarded I noticed she had put me in C.

Otherwise I once sat by accident in C class not noticing my seat (row 5) was for the second leg of the flight. No-one said anything and I had full C class service all the way.

I have been told by FA’s that Swiss and LH do not upgrade to F unless you are a top tier pax with Hon status (or you upgrade with miles/vouchers) no matter the circumstances. This could be true as on one flight to JNB where they were looking for volunteers to take the next day’s flight (I know because my 2 sons were booked in Y), we took off and there was 1 empty seat in F next to me.

[MartynSinclair]

can you imagine going into John Lewis or Harrods, buying a laptop and asking for the next model up as a free upgrade………..or during a game of golf, ASKING for a ‘gimme’ rather than one being offered by your opponent. Its just rude!!

I would suggest that pax who want to turn left, put their hands in their pockets and pay like hte rest of us.

[Senator]

Hi all,

This is an interesting discussion; yes the best way to be “upgraded” is to buy the seat. I have returned today from JFK using LX via ZRH and GVA on the new A330-300 in business class, and I paid my own way. I did upgrade with miles on the outbound to experience the new First product and the HON/FIRST lounge at ZRH.

Couple of points, first to LuganoPirate. I’ve had three complimentary upgrades on LX and LH from C to F due to overbooking. It seem odd to pay for extra night of accommodations or send someone on a different carrier if you have seats free on the flight. In my case, my paid business seat has been given to an upgraded Y passenger.

Now, in my experience upgrades only take place when there are operational reasons for this like oversold cabins. For example, the SK flights to/from the US tend to be overbooked in economy, so movement from economy to economy extra, and from extra to business happens frequently. Due to Star Gold I have been upgraded very often on these routes. However, I have noticed many times it is a lottery. Sometimes it is down to who checked in last. Hence, I always ask.

I for one, always dress smart and is the nicest passenger about. And yes, I do ask if my booked cabin is full and they are moving passengers. However, I never assume that this is a right. This is a privilege I may get from my patronage, but never assume it is my right.

I have however, twice been upgraded at the gate by LH from Euro Y to C after coming back to the gate from the lounge. Both times the agent stated: “Dear Mr. Senator, we have a weight balancing issue so we have moved you to the front. You looked like you could help us out.” I weigh 103kg and I am 192cm tall… Who said Germans are humourless, or perhaps this is “Lost in Translation?”

[TominScotland]

Good thread! I, like some others posting here, would never ask for an upgrade and have only benefited because of FF status (except once – see below). I am Platium with AF/KLM and Gold with bmi* and Emirates. I used to be regularly upgraded with KLM, especially on a route I used to travel frequently, THR – AMS, where overbooking in Economy was common. I was also up-graded on AMS-PEK with my family, all three of us (although only offered to me at first), because it was my wife’s birthday! These sort of things have certainly declined in frequency with the decline in demand for J/F class. I have just once been “picked out of a crowd” with a colleague at the gate in LHR when neither of us had FF rights at the time by VS but that has very much a one off. So the realistic conclusion is to expect what you pay for, nothing more, nothing less!!

[travelgirl]

As ex staff of an airline and now a FF I can assure you that upgrades for both staff and passengers are now much rarer events. This is mainly down to load factors – capacity is strictly controlled in all cabins. Airlines will always select a FF, smartly dressed, pleasant, single traveller over 2 passengers travelling together. I have been upgraded on numerous occassions and although you can ask on check-in how busy the flight is, they will normally only upgrade at the gate as there are frequently no-shows for the flight. Operational delays are the best time to ask (nicely) and a FF card holder with the actual airline can work wonders. Jeans and casually dressed passengers can still be overlooked. Be nice but dont push too hard or you’ll find your seat moved near the galley or the loos.

[RoadKing]

Clothing is not always a hindrance to upgrades.
When I was upgraded from C to F on a BA flight from LHR to LAX, I was wearing a t shirt with an open shirt over, worn jeans and leather boots (I ride Harley Davidson on my spare time).
Albeit my FF status certainly counted (Gold), I believe my luck was to be late at the gate.

[Author]

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