[SimonS1]

[quote quote=760565]Yes, I think that’s true, but a lot of upgrades are decided before you even get to the airport and have an opportunity to be polite.
I think in the case of Emirates, for instance, it’s clear that the policy had changed this year and now they are decided on the basis of flexibility (and price) of ticket rather than tier status.

[/quote]

I would say I get upgraded about 1 flight in 4 on EK and it hasn’t changed noticeably. Plus we always get the cheapest tickets available at booking.

[Coldbat]

As I sometimes fly DL on an internal pass, I am able to see the upgrade list on my phone in real-time from the agents perspective. While I still don’t know the magic formula, it is interesting to see. Sometimes pax lower down get an upgrade while others at the top don’t. It is always easy to find those people at the gate.

[seasonedtraveller]

Always been a bit of a mystery to me:

I was upgraded from Club to First with BA earlier this year between ATL & LHR.

There was no fuss made, all that happened was my mobile boarding card suddenly changed to seat 3A about 5 mins prior to boarding.
Can’t be anything to do with dress code on this occasion because I was dressed in jeans and T-shirt as indeed, I normally am when returning home on a night flight.

My family (3 people) were upgraded from Economy to Premium from LHR to BKK back in July this year – all 3 seats were Avios bookings & my family have no status with BA other than my wife’s comp Gold Card (due to my GGL status) – Dress code again not a factor as they were handed the new boarding passes at Leeds Bradford check in.

[MrMichael]

Only time I ever got an upgrade (other than IB on my inter Europe commute)was 2002, honeymoon with MrsM2 on Air Jamaica (remember them?)from LHR to Mo Bay….and that was at check in because it was our Honeymoon.

[Tom Otley]

[quote quote=760655]

Tom Otley wrote:

Yes, I think that’s true, but a lot of upgrades are decided before you even get to the airport and have an opportunity to be polite.
I think in the case of Emirates, for instance, it’s clear that the policy had changed this year and now they are decided on the basis of flexibility (and price) of ticket rather than tier status.

I would say I get upgraded about 1 flight in 4 on EK and it hasn’t changed noticeably. Plus we always get the cheapest tickets available at booking.

[/quote]
It does look as though there has been a change over the summer, however
.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/emirates-skywards/1785254-emirates-changes-operational-upgrade-procedure.html

As a poster says there
skywardhunter

“My understanding is it was previously ordered first by status, then fare type, now it will be the other way around, not necessarily by the nominal value of the fare paid, but the type.

E.g. before it might have been

Plat Flex Plus
Plat Flex
Gold Flex
Gold Saver
Gold Saver
Silver Flex Plus
Silver Saver
Silver Saver

and now it would be

Plat Flex Plus
Silver Flex Plus
Plat Flex
Gold Flex
Gold Saver
Gold Saver
Silver Saver
Silver Saver”

[EU_Flyer]

[quote quote=760625]I remember about ten years ago Lufthansa were quite open for a while about their policy and it was clear then that value of ticket would trump status for upgrade and there were quite a lot of angry golds around at the time. At the same time they introduced HON as a new top tier which caused even more annoyance to those who didn’t qualify.

I don’t know what their policy is these days but certainly the method has been tried.

Of the airlines I know about and travel with frequently:

TK – tight and again based on status and ticket value.

[/quote]

I was recently upgraded on TK from BKK to IST. I am currently Star Silver and not with Turkish Airlines.
I was, however, very polite to the lady at check in (who was also very polite to me). I asked if there were any bulkhead seats available as I’m 6’5. She said there were no spare seats in Economy as they were totally full. I said words to the effect of ‘not to worry’ and smiled.

At the gate, there were several upgrades happening and I was a lucky recipient. I’m sure there were others with higher status than me and with Turkish’s own program . I suspect being polite, a single traveler and smartly dressed helped me in this case.

Generally though, it’s all to do with your commercial importance even to get considered.

As for being based on fare type – I’m glad EK are changing. I once flew Europe to Sydney at 2 days notice and was booked in Y class literally. Due to ;ast minute booking (and no status) was stuck in middle seats at the back of the A380 the whole trip. Begging at Dubai for an aisle or bulkhead seat, I was flatly declined even after I pointed out the fare I paid. Wasn’t impressed.

[MartynSinclair]

I maybe wrong, but I am totally unconvinced that smiling and being polite to check in staff, turning up in extra smart clothing, has any relevance to an upgrade. I think its all done behind the scenes, by the back office staff on a needs basis.

I am not for one minute suggesting avoid all forms of human politeness, but being polite just for an upgrade is a total waste of time.

In the past 4 years, I have received 2 upgrades, from business to First, both at the gate.

As another thread shows, I have 2 gold upgrade vouchers and these are IMPOSSIBLE for me to use…due to my ticketing which includes a CX flight as well as BA longhaul.

The whole issue of upgrading is a total mystery to me… and one that if it happens I smile, if it doesn’t, does not worry me one bit…

[TravelWise]

I agree with the comments about gate staff having some power. Just recently on an over booked Turkish airlines flight, I was called to the front with all the other SA Gold cards whilst a supervisor selected who was being upgraded. Important to note that the criteria is still unknown, apart from being gold, as the supervisor was not at the gate and could not work on looks, manners etc. It was not so clear on ticket price either, as other golds on more expensive ticket were not upgraded. Maybe pot luck in this case, but I would think they start by upgrading Turkish Miles & Smiles gold first?

Personally I think its better to always work on a strategy of upgrading frequent travellers, as so many of us really do have the power to choose with whom we should fly.

[EU_Flyer]

MartynSinclair and TravelWise – I completely agree with you for 99% of cases.

Being polite shouldn’t be a strategy to score an upgrade. If that were the criteria, one would hope that at least 50% of the passengers would be upgraded! I agree that upgrades are largely done behind the scenes and are dependent on your commercial importance to the airline / alliance plus some luck (single traveller vs family of 4 with higher CIV).

I still believe that customer facing staff can have some influence though – if you’re lucky to impress the right person. But it shouldn’t be expected. I have received at least 6 upgrades on long haul flights over the last 5 years on this basis without being someone commercially important to any airline or indeed having any ‘inside’ connection.

[Henryp1]

I agree that operational upgrades are decided behind the scenes and not at the gate, perhaps is earlier times this was different. I think it would be fair if they were based on ticket spend before any other options. It’s surprising that the discussion of ‘how to get an upgrade’ is so heavily discussed on all forums etc rather than safety or punctuality. As always I think it’s best to get the ticket of the cabin customers want to travel in, rather than get anxious of will I, won’t I get an upgrade, or believe that it’s not fair that someone else got the upgrade.

[JohnHarper]

In all probability airlines hold far more data than we realise and are potentially able to change the upgrade criteria day by day if they want to so on Monday it’s their own golds, on Tuesday it’s alliance golds, on Wednesday it’s ticket class and so on.

There’s also an argument that says they have the loyalty of their own golds so why bother looking after them any further and upgrade people who are on the edges so basic card holders who perhaps they know travel with a competitor more often. Many years ago (25+) I often used to get upgrades on short haul BA (when they cared about their passengers) and more than once I was told it was because of my gold diamond club status and they wanted to demonstrate they could do a better job of looking after me, it didn’t work, BA was necessity, BD was choice!

[NTarrant]

I’ve come to the conclusion that upgrades are fairly random. Until moving to the Middle East nearly three years ago, I had only ever had two upgrades in 16 years of BA exec membership.

Since then I have had two at gate (CX and QR) one at check in (BA) one for travelling on an earlier flight (QR). Contrast my fiancée who has been BA blue since January, upgraded WTP to Club on BA, upgraded to business on CX on two legs on the same booking.

So my thoughts are it is just random, right place, right time, right circumstances!

[PeterCoultas]

Problem with short haul upgrades on BA is that it shows you that there is no significant difference between business and economy especially if you are handbags only

[stevescoots]

In all my years flying and top tier with several I have only been upgraded to First 4 times I recall, one time was on QR strait after the ash cloud incident, probably because they were fully loading each plane to get stranded passengers home. The other 3 have been with EK who I have only been flying regularly the past 2 years, no idea why except that on each occasion the aircraft was full and at boarding I noted several economy passengers being upgraded to business and some of us in business were upgrades to first, first upgrade I had only just joined skywards.
Mind you this could be why I don’t get many, I never wear a watch on the plane!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/travel_news/article-3807529/First-class-upgrades-dinner-invites-amorous-women-One-traveler-reveals-far-wearing-expensive-WATCH-you.html

[RaveAroundTheWorld]

I m Star Alliance Gold since several years and get upgraded regularly, mostly from full-fared economy to business but also a few times from J to F. All with either LX/LH.

I had a run a few years back where I was upgraded one out of every 3 flights or so. One time 5 or 6 times in a row. Each time pre-determined before anyone could see how I was dressed and I got a new boarding pass either at the gate or at check-in. Mostly due to full flights but also sometimes on empty flights when I guess it was just “my time.”

I got jaded to the point that I basically expected to hear a beep when swiping my original boarding card at the gate….oh well, haven t gotten a bump last few flights so will expect one soon :).

-Rave

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