The Lemon Fool

in these days when most of us(have to) check in on line before going to airports

how do folk go about seeking to get an upgrade

ok in the 'old days' you could arrive at check in and blag an upgrade if lucky

these days its straight to the gate.by which time its to late

or m I missing some obvious trick?

mutantpoodle wrote:in these days when most of us(have to) check in on line before going to airports

how do folk go about seeking to get an upgrade

ok in the 'old days' you could arrive at check in and blag an upgrade if lucky

these days its straight to the gate.by which time its to late

or m I missing some obvious trick?

You can try at check in and you can try once through security at a customer services desk; this worked for me once on an Air France flight to Johannesburg then you can try again on boarding but TBH, the chances are so slim as there are many, many "premium" class members of loyalty schemes that they will, deservedly, get first shout at an upgrade.

But, shy bairns get nowt so just ask.

mutantpoodle wrote:or m I missing some obvious trick?

This link appeared over at Beerpig's (for when you are onboard):

The Easiest Way to Get a Flight Upgrade, According to Flight Attendants
http://money.com/money/5482164/the-easi ... ttendants/

For comments see viewtopic.php?p=189751#p189751.

Maybe that's only in the U S of A, if it applies at all, and would presumably apply more to internal flights which can be less full than our cattle ships.

EssDeeAitch wrote:But, shy bairns get nowt...

Is that like "it's the squeaky wheel that gets the oil"? C.

The last time I got an upgrade was c.1996, when flying from Frankfurt to Paphos. I think I was Lufthansa's only full fare economy class passenger, having come from Detroit after an unexpected call to a meeting. I was invited to approach the desk, just before check-in, to be greeted with the words "We invite you to travel in Business Class". I had to come back steerage on the charter flight we had booked. Got us two aisle seats, though.

TJH

csearle wrote:

EssDeeAitch wrote:But, shy bairns get nowt...

Is that like "it's the squeaky wheel that gets the oil"? C.

Haha, yes I suppose it is

Been upgraded twice.

One a long time ago on an Iberian flight to Barcelona, first class...so long ago that I was offered a cigar to smoke after the very decent meal.

Other time upgraded a few years ago Upper Class to Las Vegas. Shared the cabin with Theo Walcott and his stag party. He was was pleasant and his party very well behaved.

John

I've only been upgraded once, from British Airways Business Class to First Class, London to Miami.

It was a mixup over seating, I was happily, correctly, settled in Business Class when a woman approached who had a boarding card for exactly the same seat.

The attendant told me I was to move, and I was about to get indignant 'coz I was there first, when she explained she was taking me to seat 2A. There was champagne almost before I sat down, and the next 6 or 7 hours went by in a comfortable haze.

Scott.

PinkDalek wrote:

mutantpoodle wrote:or m I missing some obvious trick?

This link appeared over at Beerpig's (for when you are onboard):

The Easiest Way to Get a Flight Upgrade, According to Flight Attendants
http://money.com/money/5482164/the-easi ... ttendants/

For comments see viewtopic.php?p=189751#p189751.

Maybe that's only in the U S of A, if it applies at all, and would presumably apply more to internal flights which can be less full than our cattle ships.

The article in the link is laughable on so many levels. Perhaps best of all, using Seatguru to work out how many flight attendants there are so you know how many gifts to take on board for them. Yeah right...

Please someone try out the suggestions it makes on the next flight you take out of Blighty, and let us know how you get on.

BrummieDave wrote:The article in the link is laughable on so many levels. Perhaps best of all, using Seatguru to work out how many flight attendants there are so you know how many gifts to take on board for them. Yeah right ...

Yup, that's why I directed to the post at Beerpig's!

I fly a lot and get upgraded with moderate frequency.

In the old days it was a matter of dressing smart and shmoozing the desk clerks. Those days are over.

Now it is more a matter of algorithms and rules. The reality is that upgrades mostly go to so-called "Elite" members. So for instance for the last 3 years I have been a BA Gold member and get upgraded reasonably often. For about 3 years before I was BA Silver and got upgraded a couple of times. Bronze or below, forget about it.

There are so-called "Operational Upgrades", where the airline has oversold a lower cabin and has availability in a better cabin. But even then it depends on status with the airline. And folks who paid full-fare First don't always appreciate some shmuck in a shell suit sitting next to them scarfing all the free fizz.

Upgrades are a perk of spending a lot with an airline. Why wouldn't it be?

EssDeeAitch wrote:

csearle wrote:

EssDeeAitch wrote:But, shy bairns get nowt...

Is that like "it's the squeaky wheel that gets the oil"? C.

Haha, yes I suppose it is

More like 'If you don't ask you don't get'

Dod

Last year I was 'offered' an upgrade from BA cattle class to business class whilst ordering the tickets online.

I say 'offered' as the tickets just came up next to each other in a list of the cheapest available and I thought . . . why not?

No idea if this is a regular occurrence or a one in a million shot but it was nice to get a very comfy seat, lots more leg room and a glass of wine for a change. I could get used to that.

HYD

Lootman wrote:Upgrades are a perk of spending a lot with an airline. Why wouldn't it be?

Isn't that naked corruption, like airmiles?

Offer incentives to the individual to spend more of their employer's money, that might often be better (for the employer) spent (or saved) on something other than the corrupt airline?

EssDeeAitch wrote:But, shy bairns get nowt so just ask.

The local version here is "Them as asks may not get, but them as don't ask don't want!"

I remember getting a flight with Saudi Air from Manchester to Geneva a few years ago. As it's my own money that I'm spending I'd never consider flying business class, let alone first. However, as I was in the check-in queue I was approached by one of their staff who asked if I'd flown with them before.

I said I hadn't, so he said I would be upgraded to business class.

Although it's only a short flight I was jolly pleased, and enjoyed the novelty of turning left and smirking smugly at those poor folk who were forced to travel steerage!

I settled in to my very comfortable seat, and when the attendant asked me soon after takeoff if I'd like a drink I thought I'd push the boat out, and asked for a glass of champagne.

"I'm so sorry sir", she said, "We don't serve alcohol ..."

I couldn't believe it - the one time I got lucky I had to celebrate with a glass of pomegranate juice!

UncleEbenezer wrote:

Lootman wrote:Upgrades are a perk of spending a lot with an airline. Why wouldn't it be?

Isn't that naked corruption, like airmiles?

By that argument you could say that Tesco's points and M&S vouchers are corruption.

I do not see a moral issue with businesses having loyalty programmes.

Lootman wrote:

UncleEbenezer wrote:

Lootman wrote:Upgrades are a perk of spending a lot with an airline. Why wouldn't it be?

Isn't that naked corruption, like airmiles?

By that argument you could say that Tesco's points and M&S vouchers are corruption.

I do not see a moral issue with businesses having loyalty programmes.

How would that work?

On what expense account do you shop at Tescos while accumulating rewards for yourself personally? Even if it happens that you buy coffee and milk for the office, the scale of it is small change.

I always presumed "personal airmiles etc" garnered while employers are footing the bill was an accepted back-hand benefit of being put out for the company's benefit eg leaving home on a Sunday morning to be in japan for Monday morning, spending empty evenings alone in hotel rooms instead of having genuine freedom.

didds

I used to have shares in Forte, when I was frequently staying in their hotels and Travelodges, and often eating in Little Chefs. I used to get a discount on my expenditure with them, which came back to me as a reduction in my Forte charge card each month. My bills showed the full price without the discount, which was claimed as my expenses.

TJH

didds wrote:I always presumed "personal airmiles etc" garnered while employers are footing the bill was an accepted back-hand benefit of being put out for the company's benefit eg leaving home on a Sunday morning to be in japan for Monday morning, spending empty evenings alone in hotel rooms instead of having genuine freedom.

didds

That's the same story as the MPs Expenses. A grey area, that to the individual comes across as compensation for the downside of a job.

The naked corruption comes in the motivation for a company having such a scheme in the first place. In the case of the airmiles, it's a business whose most profitable customers are on expenses, and its whole purpose is to devise a way (that won't get you arrested) of passing them a brown envelope in exchange for their employer's business.

tjh290633 wrote:I used to have shares in Forte, when I was frequently staying in their hotels and Travelodges, and often eating in Little Chefs. I used to get a discount on my expenditure with them, which came back to me as a reduction in my Forte charge card each month. My bills showed the full price without the discount, which was claimed as my expenses.

Hmm. Those receipts would seem to be the dodgy element of that. But it would be a stretch to say that such a scheme's actual purpose was to bribe you for your employer's business. Especially since they're the no-nonsense end of the market: their client is not someone with an over-generous expense account and a sense of Entitlement. Just like airmiles and similar corrupt rewards didn't originate in the budget airlines!

My Whitbread shares have got me some modest benefits at Premier Inns and Costa Coffee, but never a misleading receipt from them.