flying Lufthansa to Shanghai upgrade possible?

ctbfashion · 09-10-2013 4:38pm #1

Hi,

im flying to shanghai via Frankfurt over the weekend with two friends. I here of people getting bumped up to first class from time to time. So im thinking i might chance my arm when checking in at Dublin what do people think my chances are and would it be rude if i did.

also if anyone has any experience of Lufthansa what do they think.

Thanks

Graham · 09-10-2013 4:45pm

Almost zero chance of a free upgrade when your likely to be checked in at Dublin airport for your connecting flight. Even without that, still a practically zero chance of a free upgrade.

Some airlines do offer a paid-upgrade option at the airport on the day of departure, not sure about Lufthansa though. When this is offered, I'd expect it to be at least a high 3 figure sum but more likely in the €x,xxx range.

endofrainbow · 10-10-2013 3:29pm

sometimes the airlines offer cheaper upgrades at online check in but the days of free upgrades are well and truly gone and believe me, the gate agents/check in agents have heard every story possible...

ardmacha · 10-10-2013 3:38pm

Unless you are already a member of MilesandMore and have flown a couple of hundred thousand miles with Lufthansa, I'd say you have two chances, or maybe less.

Yamanoto · 10-10-2013 3:57pm

Presume you mean Business as opposed to First OP.

Either way, as others have said above, there's increasingly little chance of a scheduled carrier offering a bump to J, based solely on the fact that you're asking for it. It can certainly do you no harm however, so give it a shot. If there's a Premium Economy product offered on that route, that may be a more realistic goal. With Lufthansa, priority would be given to Miles & More elites & those travelling on full economy fares, probably followed by elites from other Star Alliance member airlines.

Though the link below pertains to United, it's a useful insight into just how many variables may factor, when deciding who gets to sit their bums in the posh seats.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/6441038-post1.html

Graham · 10-10-2013 4:41pm

There's only really two ways left to get into the pointy end of the plane:

1) Use airmiles (or the equivalent) in exchange for an upgrade.
2) Pay for a seat in the pointy end.

mdebets · 10-10-2013 8:45pm

Graham wrote: »

There's only really two ways left to get into the pointy end of the plane:

1) Use airmiles (or the equivalent) in exchange for an upgrade.
2) Pay for a seat in the pointy end.

And that might not be enough, since Lufthansa has started to test the overbooking of the First Class on certain routes.

Graham · 10-10-2013 8:52pm

mdebets wrote: »

And that might not be enough, since Lufthansa has started to test the overbooking of the First Class on certain routes.

and removing 1st completely on other routes.

Chances of a double upgrade from economy to 1st are about 0 regardless.

Sheldons Brain · 10-10-2013 9:11pm

I think a lot of "chat up the checkin person and get an upgrade" is gone. Upgrades are now more decided by your ranking on the computer and so influenced by your previous travel etc.

halkar · 14-10-2013 11:31am

Got a free upgrade to business class with Emirates from Dubai recently

I was alone. Probably better chance of free upgrades when alone. Upgrade was done when I was boarding to plane as I had checked in from Beijing.

sudzs · 14-10-2013 1:37pm

I got a free upgrade at the boarding gate on a British Airways flight from Heathrow to Accra, Ghana a couple of weeks ago. I was flying on my own too but had booked an exit row seat. Apparently this row which also has seats that can have a bassinet attached for a baby can sometimes be requested by families with children and can lead to an upgrade. But I have one of those frequent flyer cards too so maybe that swayed it in my favour if economy had been overbooked.

But I agree with the other posters, the days of schmoozing your way into an upgrade are over.

flying Lufthansa to Shanghai upgrade possible?

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