Ever been upgraded

Marcusm

Peregrinus wrote: »

Upgrades to first class are vanishingly rare. The people who pay to fly first class don't expect to be sharing it with the likes of you and me.

I wouldn't say astonishingly rare. While it's true that airlines such as BA upgrade only when overfilled (as opposed to oversold), I'd say my club work to first upgrade was about 1/10. On Qantas, American and Cathay, it was higher than that and based on BA status.

artanevilla

Best I've got is the check in lady blocking off the middle seat. Been offered the exit row when boarding a few times as I'm quite tall.

Dial Hard

plodder wrote:

Useful tip I heard, is to wear business attire and politely ask about the possibility when checking in. They are very unlikely to upgrade anyone that looks scruffy.

Those kind of "on spec" upgrades are almost entirely a thing of the past now.

goingnowhere

Official EI policy is there is a dress code for business class upgrades

Its kind of crazy as if you are heading to SFO its full of IT types millennial dress sense (ughh), but you got to have a shirt and jacket and no trainers to be considered for upgrade

Cloudio9

plodder wrote: »

Useful tip I heard, is to wear business attire and politely ask about the possibility when checking in. They are very unlikely to upgrade anyone that looks scruffy.

Doesn't matter what you wear if you don't have status in the loyalty program.

Cloudio9

Captain_Crash wrote: »

If you have to upgrade because of an oversold economy cabin, it makes more sense to give it to someone who has never flown there before, as it will increases the chance of them paying the higher fare in future. Airlines already know their loyal customers with status will pay.

That makes no sense. An economy passenger might fly with an airline once a year or even once in their lifetime.

Some passengers spend tens of thousands every year. They still fly in February when the planes are half empty. They are most certainly the passengers who get looked after first.

plodder

Cloudio9 wrote: »

Doesn't matter what you wear if you don't have status in the loyalty program.

It depends on the airline, and maybe the day as well. But, you don't necessarily have to be in the loyalty programs.

My daughter's BF got one on a trip to Asia recently.

Creamy Goodness

Just make sure you bring a change of clothes to change into, wouldn't want to be at the back of the plane in a full suit

BigMoose

goingnowhere wrote: »

Official EI policy is there is a dress code for business class upgrades

Its kind of crazy as if you are heading to SFO its full of IT types millennial dress sense (ughh), but you got to have a shirt and jacket and no trainers to be considered for upgrade

That'd explain why I never got one on EI despite having good status, but have got them on other airlines!

ironclaw

When I fly business, I fly in shorts and a hoodie. Its ludaciously comfortable. Can't understand why anyone would want to fly in a suit or shirt for 12 hours. (Reminds me of that laughable LinkedIN post going around where it shows 3 lads in full atire and waist costs in premium economy, saying first impressions are important. Hate to tell you lads, the people who make real decisions don't fly commercial and some of the riches guys in the world sport trainers)

Anyway, was all the better when I was bumped to first class on a LH 737 out of Mexico City to Frankfurt. You know when you are asked what gin, followed by what tonic, you want in your G&T that you are in a different league. The line couldn't understand why some 20 something year old was being escorted up the queue to the top of the plane, I didn't want it, they just spotted the red tipped boarding card and the masses were parted for me.

Also swapped seats with a certain UFC fighter and his wife coming back from Newark on United. Nice guy

Captain_Crash

Cloudio9 wrote: »

That makes no sense. An economy passenger might fly with an airline once a year or even once in their lifetime.

Some passengers spend tens of thousands every year. They still fly in February when the planes are half empty. They are most certainly the passengers who get looked after first.

Trust me, many airlines are changing their tune... think of it this way, the below numbers are made up of course

-you have flown business 10 times in your last 40 flights
-I've never flown business in 25 flights

They know that there is a good chance you will pay for a business ticket or upgrade, so why give you something when down the line your going to be paying for it? you say you wont... but you will and they know it.

With me they see an opportunity to convince me to pay for a J ticket in future where normally I may not. Upgrading isn't always about being nice to a customer because they've flown a few times, its often about providing someone with an experience in the hope that they enjoy it enough to pay for next time. Free advertising.

The only people who get looked after more based on loyalty/status ect are people who wont be down the back in the first place. Now this isn't to say you don't get a odd treat from time to time... but next time there is an overfilled cabin and one business seat left, if its between you and some regular flyer who has never been up front but may pay for the opportunity in future, it'll be him/her who gets it, you'll get pissed off and pay for an upgrade next time. The airline are trying to sell seats at the end of the day.

I'm speaking only in a situation where a cabin is full and an upgrade has to be given regardless. Upgrades for the sake of it are nearly always given to FF members yes, in that case you'd get it not me! Staff come last on the list.

Riskymove

I got upgraded from Premium Economy to Business twice now

BA and Cathay

I still think it is the best chance you have if flight busy or oversold, they will move up people from PE first


I wa salso upgraded to Business from Economy once, with KLM, which was after I volunteered to miss an overbooked flight and I was put on another routing but in Business

JillyQ

Got upgraded once on snn to jfk
flight with are lingua, it was back in the days when they were flying the 747's. My upgrade was to first class.

Danbo!

ironclaw wrote: »

When I fly business, I fly in shorts and a hoodie. Its ludaciously comfortable

I got a tour of the lounges in SIN, business class was nice, but quite big and busy given it's their hub. Everyone in suits.

First class was quieter and very plush. Some suits, mostly just casual wear.

But then they have the Private Room, for those flying Suites. Obviously only available on some aircraft to the select elite, so there were only about 4 people in there. One dude in his 20s, barefoot and in shorts, strolling around filling a plate and facetiming someone. And an older dude shouting on the phone to a hotel about a $40,000 bill. Also in shorts.

artanevilla

Danbo! wrote: »

I got a tour of the lounges in SIN, business class was nice, but quite big and busy given it's their hub. Everyone in suits.

First class was quieter and very plush. Some suits, mostly just casual wear.

But then they have the Private Room, for those flying Suites. Obviously only available on some aircraft to the select elite, so there were only about 4 people in there. One dude in his 20s, barefoot and in shorts, strolling around filling a plate and facetiming someone. And an older dude shouting on the phone to a hotel about a $40,000 bill. Also in shorts.

I'm sure there's an net worth related bell curve when it comes to giving a **** what you wear.

Noxegon

If there was I should by rights be a gazillionaire.

smurfjed

As an airline employee I became eligible for confirmed class travel about 10 years ago, first flight I was happily booked to London, got to the airport and told, sorry your seat has changed to business...... humbug... got to the boarding gate and once agin told, sorry we have changed your seat to economy..... totally not impressed.

My employer has just introduced first class suites on some aircraft, but we aren't allowed to book them, we can only be upgraded at the airport if they are empty.

Cloudio9

smurfjed wrote: »

My employer has just introduced first class suites on some aircraft, but we aren't allowed to book them, we can only be upgraded at the airport if they are empty.

of course. what other way could it be.

I remember seeing a documentary about Garret Fitzgerald. He worked in Aer Lingus back in the day and canceled a Shannon-Paris route because in the first month of operation the only passengers were staff travelling free.

jimmycrackcorm

I got upgraded once flying back from India. The reason was I had bought a suitcase full of cheap but heavy IT books while out there (They were a fifth of the price here).

I was so happy at getting such good value that I didn't consider the weight cost for baggage and ended up paying almost as much as the books would have cost me here, in excess baggage.

The check-in guy felt sorry for me and upgraded me.

athtrasna

I've been upgraded by using miles, by paying for it, by volunteering off, by status and by meeting a senior executive of the airline by accident, and by fluke. Loved every minute of it!

smurfjed

of course. what other way could it be.

Actually the right to First Class travel is part of my employment contract with a limited of tickets per year, so they can limit the number of seats that can be booked by staff as they do in all other flights, but they shouldn't ban staff from booking in these seats.

Neilw

The only free upgrade I got was to business class with Etihad from Beijing to Abu Dhabi. Very nice it was too, Mercedes bus from the terminal to the aircraft for the handful of us in business class.

I've done the upgrade yourself with EI several times and been successful.

For my 40th I treated myself to business with Lufthansa to the states, great experience upstairs on the 747-800. The last 747 I was on was Aer Lingus.

killbillvol2

I was upgraded from Business to First twice on Emirates and twice from Economy to Business. On one of those I was actually seated in economy with a German woman behind me poking at the seat back when I was moved upstairs to Business - apparently a late no show. Emirates First Class is a real pleasure.

BA also upgraded me to Business from LHR to HKG and Malaysian from KUL to LHR.

Autochange

on a flight from Brisbane to Dubai my button for letting the seat forward and back stuck in so i couldn't sit back in my seat. I was upgraded to business as there were no seats left in economy to switch me to. Truth be told i purposely jammed the button in as i was bored and fidgeting. best flight ever. Had my own little cubicle with a lay flat seat and proper food on the menu when ever i wanted.

Try it some time when on a long haul ,full flight. Just push that button in as hard as you can and hold it.

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

afatbollix

Fred Swanson wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

That could backfire though...

Imagine the air steward running down the aisle and stopping at you. Hello Dr Swanson could you follow me someone has taken ill.

'I'm sorry I'm not that type of doctor'

ironclaw

afatbollix wrote: »

That could backfire though...

Imagine the air steward running down the aisle and stopping at you. Hello Dr Swanson could you follow me someone has taken ill.

'I'm sorry I'm not that type of doctor'

You need to provide a good deal of evidence before you can render medical assistance to anyone. You'd be amazed how many people will pretend to be medically qualified to get some air time, at the risk to the airline. I stepped up before as an EMFR but a doctor was onboard so I wasn't needed but they gave me a form and needed copies of my ID before I could even see the patient.

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

Jude13

I have been upgraded once from Dar es Salam to Dubai. I was shattered and slept the whole way.

I used to pay for business when I was young free and single. Flying economy next month to Rome and I am unrealistically getting my hopes up about an upgrade as I am now gold on Emirates. they never seem to upgrade on the Dublin leg, not that I was bothered in the past as I was in business anyway.

Steve

afatbollix wrote: »

That could backfire though...

Imagine the air steward running down the aisle and stopping at you. Hello Dr Swanson could you follow me someone has taken ill.

'I'm sorry I'm not that type of doctor'

ironclaw wrote: »

You need to provide a good deal of evidence before you can render medical assistance to anyone. You'd be amazed how many people will pretend to be medically qualified to get some air time, at the risk to the airline. I stepped up before as an EMFR but a doctor was onboard so I wasn't needed but they gave me a form and needed copies of my ID before I could even see the patient.

Possession of a doctorate does not necessarily mean you have a medical qualification. There are plenty of non medical doctors and professors out there .