Getting A Free Upgrade To Business Class

[pigeonjake]

i once got a free flight, as the flight was over booked i was traveling alone, they pulled me to one side asked me if i would mind flying tomorow, and they would give me a free flight anytime i wanted to use it, put me in a hotel for the nite, there was 6 blokes did it,

and i can usually get the emergancy exit seats, i just tell them i work offshore(true) and im fullytrained should the plane go down, they love that,

jake

[Crossy]

OK chaps, let's cut the bickering, a number of posts have been removed. Any more and holidays will be dispensed.

[WilliaminBKK]

Let me say 25 years working for an airline(s) starting as a Sales/Station Manager I can tell you who gets upgraded......NO ONE unless you are top tier (gold, silver), sure the odd adhoc UG happens for pax who were dis-serviced or in a serious oversell situation. The days of we're on our honeymoon, I love this airline, it's my birthday, I'm so pretty please please please or begging are gone. Now I will say folks without seat assignment are on the top of the list after loyal customers are taken care of (please don't risk it based on the OP's dream) The ground agent handling firms are not permitted to courtesy upgrade.

Without getting into this deeply on a DM list even OA (other airline) employees will be upgraded before a revenue passenger -it's life

In terms of meals, they ARE as close to the true number of pax onboard, if there is an INVOL/UG that meal was slotted for crew on most airlines. So the carrier will not upgrade and take away from their own. More meals are certainly catered based on historical data but that is monitored very closely.

In terms of "First Class Pax" "Business Class Pax" pay the airlines bill, that is circa 1998, every bum in a seat pays the bills there are metrics for each cabin, chew on this a 747 BKK-LHR with 359 pax will consume 1000 barrels of fuel an A380 with 509 pax will consume 1200 barrels-airlines are now experts with yield management. Not only point to point LHR-BKK is cheaper than BKK-LHR it is because of interline feed, cargo, agent vs direct et al......... many factors happen behind the scenes.

If you want to fly Business class or First Class it is actually very simple

-Pay

-Become Loyal

-Use your points

-Work for an airline

If you manage to snag an upgrade more power, next you'll be asking the produce manager to discount tomatoes at your local Sainsburys

[IMA_FARANG]

Well, it's certainly tue that upgrades are sometimes possible, and that you won't get one unless you ask.

But today, with high fuel costs, higher airport landing fees and surcharges, etc. airlines are being far more careful with how they manage their seating....business class seats especially.

For those reasons, business class seats are quite often mostly full, especially on long-haul international flights.

It;s still possible to sometimes get an upgrade....and it may be worthwhile to ask...but with today's computer seat assignments programs the airlines now use....the chance of there being an "unused" business class seat the airline will "give" you is less than ever.

As an example....let's take a hypothectical London to Japan flight....with stops in Paris and Bangkok.

Let's just say that one hour before departure from London...a business class seat reservation is canceled....for some reason that passenger isn't traveling.

So someone starts the computer searching for a possible passenger traveling to Japan who already wants or wanted a business class seat.

That computer search finds a Paris to Japan passenger who will PAY for a business clas seat....and you...a London to Bangkok passenger who wants a free upgrade.

Never mind what yout Frequent Flight Status priority is....is that airline going to give you that free upgrade London to Bangkok, or will the computer program come up with that paid Paris to Japan passenger as the preferred choice?

Of course, you know the answer to that question....he or she who pays is always chosen over he or she who wants the "perks".

That worldwide computerised seat selection system all airlines use today is precisely why "free" upgrades are becoming scarcer than hens teeth these days.

And don't expect that to change soon....not in these daya of higher costs and lower passenger revenues the airlines have to live with these days.

Today, the acountants and "revenue growth" are the bosses....passengers wishes are always secondary to profits.

If you don't believe me about that...just ask someone who works for Quantas.

[Traxster]

"upgrade' ?

I usually pay for mine ............

[stiggy]

I fly frequently, only once have been upgraded and that was for a 1 hour domestic flight.

Normally any flight over 5 hours we go business or if a night flight.

Only time I have ever got a free business class flight (upgrade long haul) is after a complaint we made. On Sydney to BKK route mum travelling alone with two kids pops up next to us. One kid approx 2 years another less than 6 months.

As much as I felt for the women and her predicament, the fact is she was put next to us upgraded for free as all the bulkhead baskets in economy (for newborn KID) where gone.

Next 12 hours was just hell, screaming crying and helping the women deal with two kids.

Its a hard one as kids and parents deserve the right to travel, but as a passenger paying a premium I deserve the right to peace and quiet.Needless to say my next day was written off and the business meetings we had planned pretty much wasted.

[canman]

Or at least back to a time when air travel was glamorous. And people dressed up for air travel.

Have to agree with this - call me old fashioned, but I still treat any form of air travel as an occasion, and I always have a minimum dress standard.

Not a 3 piece suit and tie necessarily, but never short/singlet/thongs....

This is regardless of whether I am in the cheapest economy seat, or up at the pointy end, so to speak....

Well shorts and flip flops are for the beach, I can't understand how people use that in nice restaurants, when travel in shops.

some basic shoes, a jean and a non offending TShirt isn't so difficult. Still very low for most things but a lightyear ahead of the short trouser.

You should try a flight from Perth to Bali! Plenty if not most in shorts and flip flops. It's a holiday flight and not a business flight for the majority so I guess it is a bit differant.

[TommoPhysicist]

My pal used to work for an airline, he only pays 10% of ticket price (or less)

Return from BKK to SF in business class is $200 for him.

[SeaVisionBurma]

My pal used to work for an airline, he only pays 10% of ticket price (or less)

Return from BKK to SF in business class is $200 for him.

That's somewhat different, he hasn't had to use the Power of Suggestion or wishful wanting as per the OT.....

...nice work benefit though....I'm sure anyone would be happy to be able to get ID90 fares....

[lomatopo]

I have really enjoyed reading the responses to my thread. I see there is a mixture of

I think most people even remotely experienced with air travel over the last 15 years have commented accurately on your post. I think most found your OP amusing as it is unreaIistic, and inaccurate, but in a funny, clue-less sort of way. I especially like the J. Wellington Wimpy approach, "I will gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today". Well done, sir.

The fact that you then had to disparage posters by grouping their comments into categories that, aside from being quite strange and odd, weren't even remotely reflective only points to some sort of lack of comprehension, or even delusion.

Can you share any details re: your experiences getting complimentary upgrades? Please be as specific as possible: route, carrier, flight no., approx. date., aftershave brand. Did you ask at check-in, or at the gate? Approximately how many times have you flown (sectors)? Asked for complimentary upgrades? Been successful?

[JoeLing]

Yeap, worked for me twice on long haul flight including the connection

flight (didn't have to ask for the upgrade on the connecting flight).

At the check-in desk - no chance. Even with offring chocolatte,nice

chocolatte, very nice chocolatte in fact - no chance.

Because of my looooooooong legs, I always go talk to the supervisor

in order to get one of the seats by the emergency doors/windows, still

no upgrade but somehow I got noticed and on both occasions, once

the doors of the plane closed, a stewardess walks right up to me and

goes: " Sorry Mr Ling to inconvinience you. I hope you don't mind but

there would be a seat available in business class". - Should I mind?

Guess who eat the chocolatte ;-)

You could always try to put some ants in the seat next to you, then

complain POLITELY without making a fuss and you have your business

upgrade ;-)

So if you can't afford delux chocolatte, have no loyality points, take some

ants with you, just in case :-)

Edited September 6, 2012 by JoeLing

[sysardman]

Just a note to all the freeloaders, planes tend to crash nose first, so all the 1st and business class it'll lights out while us at the back of cattle class might just make it

[ExpatJ]

In last year I have had around 4 upgrades on 3 on Bkk- Manila, Bkk Jakarta, Bkk- Hanoi routes- and one Tokyo-Bkk overnight (total score- very happy that day!

Clean shaven or not- doesnt matter. Elaborate stories like the OP- no offence, but the check in staff will just think you are a newbie flyer (and a plonker/ farang kee nok too). Best thing is too just ask any chance for a upgrade and smile. But most important factor, i am FF gold member on TG..

[lomatopo]

In last year I have had around 4 upgrades on 3 on Bkk- Manila, Bkk Jakarta, Bkk- Hanoi routes- and one Tokyo-Bkk overnight (total score- very happy that day!

Clean shaven or not- doesnt matter. Elaborate stories like the OP- no offence, but the check in staff will just think you are a newbie flyer (and a plonker/ farang kee nok too). Best thing is too just ask any chance for a upgrade and smile. But most important factor, i am FF gold member on TG..

So this was 2011? The most recent 12 months? All on TG? You asked at check-in? At the gate?

TG does publish same-day, stand-by upgrade prices, all prices in USD, one way, Y to C, or C to F (Y is economy, C is business)

BKK-MNL is $250

BKK-JKT is $250

BKK-HAN is $130

BKK-NRT is $380

So this is what people pay when they request an upgrade at check-in and there is space available.

Assuming you were flying TG I'm not sure your experiences align with thousands of others?

Yeap, worked for me twice on long haul flight including the connection

flight (didn't have to ask for the upgrade on the connecting flight).

At the check-in desk - no chance. Even with offring chocolatte,nice

chocolatte, very nice chocolatte in fact - no chance.

Because of my looooooooong legs, I always go talk to the supervisor

in order to get one of the seats by the emergency doors/windows, still

no upgrade but somehow I got noticed and on both occasions, once

the doors of the plane closed, a stewardess walks right up to me and

goes: " Sorry Mr Ling to inconvinience you. I hope you don't mind but

there would be a seat available in business class". - Should I mind?

Guess who eat the chocolatte ;-)

You could always try to put some ants in the seat next to you, then

complain POLITELY without making a fuss and you have your business

upgrade ;-)

So if you can't afford delux chocolatte, have no loyality points, take some

ants with you, just in case :-)

So just for clarity, on four different sectors four different flight attendants moved you from economy to business class un-prompted, after the doors had closed? Do you remember which airline? Which sectors? AFAIK, no FA's can upgrade pax on-board barring some really unusual occurrences, or with the Captain's approval. Just sayin' your experiences are way outside the norm.

Edited September 6, 2012 by lomatopo

[Morakot]

But if you dont try, you will never be upgraded for free.

Done it!

The desk staff politely replied: "Business Class? Sir, a gentleman of your calibre ought to flight first class!"

[Morakot]

sorry, i only do first class. might try it out if they could upgrade my seat next to the captain

Thats a downgrade

Correct! That's the place where I normally ask my manservant to sit.

Edited September 6, 2012 by Morakot

[tw25rw]

I can't see it working very often on top tier airlines where they have a regular clientele of paying business class passengers and wanting to maintain an exclusive image. Kazakstan Air on Air Banglasdesh might fall for it though .

Do business class passengers pay for their seats? Really?

I know I do.

[transam]

I got upgraded once, they gave me the menu, she came back and said,

''What would you like sir'', I said,

''That that and that'', she said,''

''You get all that in the h'orderves sir''

[ExpatJ]

Iomatopo

Each time I was upgraded at check in not when on board.

I was curious about the earlier poster who slips 2000 baht into his passport as an incentive to get upgraded when checking in. Does this really work?

[54321]

LHR to JFK

I was about 25 and was asked "Do you mind sitting upstairs", I of course agreed. I have been upgraded 5 or 6 times, but would never even consider trying what the OP suggested. Some of the recent postings on this forum are beyond belief and I wonder if they are genuine or "planted" and designed to keep the audience active?

[Gaccha]

There was one trick on Virgin from London to Tokyo that no longer works.

I would ask for the legroom front seats knowing they are prioritised for passengers with babies. They would give me the seat but tell me I might lose my seat at the gate. On boarding the plane I am asked to move to a crushed seat. I ask if they are "downgrading" me...

This trick no longer seems to work. But 3 11 hour journeys were rather pleasant.

[el jefe]

Not that it matters at this point, but I concur that the ONLY thing that matters in getting an upgrade is good a customer you are to the airline.

My wife and I fly about 40,000 miles a year on Cathay Pacific and we now get upgraded almost every time we fly. Our usual route is BKK-JFK via HKG. In fact, I'm very disappointed the few times we don't get the upgrade.

We buy the cheapest coach tickets available. Usually we check in early, but occasionally late, depending on our connections. I dress "comfortably" -- T-shirt, shorts, sandals. None of that matters. It's rare that we get our upgrade when we check in. My wife always asks, but only once have they said "OK" and I'm sure we were going to get that upgrade anyway.

We get lounge passes because of our FF status and usually, sometime while we're enjoying those lounge priveldges, our name gets called so that we can go to the desk and get the upgraded boarding passes.

We've never been upgraded on the short flight from BKK-HKG because those flights are never full, but HKG-JFK is always fully booked in coach. We have been met by a CX agent when getting off our flight in HKG who has given us our new Business Class boarding passes for HKG-BKK.

Cathay Pacific has my business for as long as I'm flying and they continue to upgrade me at least occasionally. I'm sure if I switched to another airline I'll never get another free upgrade until I've built up a FF a/c with over 100,000 miles.

[canman]

There was one trick on Virgin from London to Tokyo that no longer works.

I would ask for the legroom front seats knowing they are prioritised for passengers with babies. They would give me the seat but tell me I might lose my seat at the gate. On boarding the plane I am asked to move to a crushed seat. I ask if they are "downgrading" me...

This trick no longer seems to work. But 3 11 hour journeys were rather pleasant.

Risky strategy as you could just as well end up with a bulkhead seat beside a couple screaming kids. Just for the record I do recognise that parents have the right to fly with infants and know from experience it's not much fun.

[lomatopo]

Not that it matters at this point, but I concur that the ONLY thing that matters in getting an upgrade is good a customer you are to the airline.

My wife and I fly about 40,000 miles a year on Cathay Pacific and we now get upgraded almost every time we fly. Our usual route is BKK-JFK via HKG. In fact, I'm very disappointed the few times we don't get the upgrade.

We buy the cheapest coach tickets available. Usually we check in early, but occasionally late, depending on our connections. I dress "comfortably" -- T-shirt, shorts, sandals. None of that matters. It's rare that we get our upgrade when we check in. My wife always asks, but only once have they said "OK" and I'm sure we were going to get that upgrade anyway.

We get lounge passes because of our FF status and usually, sometime while we're enjoying those lounge priveldges, our name gets called so that we can go to the desk and get the upgraded boarding passes.

We've never been upgraded on the short flight from BKK-HKG because those flights are never full, but HKG-JFK is always fully booked in coach. We have been met by a CX agent when getting off our flight in HKG who has given us our new Business Class boarding passes for HKG-BKK.

Cathay Pacific has my business for as long as I'm flying and they continue to upgrade me at least occasionally. I'm sure if I switched to another airline I'll never get another free upgrade until I've built up a FF a/c with over 100,000 miles.

Yes, many report of CX overselling Y on JFK-HKG and heaps of OpUps. I'm not sure I'd rely on that.

How many times do you fly JFK-HKG-BKK-HKG-JFK per year? Once or twice? How many times have you flown? Gotten OpUpped?

The major issue an airline has in giving out free upgrades, even with OpUps is in "de-valuing" the business class product, and in marginalizing loyal flyers who may have paid for business class, or paid for the upgrade. It is a challenge, but as mentioned OpUps are cost-effective for an airline in oversell situations. Yes, you are loyal but you are not necessarily "profitable" (CASM>RASM), and CX has 'trained' you to purchase the least expensive ticket, and expect a free upgrade.

[tracklayer]

Sure way to get ignored. Airline staff have seen it all. Ask for the supervisor they will probably chuck a smart uniform on the cleaner and send him out to greet you ;-) Sure dress smart (casual). Don't be the pushy guy asking for the upgrade. They detest you! They are looking for a stable character who won't disrupt the cabin they are being upgraded to. i.e. someone who knows how to behave when speaking to staff doing their job. Supervisors have to report why they upgrade people. The just married couple arriving on the flight for their 8th honeymoon just doesn't wash they have seen it before. There is a tax implication for upgrades.

[el jefe]

Not that it matters at this point, but I concur that the ONLY thing that matters in getting an upgrade is good a customer you are to the airline.

My wife and I fly about 40,000 miles a year on Cathay Pacific and we now get upgraded almost every time we fly. Our usual route is BKK-JFK via HKG. In fact, I'm very disappointed the few times we don't get the upgrade.

We buy the cheapest coach tickets available. Usually we check in early, but occasionally late, depending on our connections. I dress "comfortably" -- T-shirt, shorts, sandals. None of that matters. It's rare that we get our upgrade when we check in. My wife always asks, but only once have they said "OK" and I'm sure we were going to get that upgrade anyway.

We get lounge passes because of our FF status and usually, sometime while we're enjoying those lounge priveldges, our name gets called so that we can go to the desk and get the upgraded boarding passes.

We've never been upgraded on the short flight from BKK-HKG because those flights are never full, but HKG-JFK is always fully booked in coach. We have been met by a CX agent when getting off our flight in HKG who has given us our new Business Class boarding passes for HKG-BKK.

Cathay Pacific has my business for as long as I'm flying and they continue to upgrade me at least occasionally. I'm sure if I switched to another airline I'll never get another free upgrade until I've built up a FF a/c with over 100,000 miles.

Yes, many report of CX overselling Y on JFK-HKG and heaps of OpUps. I'm not sure I'd rely on that.

How many times do you fly JFK-HKG-BKK-HKG-JFK per year? Once or twice? How many times have you flown? Gotten OpUpped?

The major issue an airline has in giving out free upgrades, even with OpUps is in "de-valuing" the business class product, and in marginalizing loyal flyers who may have paid for business class, or paid for the upgrade. It is a challenge, but as mentioned OpUps are cost-effective for an airline in oversell situations. Yes, you are loyal but you are not necessarily "profitable" (CASM>RASM), and CX has 'trained' you to purchase the least expensive ticket, and expect a free upgrade.

You think they oversell JFK-HKG and HKG-JFK. My wife and I don't always fly together. between us we've been on 18 different flights at different times of the day and night. Not a single one of them has ever had an empty seat in economy.

We've each flown 12 RT's on CX (and several other flights on other routes). We were never upgraded on our first 6 flights but have now been upgraded on 5 of our last 6.

I fully agree with your last paragraph and I'm pretty happy about it. My experience is that 90% of the passengers in economy on CX flights to JFK are Chinese families and tour groups. I assume that very few of these people are flying as often as my wife and me, hence our upgrades.

unfortunately for me, CX now has Premium Economy on all of their HKG-JFK flights and I know I'll never get a two-class upgrade. If I buy economy, I'll probably get upgraded to Premium Economy. That's not good enough. better value for me is to buy the Premium Economy seat and hope that they need to OpUp enough passengers to Premium Economy that I get the OpUp to Business. If that doesn't work, at least I have a Premium seat, but once CX stops upgrading me I'm switching to Korean Airlines since my ultimate destination is CNX and I can do that on Korean with fewer connections and short layovers and a shorter total trip by several hours.

[travelmann]

I have really enjoyed reading the responses to my thread. I see there is a mixture of

1) Fear

I get this a lot from people in my line of work. They can't do something or are too afraid to try, so they tell themselves and everyone else that its <deleted> and cant be done. My reply to this is "Drink deep or taste not, the plasma spring".

2) Holier than though

The attitude of some people is never beg. Even if the result is you get something for free. I suppose this all depends how you were brought up. Certainly living in Manchester in the 70s, 80s and 90s taught me, that if you don't ask you dont get. It brought a smile to my face, the poster who said this "Things just dont work that way anymore". In other words, you lost your bottle to ask and sit there in economy while the ass--le in front of you decides to recline their seat on you, with your dinner still on the tray.

3) Disbelief

How is this possible, surely that cant be true. An upgrade, you must be a friend of the airline staff, next door neirbours with the cabin crew or send your children to school where the Pilot sends his . . . right. Wrong, airlines make most of their money from business class customers and so if they feel they are going to get a customer in the future and they look presentable then they will upgrade, if you "beg" in the right way.

One of the first responses to this thread was "why are you telling people", well for those with the bottle to try you can get a seat worth thousands for a few hundred pounds and a little nerve to ask, as you can see from some of these responses most people will do just about anything not to ask. Its human nature.

As for having delusions of granduer and having issues, a little on the personal side for TV, but I am not crying about it.

Do I have issues, probably. Do I give a fig, No. Do I have delusions of Grandeur, dam_n right I do, especially when I have just been upgraded to business class for free. (hehehe).

Congratulations Mahan air is it???

[travelmann]

OK chaps, let's cut the bickering, a number of posts have been removed. Any more and holidays will be dispensed.

Economy or business though??

[marshbags]

Iomatopo

Each time I was upgraded at check in not when on board.

I was curious about the earlier poster who slips 2000 baht into his passport as an incentive to get upgraded when checking in. Does this really work?

Ther is no way this could happen.

1) There are CTV cameras that would pick this up.

2) The staff would not risk their hard earned jobs and the integrity of the airlines would be brought into question...no way IMHO

marshbags

[Ricardo]

sorry, i only do first class. might try it out if they could upgrade my seat next to the captain

Thats a downgrade

Correct! That's the place where I normally ask my manservant to sit.

But surely 'the help' should sit outside, in the fresh-air, rather than get the luxury of an inside-seat ?