Getting A Free Upgrade To Business Class

[jibberjabberjibberjabber]

I have flown many times on KAL where nearly the entire premium economy is empty while economy is packed (full!). They could easily upgrade a few just to be nice - Koreans, cheapest people in the world.

Why should they do this?

The problems the US airlines face now is that so few people are prepared to pay for premium classes because they know they are going to be given an upgrade anyway. If they start giving away their product it becimes commoditised and the public are then less willing to pay for it.

Most European and Asian airlines operate in the same way you have observed KAL doing so this isn't a case of 'Koreans being cheap', it is a case of an airline operating based on sound business principals that are common across its competitive set.

What this does suggest is you have your own 'issues' with Koreans and choose to make a racial stereotype out of it; I'd be pretty offended by your statement if I was Korean.

[tw25rw]

I have flown many times on KAL where nearly the entire premium economy is empty while economy is packed (full!). They could easily upgrade a few just to be nice - Koreans, cheapest people in the world.

It would be a good gesture to move some ff members with status or some that have paid for full price economy as an incentive to join the ff program. I suppose it means reorganising the cabin crew etc.

[Chicog]

I once tried to upgrade from LHR using my air miles with the airlines loyalty program. They told me there weren't any seats in Business which on boarding there clearly were.

A letter of complaint got me a nice upgrade on both legs of my next trip.

I've had a good few upgrades over the years, dressing smartly and acting politely is a bare minimum, even if you're not asking. Invariably the upgrades have been done at the gate, with a Biz class seat number scribbled on the boarding card, and all have been a very pleasant surprise.

The Arab airlines are plagued by chancers, whenever I check in there's always some smartarse who claims to know someone "big" in the airline or the respective royal family. Most of the airlines now train their staff to fob them off.

[jibberjabberjibberjabber]

FF members have the opportunity to use their points for upgrade so the same business sense applies... why give away a premium product that I can charge money/points for and risk undermining the percieved value of that premuim service + my ability to sell at a premium in the future?

Moreover, how does anyone on any flight know who has been upgraded or not (other than the cabin crew)? In BangkokBurning's somewhat racist post I assume he had no knowledge as to whether perhaps the few people sitting in premium economy were already upgraded as overflow from a packed economy class. It was just easier for BB to make a racist assumption about something they had no knowledge over.

One could argue that not all FF programmes make it easy to upgrade using points at check-in however it is usually possible as the date of the flight approaches if availability is that wide open.

The bottom line is 'if you want it - pay for it'. Yes occasionally you might get lucky and recieve a free upgrade but certainly you shouldn't expect that as a right (unless specific terms of your FF programme state otherwise) and you absolutely shouldn't get upset becuase you didn't receive something you didn't pay for in the first place.

Strategies to increase your chances have been discussed ad nauseum in this thread so no need to cover that again.

[transam]

FF members have the opportunity to use their points for upgrade so the same business sense applies... why give away a premium product that I can charge money/points for and risk undermining the percieved value of that premuim service + my ability to sell at a premium in the future?

Moreover, how does anyone on any flight know who has been upgraded or not (other than the cabin crew)? In BangkokBurning's somewhat racist post I assume he had no knowledge as to whether perhaps the few people sitting in premium economy were already upgraded as overflow from a packed economy class. It was just easier for BB to make a racist assumption about something they had no knowledge over.

One could argue that not all FF programmes make it easy to upgrade using points at check-in however it is usually possible as the date of the flight approaches if availability is that wide open.

The bottom line is 'if you want it - pay for it'. Yes occasionally you might get lucky and recieve a free upgrade but certainly you shouldn't expect that as a right (unless specific terms of your FF programme state otherwise) and you absolutely shouldn't get upset becuase you didn't receive something you didn't pay for in the first place.

Strategies to increase your chances have been discussed ad nauseum in this thread so no need to cover that again.

Not the racist card eh.

[jibberjabberjibberjabber]

Well my post covered a little more than my comment about BB's racist remark, not sure why you chose to focus on that but objectively ...

"Koreans, cheapest people in the world"

... seems somewhat racist to me, or would you disagree?

More to the point, do you have anything to add to the discussion at hand ?

Edited September 11, 2012 by jibberjabberjibberjabber

[nisakiman]

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

I'm sure what you say is largely true, however, the one time I did get an upgrade was on the Athens - Bahrain leg of an ATH - BKK flight, and it happened because my luggage had been transferred direct from my internal flight (Aegean must have an agreement with Gulf Air - or had, I should say, as Gulf don't do Athens any more), and so I was waiting at check-in with only hand luggage. At the back of a long queue. The ground crew chap came over and asked (in Greek) if that was all the luggage I had. My Greek is ok, so I answered him in Greek explaining why I had only hand luggage. He told me not to wait in the queue, but to go check in at the business class desk. As I walked over to it, he just shouted "upgrade" to the girl, and upgrade is what I got. I don't fly that often, so have no loyalty cards or air miles, I'd bought the cheapest seat I could find on the Gulf website, and the guy who authorised the upgrade was the guy organising the check-in lines, so that rather flies in the face of the criteria you've laid out for upgrades. This was about five or six years ago.

[yermanee]

I'm sure what you say is largely true, however, the one time I did get an upgrade was on the Athens - Bahrain leg of an ATH - BKK flight, and it happened because my luggage had been transferred direct from my internal flight (Aegean must have an agreement with Gulf Air - or had, I should say, as Gulf don't do Athens any more), and so I was waiting at check-in with only hand luggage. At the back of a long queue. The ground crew chap came over and asked (in Greek) if that was all the luggage I had. My Greek is ok, so I answered him in Greek explaining why I had only hand luggage. He told me not to wait in the queue, but to go check in at the business class desk. As I walked over to it, he just shouted "upgrade" to the girl, and upgrade is what I got. I don't fly that often, so have no loyalty cards or air miles, I'd bought the cheapest seat I could find on the Gulf website, and the guy who authorised the upgrade was the guy organising the check-in lines, so that rather flies in the face of the criteria you've laid out for upgrades. This was about five or six years ago.

Thanks for sharing your experience. I'm sure it happens sometimes, but probably as the exception that confirms the rule.

Fact is that you drew the attention of the ground crew because of your luggage situation, were probably well dressed and on top of that spoke Greek.

I have had a similar experience in Abu Dhabi once, but again this was my first and only free upgrade I ever had, and that was also 5 - 6 years ago. What people in the know are trying to say here is, that these days are largely over and that asking for a free upgrade has as much chance of success, as asking for an alcoholic drink on Kuwait Airways.

Thanks again

Yermanee

[JimsKnight]

......I arrived at my seat and found a large colored lady sat in it.

...and with this comment we have managed to be transported back a century

....thank you for flying Air Politically Incorrect, we hope you have had a pleasant flight.

The good old days, I'd turn the clock back in a heartbeat to get the $£"% away from the lib-tards.

Back on topic, everytime I've nicely asked (without begging) for an upgrade the answer is always the same, show us the money...

[Pormax]

It is a matter of luck if you happen to get a free upgrade.

I was flying from Bangkok to Cyprus via Cairo.

Because of the heat and long journey to the airport I always dress very casual, then after check-in I go to the toilet with hand luggage and change my clothes for the remainder of the journey.

I was in a 'T' shirt, shorts and flip flops when I approached the check-in desk and was ushered to the desk for Business Class travellers.

I was not early for check-in and there were no queues.

This has happened to me twice. The other was from Cairo to Bangkok so both long haul flights.

I just got lucky but still not won the lottery.

[mrdome]

Can you imagine the majority of a fully booked A 380 all trying to be upgraded and trying the OP's suggested lines with the staff?

[Kananga]

Well my post covered a little more than my comment about BB's racist remark, not sure why you chose to focus on that but objectively ...

"Koreans, cheapest people in the world"

... seems somewhat racist to me, or would you disagree?

More to the point, do you have anything to add to the discussion at hand ?

Are Koreans a race? I thought Koreans were Asian? Sounds like a generalisation about Koreans more than a racist comment about Asians.

[jibberjabberjibberjabber]

Well my post covered a little more than my comment about BB's racist remark, not sure why you chose to focus on that but objectively ...

"Koreans, cheapest people in the world"

... seems somewhat racist to me, or would you disagree?

More to the point, do you have anything to add to the discussion at hand ?

Are Koreans a race? I thought Koreans were Asian? Sounds like a generalisation about Koreans more than a racist comment about Asians.

Seriously?! OK, whilst somewhat off topic, according to the UN there is no difference between Racial and Ethnic discrimination...

http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/cerd.htm

So whilst you are correct that Koreans aren't a race, for the purposes of the discussion the term racism still applies as they indeed an ethnic group.

I'd therefore argue that the comment qualifies a racist one and that a generalization is an easy way of passing it of as something else. If I said that all XXXXXXs were smelly or all XXXXXXs were a bit dim, would that not count as racist?

[Kananga]

Well my post covered a little more than my comment about BB's racist remark, not sure why you chose to focus on that but objectively ...

"Koreans, cheapest people in the world"

... seems somewhat racist to me, or would you disagree?

More to the point, do you have anything to add to the discussion at hand ?

Are Koreans a race? I thought Koreans were Asian? Sounds like a generalisation about Koreans more than a racist comment about Asians.

Seriously?! OK, whilst somewhat off topic, according to the UN there is no difference between Racial and Ethnic discrimination...

http://www2.ohchr.or...sh/law/cerd.htm

So whilst you are correct that Koreans aren't a race, for the purposes of the discussion the term racism still applies as they indeed an ethnic group.

I'd therefore argue that the comment qualifies a racist one and that a generalization is an easy way of passing it of as something else. If I said that all XXXXXXs were smelly or all XXXXXXs were a bit dim, would that not count as racist?

Maybe to the hypersensitive who want to use the race card in the broadest possible sense. But not to me. Its no more racist than saying the Scottish are tight with money. Its just a generalisation.

[smokie36]

Well my post covered a little more than my comment about BB's racist remark, not sure why you chose to focus on that but objectively ...

"Koreans, cheapest people in the world"

... seems somewhat racist to me, or would you disagree?

More to the point, do you have anything to add to the discussion at hand ?

Are Koreans a race? I thought Koreans were Asian? Sounds like a generalisation about Koreans more than a racist comment about Asians.

Seriously?! OK, whilst somewhat off topic, according to the UN there is no difference between Racial and Ethnic discrimination...

http://www2.ohchr.or...sh/law/cerd.htm

So whilst you are correct that Koreans aren't a race, for the purposes of the discussion the term racism still applies as they indeed an ethnic group.

I'd therefore argue that the comment qualifies a racist one and that a generalization is an easy way of passing it of as something else. If I said that all XXXXXXs were smelly or all XXXXXXs were a bit dim, would that not count as racist?

Maybe to the hypersensitive who want to use the race card in the broadest possible sense. But not to me. Its no more racist than saying the Scottish are tight with money. Its just a generalisation.

"Careful" would be a better word.

Anyway, just how far off topic is this thread planning to go? I once got an upgrade on the train from London to Aberdeen for £10.

[sysardman]

Anyway, just how far off topic is this thread planning to go? I once got an upgrade on the train from London to Aberdeen for £10.

Just to go further off topic because Aberdeen was mentioned, my company sent me there once and the hotel upgraded me to a massive suite with four poster bed, lounge with sofa and armchairs, bathroom with jacuzzi and bidet. Only thing missing was a sexy chambermaid Usually my company went for the broom closet size room with a pee-pot under the bed.

[SeaVisionBurma]

Ah, members of the "take a thread off topic by posting about trains to Aberdeen and fabulous hotels found there" brigade......

oops wrong thread

[sysardman]

Ah, members of the "take a thread off topic by posting about trains to Aberdeen and fabulous hotels found there" brigade......

oops wrong thread

Very sorry but I thought this thread died a death anyway when it started on about racist Korean debates.

[smokie36]

Ah, members of the "take a thread off topic by posting about trains to Aberdeen and fabulous hotels found there" brigade......

oops wrong thread

Very sorry but I thought this thread died a death anyway when it started on about racist Korean debates.

Don't apologise. We tried to bring the topic back on track somewhat.

Edited October 12, 2012 by smokie36

[SeaVisionBurma]

Very sorry but I thought this thread died a death anyway when it started on about racist Korean debates.

Was just joking - if the thread was off topic I'd much rather read stuff about Aberdeen anyway

Besides, I empathised with your lack of sexy chambermaid - surely an upgrade to a hotel suite with that many bells and whistles deserved one

[sysardman]

Very sorry but I thought this thread died a death anyway when it started on about racist Korean debates.

Was just joking - if the thread was off topic I'd much rather read stuff about Aberdeen anyway

Besides, I empathised with your lack of sexy chambermaid - surely an upgrade to a hotel suite with that many bells and whistles deserved one

No offense taken, it actually brings tears to my eyes, it was a one night stay and here was me with a honeymoon suite and no bride. It's like the christmas present you get - 'no batteries included'.

[roiethome]

Made it to the end of this thread at last...............there were only three pages when I started reading, shows what a hot topic can generate

[Ricardo]

A colleague & I once got an involuntary-upgrade to the Presidential-Suite at the Istanbul Hilton, because they'd sold our reserved-rooms to someone else, I still recall other occupants on our floor wondering whether we were rich, or merely famous !

But unfortunately they moved us to regular rooms, after the first night.

Don't recall what the maids looked like.

[songhklasid]

The only time I flew buissness class was during 2011 floods @ don muang, nok-air canned, got the last seat on thai 2 nites later,buissness class out of swampy, a thai bloke had his pet cat meowwing all the way, I jokingly said to the person next to me, We should throw the <deleted>**ker out the window they always land on their feet.

regards songhklasid.

[Daewoo]

Nothing to do with upgrades per-se...

My father worked for an airline for 40 years, so we had free flights up the wazoo, and paid flights were only 10%... Because he was an executive, we were also entitled to first class on free or discounted flights...

I used to fly over to HK for the weekend (sleep on the floor in my brothers apartment)... to the Philippines for a few days to go diving... to the UK to watch their round of the World Rally Championship...

The looks when you walk into a backpacker hostel in London, in a suit (airline rule for Staff travel in 1st)....

Then I turned 26... now it is cattle class at full price... It is like marrying Cindy Crawford and waking up next to Susan Boyle...

[theoldgit]

A friend of mine was flying from London to San Francisco on BA, in economy, yesterday, as they were in the queue for boarding the captain boarded the plane and told the crew to upgrade my mate and his wife.

I wish I had a BA captain as my next door neighbour.

[tw25rw]

A friend of mine was flying from London to San Francisco on BA, in economy, yesterday, as they were in the queue for boarding the captain boarded the plane and told the crew to upgrade my mate and his wife.

I wish I had a BA captain as my next door neighbour.

Like they say, it's not what you know....

[oldsailor35]

Im sorry your answer is absolute tripe, it simply doesnt work that way anymore.

A recent reply in "flyer talk" from staff at the airport and on the gates say its all done by tier membership ie if you are a gold or silver regular flyer these are the ones who will get the upgrades as these are the customers who spend the most on flights.

Two years ago, checking in at Brisbane, i was chatting with a fellow passenger, passed my frequent flyer card over for swiping and walked away, the guy then caught up with me quite excited, he had been upgraded and was not a Thai frequent flyer......geeze i felt quite pissed off lololol. So what tier was he ?

[RabC]

A friend of mine was flying from London to San Francisco on BA, in economy, yesterday, as they were in the queue for boarding the captain boarded the plane and told the crew to upgrade my mate and his wife.

I wish I had a BA captain as my next door neighbour.

And I am sure if BA management knew, the Captain would be in trouble for a total lack of professionalism . If he quietly intimated his request I could understand but to say out loud I believe would break all of BA's rules. Remember this is the company who sacked senior management for keeping their first class pyjamas after a flight.

Whether you are a global mod or not I am afraid I do not believe any BA Captain would do this.

Edited January 23, 2013 by RabC

[thonglorjimmy]

A friend of mine was flying from London to San Francisco on BA, in economy, yesterday, as they were in the queue for boarding the captain boarded the plane and told the crew to upgrade my mate and his wife.

I wish I had a BA captain as my next door neighbour.

And I am sure if BA management knew, the Captain would be in trouble for a total lack of professionalism . If he quietly intimated his request I could understand but to say out loud I believe would break all of BA's rules. Remember this is the company who sacked senior management for keeping their first class pyjamas after a flight.

Whether you are a global mod or not I am afraid I do not believe any BA Captain would do this.

What a pompous response, I thought it was a smashing story.

What's the fact the poster is a moderator got to do with it, sounds to me that you are point scoring.