Rick C

Hi everyone

Just wondering if anyone has managed to get that elusive upgrade on a flight to or from Austalia.

When I flew to Australia to get married last year I tried the old "we're going to Australia to get married" line at the checkin desk but it didn't work.

I'd think that emmigrating would be a good reason for a free upgrade.

Red_V_Roger

No Chance unless you have say gold status on the airline's flier card.

I've been flying for work since 1991 with an average I would say of 30 - 60 flights a year and never got an upgrade.

Paddy_M

Had an upgrade to first class on a flight to US but never any upgrade when flying to Aus.

Luck of the draw rather than what you say I think.

Kingseat

Upgraded to business class on Boxing Day 3 years with malaysian but only to KL. Was good though. Their satay at dinner was fab! We didn't mention anything at check-in we were just given replacement boarding cards when we got to London.

BA gave me 2 complimentary business class seats from London to Sydney 5 years ago after they "lost" my brother's coffin between it landing in Heathrow and somehow appearing in Gatwick. Those were fantastic flights. Upstairs on the plane is lovely and quiet. Only 16 seats so you only share a loo with 15 other people!

Rick C

I can't believe they lost your brothers coffin
They should have given you more than just 2 free tickets.

CharleneG

We flew out with Singapore from Heathrow on an A380. We had seats upstairs in economy so we got to walk through the business class section!
Although there were only 4 people in the whole business class section, no-one got an upgrade.

I heard a guy at check-in politely ask if an upgrade would be available (I have to admit he was suitably dressed for it), he was directed to the ticket sales counter and told if he wanted to upgrade that was where he would have to go and pay for it!

A couple of people asked while on the plane and it was still a no.

My hubby even tried negotiating the price before we flew but they would not even move on that. We would have seriously considered paying for it if the cost had been, more reasonable.

Pollyana

Seems to be much more unusual now than it used to be, also more people are now in various frequent flyer schemes and ( as I do) bid for upgrades using points.

Centurion

Basically the chances are so small you should forget the idea. Long Haul carriers protect the premium cabins and do not fill them if even if they are near empty. Check in staff at the airport don't have the ability to upgrade a passenger.

Upgrades are usually provided on an "op-up" basis. Basically for operational reasons they have overbooked the Y (economy) cabin. In that case the carrier will usually select from its Frequent Flier membership which is noted on the manifest and reissue boarding passes at the gate. The other option they have is to release more seats to Frequent flier rewards so any passengers who requested an upgrade using points may be upgraded in preference. On any flight the number of FF seats in the premium cabins is limited.

As a final option the instruction may be given to check in staff, but since the others will have been exhausted first and your flight has to be overbooked in the first place, you can probably see the chances are somewhat low indeed.

That said, there are some pretty good premium cabin deals at the moment with carriers trying to fill them given falling numbers. If I were paying for my ticket though, the only airlines worth it imo are those offering a flat bed and a consistent service. Singapore on the London route offers by far the best premium cabin at the moment, but Emirates, Malaysian, Qantas, Etihad are good alternatives.

If you are paying for a premium cabin, dont upgrade at the airport thinking its going to cheap, because they will hit you up for the fare difference in full. Whereas, consolidated discounted fares are better booked in advance as they are limited.

Reading back on this, I have sadly flown a bit too much

bcworld

Singapore Airlines is probably the least likely airline in the world to offer you a complimentary upgrade - they really do look after their premium fliers and can you imagine the service those 4 people in business would've got that day!

A friend of mine who is gold Krisflyer did get an op-up once but that was because one of the emergency slides was not operational and they had to lose 70 economy passengers at Heathrow! As Centurion said, there will be a pecking order: the airline's own premium frequent fliers, it's alliance partner premium frequent fliers, people travelling on full fare economy tickets. If you're travelling with kids or in a largish group then probably kiss your chances goodbye!

If you think there is a chance of an upgrade happening, then make sure you don't stray too far from the gate up to an hour before boarding. I once got upgraded on United Airlines from New York to London, probably on the basis of holding a silver bmi card. They were at the gate reading out name after name after name and if those people didn't present at the gate immediately then they offered the upgrade to someone else.

There is much more of an upgrade culture on the North American airlines - in fact they also often offer cheap upgrades at the airport. The time I was upgraded the check in machine actually offered me an upgrade for US$350 but I declined - and got it anyway!

Pomster

I have been given an upgrade once . I was PPS member of Singapore airlines (numerous business flights in a year and so top tier loyalty prog).
I was allowed to check in at the business desk regardless of my ticket and they upgraded me and hubby on a flight to Sing.
Sadly it was the old style business class seats- so no luxurious bed just a bigger seat, but I guess that is why we were upgraded!

And I fly a lot- both for pleasure and business- and the only way you will get business class is by paying for it, so it seems.

Sammy T

We might all think that emigrating to the other side of the world is good reason for any upgrade but when you think about the large numbers that hit Oz every year, they just aren't going to do it!

As already stated on here, it's not as easy to get an upgrade as it used to be, the airlines would rather have the 1st class and Biz half empty than allow to people to get an upgrade.

If traveling to get married in Oz didn't get you one, then I'm pretty sure emigrating will have no effect whatsoever. However, there is no harm in trying I guess

Sam

jayr

I typically do about 60 domestic flights a year and have been upgraded I think about twice in the last six years of flying QANTAS. I am Platinum (top tier status) but that seems to result in upgraded meat pies in the new Business Class lounges rather than getting an upgraded seat.

Kooky.

The Geek travelled a lot in Asia, say 75% of the month out of the country, sometimes more than one trip a week, always on SIA, but was only ever Krisflyer Gold 'cos almost all his flight times miraculously came in just under the corporate Business Class guidelines.

I think he was upgraded once, and then not long haul.

Stewards like an easy life. The less people up front, the less smiling they have to do.

Wol

Being pleasant to the ground staff - not pushy - and well dressed doesn't hurt although it won't guarantee a "SFU" addendum. BA is one airline that won't leave overbooked passengers behind when premium seats are empty, but they won't upgrade yobs - there are plenty of them in the premium cabins anyway <g>.

jmh

I was upgraded from Premium to a bed at Christmas, AKL to LA. The plane was full in every section even business so I guess they overbooked. No idea why I got it as I am not a frequent flyer. Lucky I guess. Maybe the fact that I was travelling alone and there was only 1 bed

My mum who is a frequent flyer uses the point system to book upgrades ahead of time and gets it most of the time.