Programs: AC E75K HH:G National:E Fairmont:P SPG:G Amex:P
Posts: 1,122
Once a year on average I have been given free upgrade. If Y is full and there is room in J they upgrade FF with status to make room and juggle seats for family groups to sit together
A few months ago I had a complimentary upgrade to J from LHR to YYZ.
I hadn't requested an upgrade. So it was a nice surprise.
However, I was shocked and I was sure this type of thing was unheard of on AC.
Y cabin did look full to burst.
Just wondered if this was a common thing?
Did you check to see if your eUpgrades were removed from your account for this? If so, then it is no longer a complimentary upgrade!
Yes, this is a rare thing with AC. I have not been a recipient of an op-up in years, but then again I always strategically put myself in J ahead of time.
it's rare, but, it happens... Just recently Mrs. slashd0t and I were both Op'Up'd YOW-YEG due to the flight being oversold (she has no status).. Always a treat when it happens.
__________________
Bumpin around the world one airport at a time..
Last year I was actually op-upped on the plane. I had actually made it to my seat in Y and was beginning to put my bag in the overhead locker when the FA tapped me on the shoulder and said, "Mr .... , we have another seat for you, follow me."
This was for a TATL flight YYC-LHR so I was very pleased. Afterwards, the cynic in me went to check my eUp account to see if I'd been debited for it! (No, I hadn't. I must have not had enough eUp credits left anyway otherwise I would have requested the upgrade, and in this case I definitely hadn't.)
First and only time that's happened. A very welcome and pleasant surprise.
Last year I was actually op-upped on the plane. I had actually made it to my seat in Y and was beginning to put my bag in the overhead locker when the FA tapped me on the shoulder and said, "Mr .... , we have another seat for you, follow me."
This was for a TATL flight YYC-LHR so I was very pleased. Afterwards, the cynic in me went to check my eUp account to see if I'd been debited for it! (No, I hadn't. I must have not had enough eUp credits left anyway otherwise I would have requested the upgrade, and in this case I definitely hadn't.)
First and only time that's happened. A very welcome and pleasant surprise.
Ok, this is good to hear, but what if you had at least 14 points left in your account at the time of the shoulder tapping?
Programs: AC*E35, NEXUS, Marriott Rewards Gold, National Car Executive
Posts: 100
I've had 2 op-ups over 4 years as an *E so my experience is that they don't happen too often as an *E (especially when flying out of YYC, where J is often full in the base case), but they are a nice surprise when they do happen. Both instances where I had an op-up, Y was oversold, so they bumped status passengers to J.
GA comped me an upgrade on a YYZ-YEG flight last fall. I hadn't requested an upgrade at any time, was just sitting there waiting to board. She called my name, told me she was upping me, gave me my new boarding pass and said "I love the look on people's faces when I upgrade them".
My previous seat was 12C ... it remained empty.
I wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth.
__________________
"If you want to test your memory, try to recall what you were worrying about one year ago today." E. Crossman
GA comped me an upgrade on a YYZ-YEG flight last fall. I hadn't requested an upgrade at any time, was just sitting there waiting to board. She called my name, told me she was upping me, gave me my new boarding pass and said "I love the look on people's faces when I upgrade them".
My previous seat was 12C ... it remained empty.
I wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth.
Well, that's a nice GA!!
I can imagine a gate agent who thinks "boy, I just love the look on those faces when I downgrade them/deny their upgrade". Smug grin...
GA comped me an upgrade on a YYZ-YEG flight last fall. I hadn't requested an upgrade at any time, was just sitting there waiting to board. She called my name, told me she was upping me, gave me my new boarding pass and said "I love the look on people's faces when I upgrade them".
My previous seat was 12C ... it remained empty.
I wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth.
I received an op-upgrade from lhr to yyz last summer. I had wanted to use e-ups but was saving them for a trip tp/from Sydney in the fall. I had used an e-up from yyz to lhr and was 2 for 2 with the yyz/Syd sectors.
The strange thing that happened to me was later in the fall when I went standby from yul to yyz. I didn't want to confirm since it would cost $75 so I just went to the gate with a hope to get on the flight. I was called and was also upgraded. Thought it was great until a few weeks later when I wanted to use e-ups for yyz to las and was short points. Turns out I was charged e-ups for my upgrade that I didn't and wouldn't have requested. I let it go but I'm not really sure how it happened.
Programs: AC*E, Cathay E, AA Gold, SPG Gold, FPC, Nexus, Amex MR Plat
Posts: 190
I have got upg a few times over the years with AC with and without status. Last time was because they denied boarding to a pax who had obviously overloaded on spirits in the lounge and was being obnoxious. Happened to ask for a exit row for the red eye and got the J seat instead. Thank you AC GA and the drunk J pax.
Programs: US*S, Fairmont Plat, Marriott Plat, HH Gold, SPG Gold, IC Gold Amb
Posts: 3,276
In the last 4 years flying AC with status I only got one op up on PHL-YYZ (which I could care less about). I had to actually ask for that because the agent gave an op up to an E ahead of me for W&B then gave me a Y BP as an SE... then again, she was a UA agent. I avoid buying Y for long-haul at all costs but I've never been offered op-up when I have flown AC Y over an ocean, even if it meant I was stuck in an "E" seat on a 777.
If you like op ups, fly CX. They're often overbooked so with a bit of status op ups are actually somewhat regular.
Complementary Upgrades on AC
