sbiddle

I just booked 5 days in Vancouver on one of the Grabaseat deals today and notice these can't be upgraded. The service class comes up "unknown" and there is no option to upgrade.

I'm assuming this is simply an issue with the booking class used - because I'm not aware of any T&C that exclude these flights from upgrades unless somebody can point these out to me.

KiwiJC

I can't find the exact text at the moment, but when I booked the same deal to Hong Kong a few weeks back I got 'stung' by the same thing - F class/Grabaseat international fares aren't upgradeable according to the T&C (it's in one of them, just can't recall which!) - not such a big deal for me since it was on a non refit 772 and economy looks pretty empty at this stage.

Hopefully I'll get one of the Perth seats today...

sbiddle

Ahh that's interesting. I wasn't aware of that (but not surprised by it), but still can't find any mention of this in the T&C.

It looks like the SP earn is screwed up for F class as well. It makes no sense that I could earn 39 SP over and 51 back for F class international and H class domestic.

cavemanzk

Aren't the status points basses on fare ex-tax, could it the YVR-AKL sector has less taxes applied?

sbiddle

That would be a logical assumption - if it wasn't the for the fact WLG->YVR earns APD$10 for 39 SP vs APD$9 for 51 SP for YVR->WLG

The tax to YVR is minimal so I'm surprised at the big difference between them - looking at normal booking class fares the earn is the same both ways.

Having said that nothing surprised me - we know what a train wreck the SP earn actually is.

BZNZ

3.2.3.1.12 Upgrades are not available in conjunction with Airpoints Companion Tickets, Star Alliance Upgrade Award Tickets, Flights booked in X booking class, travel industry fares, prize/promotional tickets, grabaseat or grabaseat greenlight fares.

From Airpoints T&C, its annoying but understandable, been stung a few times as I try to plan my long haul around grabaseat deals.

cavemanzk

I've got an up coming AKL-YVR(open jaw)LAX-FRA ticket, which the NZ website thinks I'm getting 110SP

sbiddle

I wasn't so much stung - I just wasn't aware of it. I'm happy to sit in Economy for 12 hours for the price I paid!

Kamadan

It's also on Grabaseat's Terms & Conditions page apparently:
I was tempted to grab today's (4th Sept) Dawn deals to IAH and/or SFO, but not sure if I want to sit in Y for 12+ hours each way, even if it's <NZ$1k return, now knowing you can't use any forms of upgrades on them, and seeing as it's not really essential travel to me...

sbiddle

Exit rows are gone for both flights as well. I'll just suck it in and take one for the team and report back how bad it is.

Kamadan

The funny thing is, I have sat in the 77W in 10-abreast Y, in a FULL flight (NZ1 LAX-LHR) no less early last year, aisle seat in the centre block of 4. I can actually tolerate the seat, and had no better or worse sleep than the 9-abreast NZ 777s, the soft product definitely made up for the slightly inferior hard product IMO.

If anything, I prefer it overall than CX's old hard-shelled 9-abreast Y (actually hated it) or CZ's "let's put a foot rest there to make your legs bloody uncomfortable for 10+ hours" 9-abreast Y 777s. (of course, YMMV)

But I guess being Elite have spoiled me as I have not needed to set foot in long-haul Y on the 787/77R/77W this year (RUs & E-APD upgrades have all cleared so far)... not sure if I do want to be down the back of the bus unless having no choice.

Definitely a First World Problem.

sbiddle

Having to fly economy is definitely the world's biggest first world problem these days!

I'm back over to the US at the end of Dec so will hopefully get an upgrade to BP clear to IAH (loads of space available) and am then flying back PE from LAX on a 77W. I've still yet to actually fly in the Spaceseat so will see how that goes rather than lodging an upgrade.