harryhv
Jun 11, 12, 8:24 pm
Etihad launches Online Upgrade System
We have noticed people are still using points for free upgrades despite the increase in points required, also that we are having to upgrade people at random at the gate for free, to make space in the oversold Y cabin.
In order to improve revenue, points-upgrades and op-ups are to be replaced by revenue-generating upgrades via an online auction.
How does it work?
If you have a confirmed Coral Economy or Pearl Business Class ticket and your flight has seats available for potential upgrade, you will receive an email 10 days prior to departure from Plusgrade.
If you wish to upgrade, simply click on the ‘Upgrade Now’ icon from the email which will lead you to the bidding platform managed by PlusGrade.
Choose the amount you are willing to pay for the upgrade and submit your credit card details. The amount will be deducted only if your bid has been successful.
You will receive a confirmation email two days prior to departure informing the status of your bid.
CalFlyer
Jun 11, 12, 11:32 pm
Not happy about that. EY was good at operationally upgrading its Gold Elites first - one of my reasons for booking them.
As a loyal guest, the occasional operational upgrade (I would say 40% of times) was part of my "expected service delivery" of Etihad. Now they will be giving it away for cheap to anybody instead of holding it as a reward for their loyal Elites. Did EY consider the second order effects?
holtju2
Jun 12, 12, 4:22 am
http://www.etihadairways.com/sites/Etihad/global/en/promotions/Pages/upgrade-yourself-mar12.aspx?cid=ema-plusgradeoffer-alleyg-breakingdeals
Would you like to upgrade yourself?
Etihad Airways, the Worlds Leading Airline*, is delighted to offer guests a fantastic opportunity to experience our finest cabins in the sky. With our newly launched online upgrade system, guests holding confirmed tickets on Etihad can now determine the amount they are willing to pay for an upgrade to the next higher cabin - Diamond First Class or Pearl Business Class respectively.
Guests will be notified on email about potential availability of seats for upgrades, following which they can make their offer. The success of an offer will depend on the amount offered for an upgrade, other competing offers as well as the guests status within the Etihad Guest program. As always, the higher the offer, the greater the chances. Guests will be informed by Etihad about the final status of their offer two days prior to departure.
How does it work?
Online upgrades are simple, fast and convenient. All you need to do is:
Make us an offer: Choose the amount you would like to offer for the upgrade. Bids must be made per segment (i.e. London-Sydney consists of 2 segments London-Abu Dhabi and Abu Dhabi-Sydney)
Enter your payment information: Enter your credit card details to enable payment if your bid is successful (no charges apply for unsuccessful bids)
Review and submit: Review the information and submit.
Online Upgrades - Frequently asked Q&A
1) Who is eligible to receive an online upgrade?
To receive an online upgrade, you should have:
Booked your flight 5 days prior to departure
Booked your flight directly with Etihad either on www.etihad.com, through Etihad call centers or Etihad Shops.
You should have a confirmed Pearl Business Class or Coral Economy Class ticket.
Preference is given to those guests who have booked a higher fare in Pearl Business Class or Coral Economy Class.
2) When does a flight become eligible for an online upgrade?
Online upgrade is possible when there are seats available in Diamond First Class or Pearl Business Class.
3) How does the online upgrade work?
If your flight is eligible for an online upgrade, you will receive a notification email 5 days prior to departure indicating availability of seats in the next higher cabin. If you wish to upgrade, click on the Upgrade Now link from the email that will direct you to your upgrade page. You can then choose the amount you are willing to pay, enter your credit card details and submit. Amount will be deducted from your card only if the offer has been successful. If your offer has not been successful, no amount will be deducted from your card.
If you have participated in the online upgrade, you will receive an email two days prior to departure informing the status. If your offer has been successful, you will receive a new ticket.
4) Are all my flights eligible for an upgrade?
Only those flights that are mentioned in the email are eligible for an upgrade. For instance, if you are travelling on a return ticket from Sydney to London in Coral Economy Class and you receive an email that states that Sydney-Abu Dhabi flight is eligible for an upgrade - this indicates that only one segment of your entire journey is currently eligible for an upgrade.
5) Can I offer different amounts for the upgrade for each segment of my journey?
Yes, you can offer different amounts for each eligible segment.
6) What will happen if I have made an offer and not been successful?
If your offer has been unsuccessful, then you will receive an email informing the same 2 days prior to departure and you can travel with your existing ticket
7) I received an email informing that my offer has been unsuccessful; can I make an offer again for an upgrade?
No, if your offer has been unsuccessful then you cannot make a new offer.
8) Can I change my offer for a higher or lower amount?
Yes, you can change the amount you have offered for an upgrade until you receive a confirmation mail informing whether your offer has been successful or not. All you need to do to change your offer is to click on Upgrade Now link from your email.
9) I cancelled my original offer, but now I would like to make a new offer. How can I do this?
Once you have cancelled your offer, the system will not allow you to make another offer.
10) Will I earn Etihad Guest Miles for an online upgrade?
Yes you will earn Etihad Guest Miles for the upgrade. You will earn the base miles (as per the flown distance) plus a 10% additional bonus for the relevant cabin upgrade. The below illustration indicates the calculation of Etihad Guest Miles for an online upgrade.
Abu Dhabi to London
Base Miles = 3409
Upgrade Bonus
Total
Upgrade from Coral Economy Class to Pearl Business Class
3409
10% of Base Miles = 341
3750 Etihad Guest Miles
Upgrade from Pearl Business Class to Diamond First Class
3409
60% of Base Miles = 2045
5454 Etihad Guest Miles
Gold Elite, Gold and Silver members will continue to earn the Tier Bonus which is always calculated on the base miles earned and hence the upgrade does not affect the number of miles awarded. Tier Miles & Segments will be earned as per the upgraded cabin.
11) I have received the online upgrade email informing that my flight is eligible for an upgrade, however I do not wish to make an offer, but use my miles for the upgrade. Is this possible?
Yes, you can contact our call center and upgrade using Etihad Guest Miles.
12) I am too late to make an offer, what are my chances of securing an upgrade using Etihad Guest Miles?
Your chance of securing a seat depends on the availability. You have to get in touch with our call centers to check availability.
13) At the time of upgrade will I have the option to choose my seat?
No, you cannot choose your seat at the time of online upgrade. You could request for your preferred seat during check-in.
14) Can I upgrade for multiple segments at once?
No, you need to upgrade each segment of your journey separately.
15) What are the documents that I need to get to the airport as a confirmation?
You need to bring your new ticket that was issued when your upgrade was successful or online check-in details and credit card that was used for online upgrade.
16) For an upgrade from Coral Economy to Pearl Business Class, what are the benefits that I am eligible for?
On the segment that you have been upgraded to Pearl Business Class, you are eligible to carry 40 kgs and you can carry additional baggage based on your tier within Etihad Guest programme. You are entitled to priority boarding and check-in, access to our Pearl Business Class lounges in Abu Dhabi, London Heathrow, Manchester, Dublin or Frankfurt. Etihad chauffeur services will not be available for upgrade from Coral Economy Class to Pearl Business Class.
17) For an upgrade from Pearl Business to Diamond First Class, what are the benefits that I am eligible for?
On the segment that you have been upgraded, you are eligible to carry 50 kgs and you can carry additional baggage based on your tier within Etihad Guest programme. You enjoy priority boarding and check-in, access to our Diamond First Class lounge in Abu Dhabi, private suite and Mezoon Grille. All Etihad Guest base members and non Etihad Guest members will get 2 one-way chauffeur driven transfers to or from the airport when you get upgraded to Diamond First Class. If you are a silver, gold or gold elite member you can enjoy upto 8 chauffeur driven transfers to or from the airport when you get upgraded to Diamond First Class.
18) If I have a confirmed ticket from Sydney to London and my first segment of the journey (Sydney- Abu Dhabi) has been upgraded, will the additional baggage allowance apply for the remaining segments?
No, if your first segment of the journey (Sydney-Abu Dhabi) has been upgraded through online upgrade, then you can take advantage of additional baggage allowance only on the segment that has been upgraded. For the remaining journey (Abu Dhabi-London), your baggage allowance will depend on the cabin booked.
19) Are there only certain destinations that the upgrade is applicable for?
Your eligibility to upgrade is not restricted to any destination; it depends on the number of seats available on each flight.
20) What benefits will the upgrade give me while in transit?
While in transit, if the next segment of your journey has been upgraded and you have a confirmed ticket with the new PNR, then you can enjoy the benefits the upgraded cabin entitles you to.
21) In case of any concerns, who should I get in touch for resolution?
If you have any concerns or further clarification required regarding the online upgrade, please write to plusgradehelp@etihad.ae
22) What does the offer strength indicator on the upgrade page represent?
1 Red bar poor offer: very unlikely to be upgraded
2 Yellow bars offer below past successful offers: unlikely to be upgraded
3 Green bars offer is in the range of past successful offers- moderate chances!
4 Green bars good offer: high chance to be upgraded no guarantee!
23) What criteria determine which offers are accepted?
The success of an offer depends on a combination of factors such as the amount offered for the upgrade, competing offers, the original fare at which the ticket has been purchased, your status within Etihad Guest programme and the number of seats available for an upgrade. To improve your chances, enroll into Etihad Guest by clicking here and put forward your best offer.
24) Do I have to pay anything to use the online upgrade?
No there is no separate charge for submitting an offer to upgrade; you just have to choose the amount you are willing to pay. However, the airport departure taxes are higher in certain countries while travelling in premium cabins. Therefore, these charges will have to be incurred in addition to the amount offered.
25) I have not received an online upgrade email where as my friend travelling on the same flight and same cabin as mine has received the online upgrade mail. Why have I not received the same?
Online upgrade email is sent to guests who have a direct booking with Etihad (through online, call center or Etihad Shops in UAE). Etihad Guest members are given high preference to receive the upgrade email. However, the below categories are not entitled to receive the upgrade email:
Booked using promotional fares
Guest seat rewards
Redemption ticket
Free tickets
Booking already upgraded using miles.
Travelling with infants.
26) I have a confirmed Coral Economy Class ticket and would like an upgrade to Diamond First Class. Is this possible?
No, with a confirmed Coral Economy Class ticket you can only upgrade to the next higher cabin- Pearl Business Class.
27) What fare rules apply for the upgrade ticket?
The same rules apply as the original fare purchased, including change fees and cancellation penalties.
28) Would you be sending me a confirmation SMS in the event my bid is successful?
No, you will receive a confirmation email only.
29) My offer has been successful and Etihad has informed me via email. However I have not seen the email, will I be notified at the time of check-in?
Yes, you will be notified at the time of check-in.
30) My flight where I have been upgraded has been cancelled. Will the amount offered for the upgrade be refunded?
In the event of a flight cancellation from Etihad, we will try to accommodate you in the upgraded cabin on your next flight or refund the upgrade amount in full to the credit card within 10 days.
31) I have booked for 5 guests under the same booking reference, is it possible to upgrade for just two guests only?
No, if there are 5 guests under a single booking reference, then either all of them need to be upgraded or none gets upgraded.
32) My offer for an online upgrade has been successful; however I would like to cancel my ticket for that segment of journey. Will the amount I offered for the upgrade be refunded?
If you are cancelling your ticket, then no refund will be offered for the upgrade. The same rule applies if you are cancelling your entire journey and one segment of your journey has been upgraded.