Emirates Skywards - Looking a gift horse in the mouth....: Business Class Operational Upgrade

I'm definitely not complaining about my upgrade to Business Class on a recent DXB-FRA sector; but that doesn't stop me being my usual curious-cat self: I'm a bit puzzled why a lowly mortal like me got this upgrade. Hence wondering what's the typical computer-algorithmic logic fed to these systems.

It was my very first time flying on Emirates (BOM-DXB-FRA); I had a saver fare; and had just barely joined their FF program. Now is it really possible that of the few hundred odd people on that flight I was the elite one? Probably not; which makes me wonder how the system decided to upgrade me!

Also, I've had a few upgrades in the past and was always fed food from the upgraded class (though once with a subtle caveat by a discreet FA that I'd get the last choice at entree selection). Not this time though. Is this something special to Emirates or our new austere times or do Airlines decide this on a ease of logistics basis. Sigh. They didn't even give us the pre-take-off drink.

Similarly is it typical for the boarding pass of an upgraded PAX to show the old class or the new class on it? My pass this time had "Economy" brightly emblazoned and I don't remember how it has been in the past. What's the consensus on boarding etiquette; do I go with the "Business Class PAX may board at convenience" or get herded along with the cattle class?

Just to clarify; this is curiosity; not a rant.

PS. Over the last years I've had 5 trans-oceanic legs upgraded out of a total of 20 or so that I flew. With this 25% upgrade success-rate am I terribly lucky or is this normal? And these have always been saver fares and I'm not a elite FF.

I'm definitely not complaining about my upgrade to Business Class on a recent DXB-FRA sector; but that doesn't stop me being my usual curious-cat self: I'm a bit puzzled why a lowly mortal like me got this upgrade. Hence wondering what's the typical computer-algorithmic logic fed to these systems.

It was my very first time flying on Emirates (BOM-DXB-FRA); I had a saver fare; and had just barely joined their FF program. Now is it really possible that of the few hundred odd people on that flight I was the elite one? Probably not; which makes me wonder how the system decided to upgrade me!

Also, I've had a few upgrades in the past and was always fed food from the upgraded class (though once with a subtle caveat by a discreet FA that I'd get the last choice at entree selection). Not this time though. Is this something special to Emirates or our new austere times or do Airlines decide this on a ease of logistics basis. Sigh. They didn't even give us the pre-take-off drink.

Similarly is it typical for the boarding pass of an upgraded PAX to show the old class or the new class on it? My pass this time had "Economy" brightly emblazoned and I don't remember how it has been in the past. What's the consensus on boarding etiquette; do I go with the "Business Class PAX may board at convenience" or get herded along with the cattle class?

Just to clarify; this is curiosity; not a rant.

PS. Over the last years I've had 5 trans-oceanic legs upgraded out of a total of 20 or so that I flew. With this 25% upgrade success-rate am I terribly lucky or is this normal? And these have always been saver fares and I'm not a elite FF.

Depends on the reasons - I have been upgraded in a similar way when the aircraft has been changed at the last minute. I forget the rhyme and reasons, but it was something like on the original aircraft rows 1-10 were business, 11-30 economy, new aircraft 1-15 business, 16-30 economy, so those in rows 11-15 suddenly found themselves in 'business' however because it was literally 'oh carp we need to switch planes' last minute, the catering was already done for the original class of service, so we had economy food (although we did get the pre-departure drinks!)

Operational upgrade practices do vary among airlines. I'll move this to the Emirates forum for more discussion. Ocn Vw 1K, Moderator.

My parents also got upgraded DXB - FRA when they were Blue. It must have been the odds (overbooked Y, low % of elite in Y).

What letter does your last name begin with? :D

What letter does your last name begin with? :D

Lol... It is out of DXB so the last name is not relevant of course.

Sounds like it was J seats with Y service, possibly because of aircraft swap or heavily oversold flight. So technically you didn't get an upgrade if your boarding pass said economy, because if you did it would have said business. You just got a really good economy seat!

Lol... It is out of DXB so the last name is not relevant of course.

Darn! Insider jokes! :confused:

My parents also got upgraded DXB - FRA when they were Blue. It must have been the odds (overbooked Y, low % of elite in Y).

Not on 10-June, was it? Would be quite the coincidence!

So technically you didn't get an upgrade if your boarding pass said economy, because if you did it would have said business. You just got a really good economy seat!

You are right. That's probably what happened. OTOH, why don't airlines always feed op-up's Cattle Class meals? Would make sense to the bean-counters won't it? Or is it to avoid upsetting the delicate sensibilities of paying Business Class PAX by giving obvious cues to the presence of us freeloaders? :)

You are right. That's probably what happened. OTOH, why don't airlines always feed op-up's Cattle Class meals? Would make sense to the bean-counters won't it? Or is it to avoid upsetting the delicate sensibilities of paying Business Class PAX by giving obvious cues to the presence of us freeloaders? :)

Because they load enough meals for ach class of service and therefore on a full flight/oversold flight where they upgrade a bunch of people from Y to J and J to F they would not have enough Y meals to send up to Biz without creating a shortage or logistical nightmare. Also the actual difference in cost to EK of meals (Y verses Biz) is probably measured in small single digits of AED or parhaps even fils. Perhaps someone who toured the EK catering facility last week picked up some idea of the costs?

You are right. That's probably what happened. OTOH, why don't airlines always feed op-up's Cattle Class meals? Would make sense to the bean-counters won't it? Or is it to avoid upsetting the delicate sensibilities of paying Business Class PAX by giving obvious cues to the presence of us freeloaders? :)

If you were not actually upgraded but just in a business section redesignated as economy, then you were not in business class and so no reason at all to provide anything other than the normal economy service

If actually given an involuntary upgrade, then you would get the service of the higher cabin

Not to mention it would create a very two tier business class with haves and have nots. That would create problems for the staff and if there are alot of upgrades may even annoy full paying passengers to see how many upgrades there are in the cabin.

Seems one of the perks of being a FF is the upgrade opportunity ( nothing like that anticipation of a changed boarding pass at the last minute!) so counter productive for the airline to devalue that for the cost of a meal ( admittedly a few on this forum would more than make up for that with the amount free booze they would use to wash down that meal!!).

Darn! Insider jokes! :confused:

There is no clear visibility on how op-ups are assigned. We have some rough guidelines that we can collected over the years. One of them is that we have observed a difference between DXB and all remaining EK airports.

DXB: Last name letter doesn't make a difference
All other airports: After using all official criteria such as "overbooked seating class (Y or J)", "available seats in higher class (J or F), Skywards status (Gold, Silver, Blue), and if there still more eligible pax than upgrades available, the outstation manager could just go through the alphabet. And this happens more than you think! Or let people believe so to say!

There is no clear visibility on how op-ups are assigned. We have some rough guidelines that we can collected over the years. One of them is that we have observed a difference between DXB and all remaining EK airports.

DXB: Last name letter doesn't make a difference
All other airports: After using all official criteria such as "overbooked seating class (Y or J)", "available seats in higher class (J or F), Skywards status (Gold, Silver, Blue), and if there still more eligible pax than upgrades available, the outstation manager could just go through the alphabet. And this happens more than you think! Or let people believe so to say!

Actually, what evidence exists suggests that within tiers the upgrades are often given out alphabetically. Therefore if there are 5 J seats to be opped-up into, if there are 5 or more Golds then the first 5 Golds by alphabetical order gets the seats. If there are fewer than 5 Golds then the next Silvers, again alphabetically, will get the seats, which sucks for people who have a last name near the end of the alphabet.

There is no clear visibility on how op-ups are assigned. We have some rough guidelines that we can collected over the years.

DXB: Last name letter doesn't make a difference

if there still more eligible pax than upgrades available, the outstation manager could just go through the alphabet. And this happens more than you think! Or let people believe so to say!

Ah! Thanks! Now I feel like an insider too. Well, almost.

Anyways, my last name starts with an "N".

Oh, BTW, is there a thread or sticky summarizing the upgrade criteria sequence hierarchy for Emirates? Would be interesting to read.

My last name starts with V :(:(:(

However I have been opped up on 4 of my last 6 ek flights. (2 were ex DXB) in 2012.

Hope the OP up gods continue smiling!!!;);)


I have been Ek gold for the last 4 years. I have been opped up only once between 2008 to 2011 and that was a J-F upgrade ex DXB.

This year has been great^^^

My last name starts with V :(:(:(

However I have been opped up on 4 of my last 6 ek flights. (2 were ex DXB) in 2012.

Hope the OP up gods continue smiling!!!;);)


I have been Ek gold for the last 4 years. I have been opped up only once between 2008 to 2011 and that was a J-F upgrade ex DXB.

This year has been great^^^

The op-up process really is not so clear cut and simple. Some evidence suggests that ex-USA the alphabetical method is mostly done. But, out of other stations they may use tier miles or other metrics. It really comes down to how the particular person handling the op-ups chooses to do it.

Keep in mind, also, that there are specific routes that have very few elite members, and thus all Golds on the flight could be oped-up.

Actually, what evidence exists suggests that within tiers the upgrades are often given out alphabetically. Therefore if there are 5 J seats to be opped-up into, if there are 5 or more Golds then the first 5 Golds by alphabetical order gets the seats. If there are fewer than 5 Golds then the next Silvers, again alphabetically, will get the seats, which sucks for people who have a last name near the end of the alphabet.

That's what I said! :cool:

Keep in mind, also, that there are specific routes that have very few elite members, and thus all Golds on the flight could be oped-up.

Which routes are these actually? I have the feeling that DUS is one, given that one of my closest family members (silver) gets op-ups all the time (both ways)

It really comes down to how the particular person handling the op-ups chooses to do it.


Hmmm. I seem to recall arguing this very point with you a few months ago! :D :p ^

Which routes are these actually? I have the feeling that DUS is one, given that one of my closest family members (silver) gets op-ups all the time (both ways)

I basically always get an op-up on DXB-ADD(-EBB). Out of ten flights I probably was not op-up'ed once.
On flights in the ME region i barely get one.

"speak.of.the.devil". Just got.upgraded on DXB-KUL on th A380. Thanks EK!

Hmmm. I seem to recall arguing this very point with you a few months ago! :D :p ^

I don't think it was me arguing with you about it. I was merely stating what others had said and offering my experience ex-USA.

That's what I said! :cool:

That may have been what you meant, but your post stated first they go through gold, silver, then blue, then they move on to alphabetical. The difference being that I am stating, at some stations, they go though each tier alphabetically.

I have been Ek gold for the last 4 years. I have been opped up only once between 2008 to 2011 and that was a J-F upgrade ex DXB.

This year has been great^^^

Might it be that EK load factors are improving? That'd explain more Op-Up's needed. I've been noticing EK fares beating everyone on most routes they operate on.

That may have been what you meant, but your post stated first they go through gold, silver, then blue, then they move on to alphabetical. The difference being that I am stating, at some stations, they go though each tier alphabetically.

Yes, I agree with you, maybe I should review my statement.

You EK regulars... You are just soooo lucky, and you don't know it! :p Getting an op-up on any North-American airline is such a rarity. I have received 4-5 op-ups in my flying career (750,000 miles). All of those were on short flights, too (<4 hours).

You EK regulars... You are just soooo lucky, and you don't know it! :p Getting an op-up on any North-American airline is such a rarity. I have received 4-5 op-ups in my flying career (750,000 miles). All of those were on short flights, too (<4 hours).

I guess it depends on which airlines/ routes. A friend used to fly DL on DXB-ATL and always get upgraded as a Silver. There are also those of us that fly EK and never get upgraded...

There are also those of us that fly EK and never get upgraded...

One day Ung1.....one day

There are also those of us that fly EK and never get upgraded...

Not that you're bitter or anything...;) Aren't you now Gold? It should be raining op-ups for you now!

Not that you're bitter or anything...;) Aren't you now Gold? It should be raining op-ups for you now!

As a Mr. G he will still be behind you in the op up line Mr. C. Speaking as a Mr. T I gave up long ago and buy F instead ... thinking of taking my wife's last name and then I will be a Mr. B and get ahead of you!

As a Mr. G he will still be behind you in the op up line Mr. C.

Actually, you've hit the nail on the head. He's actually never IN the line to begin with. I keep telling him. Meet EK half-way and actually book a ticket and fly somewhere...:D

Aren't you now Gold? It should be raining op-ups for you now!

He only flies F now anyway, so upgrades aren't an issue anymore. :p

He only flies F now anyway, so upgrades aren't an issue anymore. :p

True...true... this whole op-up ordeal is too stressful. I should have known before that there was a drop down where one could select First instead of Economy. How many miles can I claim for the airline not making me aware of this and as a result my having to fly Y. With a broken toe.

True...true... this whole op-up ordeal is too stressful. I should have known before that there was a drop down where one could select First instead of Economy. How many miles can I claim for the airline not making me aware of this and as a result my having to fly Y. With a broken toe.

If you were a normal passenger, then I would say you would be entitled 10,000 miles. But you're not normal. In fact, if I was EK, I would deduct 10,000 miles from your Skywards account for being a PITA...;)

And how did you break your toe? It certainly wasn't a result of exercise. Maybe you dropped a champagne bottle on it.

Been on the second leg of a LGW DXB ICN run and got upgraded from Business to First (A380-800).

Admittedly the First class had 11 of the 12 cabins empty, but I wasn't complaining, and neither were the other 10 who got bumped up.

That was my second ever flight on Emirates (first being a year previously going LHR to DXB).

So it doesn't appear to be related to Skywards class, as I was Blue at the time.