Qualiflyer - Operational Upgrades

I seem to have no luck with free operational upgrades, and never had with Swissair or Crossair. I was sure I was going to get one last Friday on the way to Hong Kong as eco was quite oversold, but no chance. Perhaps if one has quite a mileage balance they expect one to pay for it, which I was happy to do so. I just wondered what other people's experience was in this domain. In the days prior to FFPs, I used to get upgraded all the time on VS (Virgin) and BA.

as eco was quite oversold

* did they bump (offered compensation) any eco passengers?
* were there any business seats available?
* other eco passengers (with better/higher status) being upgraded?

I think it is a (regarding earning) wiser policy of most non-US-carriers to only comp passengers, if eco is completly full. Otherwise too many (potentially paying business class) passengers would speculate and not pay the premium in the first place.

Rudi,

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">
I think it is a (regarding earning) wiser policy of most non-US-carriers to only comp passengers, if eco is completly full. Otherwise too many (potentially paying business class) passengers would speculate and not pay the premium in the first place.[/B]</font>

There are not so many full flights at the moment that I would like to take that chance, ending up in Y on a trans atlantic flight.

I have to say that although I have had elite status for quite some time I never get upgraded, the only times it happened was when I was traveling with my girslfriend on reward tickets http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif. KLM often upgrades me when I show up in a suit with a Y ticket on EU flights for no particular reason ...

Peter

I have been operationally upgraded on 3 out of 4 transatlantic flights this year on LX. In all three cases, Y was completely full (every single seat taken) and there were even more Y pax waiting. C usually had a couple of seats free.

Twice, I was already upgraded at check-in, once I had already settled into my Y seat when the JFK station manager came and invited me to sit upfront.

It was always based on status (I'm only TCQM and must have picked flights with no TCGMs in Y).

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airOli (http://www.olimade.com/airoli), the Swiss Air Line. ;)

It's an interesting topic. I can't really answer Rudi's questions, as I checked in at GVA and am not sure what happened with bumping at ZRH. I suspect, as I said, people missed their connections due to fog delays. Looking back at the economy cabin gave an impression it was full, but there might have been a seat here and there. Are you suggesting that European carriers don't upgrade at all unless they really have to, and only then to status members?

For Airoli, I was wondering if you were travelling on off-peak special offers, or at prime time such as during the Summer. Sabena once upgraded me once on the plane. I had settled into what must be the best economy seat, and someone came along and unceremoniously chucked me out of it. I immediately moved, presuming I had made a mistake, but both our boarding passes shared the same seat number. On the strength of that strange occurrence, the chief cabin stewardess invited me into business.

European carriers don't upgrade at all unless they really have to

Yes (not only Europen carriers, most carriers outside NorthAmerica, and I think that's god business for the airlines)

and only then to status members?

Not only, but priority to status members.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Concerto:
For Airoli, I was wondering if you were travelling on off-peak special offers, or at prime time such as during the Summer. </font>

I'm always flying on discounted student fares. One trip was at the end of May, the other one in mid-October.



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airOli (http://www.olimade.com/airoli), the Swiss Air Line. ;)

I'm TCQG, and I always fly on discounted youth fares. So far, on all flights since the start-up of Swiss to and from the US (8x), without exception, I have been in C-class due to overbooking of the Y cabin. In addition, I had two operational upgrades on Avros to Hamburg.

Most european flights usually aren't full - but longhaul to US usually are, especially during the summer months when I fly ...

I do consider myself very lucky, though.

You must be, for I've been wondering what happened to those regular upgrades of the pre-FFP days.

I tend to agree with the discussions on other forums that it makes sound business sense not to upgrade unless absolutely necessary, and I believe that Lufthansa is even more unwilling than SWISS to dole out free upgrades. On the Air France forum, however, mention is made of the fact that Frequence Plus Rouge (=Travelclub Gold) members benefit from regular free operational upgrades. Once again, I tend to take the middle view that an ever-so-occasional sweetener to elite passengers can go a long way.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by ch_usa:

I do consider myself very lucky, though.</font>

Yes you are...

I m also a TC Gold member and this year I was "only upgraded" 4 times (2 in Europe and 2 from/to the US) out of more then 35 flights.

Most of the time it depends on the "team" you have at the gate for last minute operational upgrade if the flight is not full.

Hope to get more next year.

kooks http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

Yes, the gate team is important, but do they really do "operationals" if the flight is not full?

For Airoli, are most of your long distance flights originating in ZRH without a connector? I almost always begin in GVA with connection in ZRH, and therefore already have my boarding pass considerably before others have checked in at ZRH. Furthermore, I often get a seat assignment, so I am sure of a bit of legroom thanks to an emergency exit.

within europe it is not very commom to get an upgrade but when i fly transatlantic most of the time i got a free upgrade 3 times without asking and almost 5 times by asking at the checkin counter and asking for the supervisor in ewr and iad
and when i´m not so lucky i take an upgrade at the gate with miles.
but i have to admit before oktober 2001 it was easier to get an upgrade
by the way i´m TCGold that´s the key word for a free upgrade

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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by medico:
but i have to admit before oktober 2001 it was easier to get an upgrade
by the way i´m TCGold that´s the key word for a free upgrade

</font>

Being TC Gold is not the key to be upgraded for "free".
I experienced more than 5 times empty F seats and travelling with a C-class tket and not being upgraded even with no more then 1 or Circle members in the flight with a C-class full.
Even asking kindly at checking or the gate even asking the Superviser.

kooks.

I think that I will give up even asking: it never seems to work. Perhaps that's the wrong attitude, but I was told that at check-in they don't have a lot of power to do that; the gate's the place, and I suppose the supervisor the one. But should one take seat assignments, however?

Well, I'm TCGM now (technically, but I guess the system is not updated until the end of the month) and fly back EWR-ZRH tonight. We'll see how full that flight is... *hopehope*

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airOli (http://www.olimade.com/airoli), the Swiss Air Line. ;)

Ch-Usa, Airoli -

Just curious on what routes you were getting these high frequency upgrades and what day(s) of the week ...

Thanks,

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

ZRH-ORD, ZRH-JFK, GVA-JFK.

All summer season.

Days: Thu, Fri, Sat, Mon and Tue.

What might have helped is that I got to know JFK the JFK lounge ladies by chatting a few times. Although I remember most upgrades were already processed when I got the airport.

See

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum40/HTML/000800.html

for information on why it is not wise to use the e-checkin machine on overbooked longhauls - at least if you want to sit in C-class.

Yes, it's really on Summer high-season routes to the US where free upgrades are doled out.

I'm really curious now. Does chatting the lounge ladies up give us more chance of an upgrade? Someone needs to sweeten those Zurich lounge ladies.

Back in ZRH now, but no luck this time.

kzoom, I got operational upgrades on ZRH-JFK and ZRH-EWR (or return) flights in May and October, on Mon, Sat, Thu.

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airOli (http://www.olimade.com/airoli), the Swiss Air Line. ;)

Well, I got an operational upgrade from HKG to ZRH on the Sunday night flight, most welcome it was too. I actually arrived in Switzerland feeling pretty good, despite the time difference, whereas in economy I would have felt pretty grotty. The flight was fairly heavily oversold, and I checked in quite early with absolutely no expectations, resigned to an economy flight. The upgrade was done at the gate when I was called to the gate agent. By the way, the Plaza lounge we share with several other airlines at HKG isn't up to much.

I was hoping for an operational upgrade on last saturday's JFK-GVA, but the plane wasn't full at all. But when asking at the check in, the woman told me that she could upgrade me for $333 from Y to C. Since it was a very cheap ticket I got, and was feeling very tired of Y, I decided to buy it, even though the flight is not so long. It was the first time I ve been told I could upgrade for $300, which I think can be a very good deal, especially if flying from ORD or LAX or other long-haul destination. Has anyone other experience with this ? Is JFK the only place where they do it ? Thanks in advance.

333.-$ is the right price I think for an upgrade from Y to C.

Arround 8 months ago I was told that an upgrade from C to F (ZRH to LAX) cost 1200.- CHF. So I think the price you were offered is the correct one.

Hope you will also get the C class club miles..

kooks. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

I did get the C class club miles, which were nice also because of the double miles promo. But I do not know were went the youth bonus miles (only a few weeks left for me in the "youth"...) ? I read on this forum that the youth bonus doesn't exist in the new FFP, is it true ? Any info about that ?

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by swiss traveler:
I read on this forum that the youth bonus doesn't exist in the new FFP, is it true ? Any info about that ?</font>

Yes, no more youth bonus in STC, effective January 1st.



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airOli (http://www.olimade.com/airoli), the Swiss Air Line. ;)

I don t know if the YouthBonuses are still allowed, maybe Oli knows about it. For me I passed already the age limit for the bonuses.. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif.

What you should do is call SwissTravelClub or write an email and ask to be credited for it.
This should be the best way to get the miles.


kooks.

Ok thanx for the info ! Not any good thing about this programm. I feel there is a big gap between trying to be the best airline and such a not-so-attractive FFP.
Destination excellence is far...
Let's hope they will do other promo like the swissair last year 240k.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by swiss traveler:
Let's hope they will do other promo like the swissair last year 240k. </font>

Oh YES....

kooks.

Hi,
from swissair times I actually got upgraded a couple of times, at baggage check-in in Montreal I asked if there was anyway to get a C class ticket and the lady replied "you are already in business sir". The only time I have actually gotten upgraded at the gate was in Dubai with Emirates, otherwise some other times when I was directly put into business. The fact is on the two occasions with swissair I was flying on to Geneva, (SFO-ZRH-GVA, YUL-ZRH-GVA) and both times for the zrh-gva i was put in economy. May I add that I have always been a normal qualiflyer member. The other day flying to EZE i saw a lot of operational upgrades being done at the gate, where people were called and given new boarding cards (they had Y than passed to C) I think this was done to about 20 people.

hope it helps.

GVA,

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">The other day flying to EZE i saw a lot of operational upgrades being done at the gate, where people were called and given new boarding cards (they had Y than passed to C) I think this was done to about 20 people. </font>

People called to the gate in ZRH and given new boarding cards are Non Revs 99% of the time. Ah those were the days.

Jeremiah

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by kooks:
I don t know if the YouthBonuses are still allowed, maybe Oli knows about it.</font>
Indeed, this one time, I do. I was in touch with the head of promotion management for Qualiflyer / STC about this issue. No more youth bonus.

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airOli (http://www.olimade.com/airoli), the Swiss Air Line. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

[This message has been edited by airoli (edited 01-22-2003).]

I got upgraded several times on Swissair in 1999 and 2000. I was Travelclub at that time, now silver.
ZRH-BKK-TPE from C to F (once)
GVA-MAD from Y to C (twice)
MAD-ZRH from Y to C (4 times)

I never asked for it, but they changed the boarding pass at the gate.

Vincent


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...
by the way i´m TCGold that´s the key word for a free upgrade------------------

hahaha... you are too funny... the tcg doesn't help you at all. i got never upgraded (but one time from waw to zrh in an embraer)... hahaha... stcg is not a key word at all...