TATL Upgrades using Skymiles and SWUs on Air France/KLM
Nov 3, 2005, 10:46 am
#31
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2000
Programs: DL FO, Marriott Gold, SPG Gold
Posts: 12,003
Originally Posted by Threy
No upgrades within Europe on any carrier for any US airlines elite card holder.
Originally Posted by Alcor2
I have flown on AF twice this year, one trip to MAD via CDG and I was upgraded on all legs. I am only DL Slvr and not sure if the flights were full. I was quite suprised each time and now consider flying on AF more regularly for Europe trips.
Nov 3, 2005, 11:37 am
#32
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Doha, Qatar
Programs: TK Gold, Etihad Gold, Hyatt Diamond, Hilton Gold, IHG Gold.
Posts: 798
I got op uped on air france without any status before. The lady thought I was a nice young man. I had a delta ticket, and tried to upgrade with miles, but it didn't work because it was an air france flight, but they put me on the upgrade list anyways 
I flew business class ORD-CDG and it was nice, the lady next to me was a delta gold member and got upgraded as well. On a side note, I got upgraded before she did, as I recall, her name got called 10 minutes after they upgraded me.
Cheers
Timo
I flew business class ORD-CDG and it was nice, the lady next to me was a delta gold member and got upgraded as well. On a side note, I got upgraded before she did, as I recall, her name got called 10 minutes after they upgraded me. Cheers
Timo
Nov 3, 2005, 12:08 pm
#33
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Yiron, Israel
Programs: Bates Motel Plat
Posts: 68,925
I was given an operational upgrade as a Silver Medallion ATL-CDG. I was on an Air France ticket but it was a codeshare flight on Delta metal.
The speculation on F/T is that I was chosen for the upgrade because AF had oversold in coach and Delta preferred giving the BizElite seat to an AF customer who was a Delta medallion.
The speculation on F/T is that I was chosen for the upgrade because AF had oversold in coach and Delta preferred giving the BizElite seat to an AF customer who was a Delta medallion.
Nov 3, 2005, 6:42 pm
#35
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: DL DM/MM, and major hotels
Posts: 501
Last year, I flew 4 flights on AF, some on DL code share, some on AF. I have/had no status on AF. Got an op on 2/4 flights for both me and my partner, my status was Delta GM (Sky team elite). Both times was near a holiday period (near Memorial day, and just before Christmas) when business travel is down, leisure travel is up, and the planes are stuffed.
Nov 3, 2005, 7:42 pm
#36
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Under an ORD approach path
Programs: DL PM, MM. Coffee isn't a drug, it's a vitamin.
Posts: 12,935
Last Dec. AF op-up'ed Mrs. Gargoyle and myself CDG-ORD. I was GM, she had no status that year.
They've also been very good this year about giving me bulkhead and exit rows, and comped us in the lounge when we had a missed connection in YUL. (missed connection due to Orbitz selling us an impossible connection from Air Canada to AF, so it was not at all AF's fault or responsibility- they treated us very well.)
This is a big change from how AF used to treat us in the mid 90's. Seems like they've completely revamped their customer service attitude.
They've also been very good this year about giving me bulkhead and exit rows, and comped us in the lounge when we had a missed connection in YUL. (missed connection due to Orbitz selling us an impossible connection from Air Canada to AF, so it was not at all AF's fault or responsibility- they treated us very well.)
This is a big change from how AF used to treat us in the mid 90's. Seems like they've completely revamped their customer service attitude.
Nov 3, 2005, 8:37 pm
#37
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 5,630
Originally Posted by basecamp
i'm trying to decide between delta and air france for a trip to madrid. i will be booking this in coach. would like to try the non-stop AF flight out of sfo to cdg. but sometimes when i fly delta through atlanta to europe, i will get upgraded to businesselite. has anyone ever been upgraded on an air france flight to/from europe. i'm gold medallion and delta has done it for me more than once. it's totally random and it usually happens at the airport when i'm checking in, they'll hand me a boarding pass for business elite instead of the coach seat that i've booked.
Nov 4, 2005, 2:32 am
#38
Suspended
Join Date: May 2001
Location: DUS
Posts: 4,004
Originally Posted by Rssrsvp
Threy, based on your statement, how do you account for this upgrade within Europe for a DL elite member?
In this case normally an airline has rules how to upgrade, however if some connecting passengers do show up late it may happen that they will be upgraded at the gate, although they have no status.
My parents have been upgraded on DL and AF ex ATL arriving very late at the gate with no status whatsoever a couple of years ago....
I was upgraded on LH although they have strict rules not to upgrade anybody, if not needed on a flight with 100 open seats in Y...
I have been upgraded on LH on an award although they have strict guidelines not to op up anyone on an award...
In addition to that the gate supervisor is very often calling the shots, I remember a very old couple being op uped to KL WBC from MEM over to Schiphol, obviously without any status just because the gate agent liked them...
Just recently when AF had the strike in Paris I was sitting in my beloved row 80 on the Upper Deck on a KL 74M bound for LAX, when all of a sudden the gate supervisor showed up and counted the open seats on the Upper Deck, minutes later people affected by the strike who had been rebooked via Schiphol boarded the UD...obviously have been upgraded holding no status.
Flight showed J9C9Z9 a day before departure and left with no seat in C....
Again no free ( non operational ) upgrades for anybody in Europe.
Part of a smart strategy that if you want to fly upfront in Europe you have to pay for it.
Nov 4, 2005, 4:11 am
#39
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Shanwick
Posts: 3,117
Originally Posted by Threy
Being a moderator you should know that airlines upgrade passengers for so called operational reasons, because classes are overbooked, people buy last second tickets, employees get on the flight etc.
/snip/
Again no free ( non operational ) upgrades for anybody in Europe.
Part of a smart strategy that if you want to fly upfront in Europe you have to pay for it.
/snip/
Again no free ( non operational ) upgrades for anybody in Europe.
Part of a smart strategy that if you want to fly upfront in Europe you have to pay for it.
Your original comment was
No upgrades within Europe on any carrier for any US airlines elite card holder.
Nov 4, 2005, 6:23 am
#40
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2000
Programs: DL FO, Marriott Gold, SPG Gold
Posts: 12,003
Originally Posted by Threy
Being a moderator you should know that airlines upgrade passengers for so called operational reasons, because classes are overbooked, people buy last second tickets, employees get on the flight etc.
[/B]
[/B]
Originally Posted by Threy
No upgrades within Europe on any carrier for any US airlines elite card holder.
Alcor2, has made it extremely clear in his post which I again quote below that he is an FO on DL (US airlines elite card holder) and he received on the the CDG-MAD portion of his flight an operational upgrade from AF.
Originally Posted by Alcor2
I have flown on AF twice this year, one trip to MAD via CDG and I was upgraded on all legs. I am only DL Slvr and not sure if the flights were full. I was quite suprised each time and now consider flying on AF more regularly for Europe trips.
Originally Posted by Threy
Again no free ( non operational ) upgrades for anybody in Europe. [/B]
By the way, this post was made by me as a member of FT and not as a moderator. The moderators on this board clearly announce that they are posting in that capacity by their signatures at the end of official posts. I know that as a poster with over 2700 posts that you have seen that signature before, especially since we have had to recently intervene in threads that you were actively posting to.
Nov 4, 2005, 1:07 pm
#42
Suspended
Join Date: May 2001
Location: DUS
Posts: 4,004
Originally Posted by Threy
No upgrades within Europe on any carrier for any US airlines elite card holder.
We had a saying in the old KLM Flying Dutchmen forum asked if NW elites would get the same upgrades as KLM elites get on NW that KLM would not even upgrade their own Queen ( ! ) , if not necassary and that was true also for their own KLM elite cardholders
As pointed out operational upgrades are done, however since they move the Business Class / Y class dividing curtain based on demand , not so common...
We had a saying in the old KLM Flying Dutchmen forum asked if NW elites would get the same upgrades as KLM elites get on NW that KLM would not even upgrade their own Queen ( ! ) , if not necassary and that was true also for their own KLM elite cardholders
As pointed out operational upgrades are done, however since they move the Business Class / Y class dividing curtain based on demand , not so common...
Within my first response I pointed out ( in the last two lines, visible for every member and moderator as well ) that operational upgrades are done...
In my first sentence however, which is explained by the second part I pointed out that nobody in Europe gets any free upgrades based on his status like we KLM RW, PE and now FD Plats , Gold and Silver cardholders get on NW and for some time on CO as well.
I agree that the first sentence without the next ones is partly inaccurate, however as pointed out numerous times, op. ups are always done and are simply not a guaranteed perk of my Plat status( which my upgrade on NW however is as long as there is capacity )
I have to realise that some guys like to "misquote" me or quote only parts of my replies which is downright cheap and pathetic, cause we discuss more piky poky staff than real issues....
Will not forget three pages, if ATL is not located ideally for a hub, which for every one with only a slight knowledge is not even worth a second long discussion, cause it is so obvious.
But on the DL forum some guys always claim this is not the case, you are wrong, you do not know anything, your airline get subventions bla bla bla...
Again, thumbs up for your great loyality, but at some point you have to face the facts and it can become a thin line between being a believer and a fool...
Last edited by Threy; Nov 4, 2005 at 1:09 pm
Nov 4, 2005, 2:13 pm
#44
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2000
Programs: DL FO, Marriott Gold, SPG Gold
Posts: 12,003
Originally Posted by Threy
No upgrades within Europe on any carrier for any US airlines elite card holder.
We had a saying in the old KLM Flying Dutchmen forum asked if NW elites would get the same upgrades as KLM elites get on NW that KLM would not even upgrade their own Queen ( ! ) , if not necassary and that was true also for their own KLM elite cardholders
As pointed out operational upgrades are done, however since they move the Business Class / Y class dividing curtain based on demand , not so common...
We had a saying in the old KLM Flying Dutchmen forum asked if NW elites would get the same upgrades as KLM elites get on NW that KLM would not even upgrade their own Queen ( ! ) , if not necassary and that was true also for their own KLM elite cardholders
As pointed out operational upgrades are done, however since they move the Business Class / Y class dividing curtain based on demand , not so common...
Threy your first sentence clearly says, "No upgrades within Europe on any carrier for any US airlines elite card holder."
Your last sentence clearly says, "As pointed out operational upgrades are done, however since they move the Business Class / Y class dividing curtain based on demand , not so common."
The OP is a FO on DL which makes him a US airlines elite card holder. He did receive an operational upgrade. Your statement says that this does not happen. This statement is not accurate.
Your last sentence then goes on to talk about how they move the dividing curtain. This moving the curtain game eliminates the need in many cases for operational upgrades to be given out.
Your two remarks really have nothing to do with each other. They are separate issues. The bottom line is that US elites do receive operational upgrades within Europe.
BTW, I am not quoting parts of a sentence out of the real context. I am addressing each sentence as a whole.
Nov 5, 2005, 2:38 am
#45
Suspended
Join Date: May 2001
Location: DUS
Posts: 4,004
Originally Posted by Rssrsvp
Threy your first sentence clearly says, "No upgrades within Europe on any carrier for any US airlines elite card holder."
Your last sentence clearly says, "As pointed out operational upgrades are done, however since they move the Business Class / Y class dividing curtain based on demand , not so common."
The OP is a FO on DL which makes him a US airlines elite card holder. He did receive an operational upgrade. Your statement says that this does not happen. This statement is not accurate.
Your last sentence then goes on to talk about how they move the dividing curtain. This moving the curtain game eliminates the need in many cases for operational upgrades to be given out.
Your two remarks really have nothing to do with each other. They are separate issues. The bottom line is that US elites do receive operational upgrades within Europe.
BTW, I am not quoting parts of a sentence out of the real context. I am addressing each sentence as a whole.
Your last sentence clearly says, "As pointed out operational upgrades are done, however since they move the Business Class / Y class dividing curtain based on demand , not so common."
The OP is a FO on DL which makes him a US airlines elite card holder. He did receive an operational upgrade. Your statement says that this does not happen. This statement is not accurate.
Your last sentence then goes on to talk about how they move the dividing curtain. This moving the curtain game eliminates the need in many cases for operational upgrades to be given out.
Your two remarks really have nothing to do with each other. They are separate issues. The bottom line is that US elites do receive operational upgrades within Europe.
BTW, I am not quoting parts of a sentence out of the real context. I am addressing each sentence as a whole.
Again, an operational upgrade can happen to everybody from a violin flying on a paid ticket to John Black holding blue status on Piky Poky Airlines..., that is such a table stake that really does not need to be adressed like you want it to...