Releasing upgrades
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Denmark
Programs: Skywards, Silver
Posts: 54
Releasing upgrades
Had a very interesting experience with the Emirates help center this weekend. I wanted to upgrade my NRT-DXB flight from Y to J, but saw in the app that no milage upgrades were available.
I first signed up for auto upgrade, but wanted to contact the help center to ask when or if they would normally release the upgrades, because previous experiences have taught me never to completely trust the auto upgrade system, as I once was able to upgrade myself without ever getting a mail.
At first the dude I spoke to in the chat was very formal and said the upgrade offers could be released at any time, and that I should consult a local office. I thanked him and said I would do so. Then a long pause where I could see he was typing. He then asked for my name and booking reference. Sure. Then another long pause.
Then he came back and said there was one seat in J that was planned to be released for upgrade on a later date, and he asked me if I was interested in it. I said yes of course.
But this make me wonder. If the seat was there the entire time and was planned to get released as a milage upgrade offer, then why not just make it available? What does Emirates gain from holding it back?
I first signed up for auto upgrade, but wanted to contact the help center to ask when or if they would normally release the upgrades, because previous experiences have taught me never to completely trust the auto upgrade system, as I once was able to upgrade myself without ever getting a mail.
At first the dude I spoke to in the chat was very formal and said the upgrade offers could be released at any time, and that I should consult a local office. I thanked him and said I would do so. Then a long pause where I could see he was typing. He then asked for my name and booking reference. Sure. Then another long pause.
Then he came back and said there was one seat in J that was planned to be released for upgrade on a later date, and he asked me if I was interested in it. I said yes of course.
But this make me wonder. If the seat was there the entire time and was planned to get released as a milage upgrade offer, then why not just make it available? What does Emirates gain from holding it back?
#2
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Boston, MA
Programs: EK Gold, A3 *G, AB Gold, Jetblue Mosaic
Posts: 1,386
Had a very interesting experience with the Emirates help center this weekend. I wanted to upgrade my NRT-DXB flight from Y to J, but saw in the app that no milage upgrades were available.
I first signed up for auto upgrade, but wanted to contact the help center to ask when or if they would normally release the upgrades, because previous experiences have taught me never to completely trust the auto upgrade system, as I once was able to upgrade myself without ever getting a mail.
At first the dude I spoke to in the chat was very formal and said the upgrade offers could be released at any time, and that I should consult a local office. I thanked him and said I would do so. Then a long pause where I could see he was typing. He then asked for my name and booking reference. Sure. Then another long pause.
Then he came back and said there was one seat in J that was planned to be released for upgrade on a later date, and he asked me if I was interested in it. I said yes of course.
But this make me wonder. If the seat was there the entire time and was planned to get released as a milage upgrade offer, then why not just make it available? What does Emirates gain from holding it back?
I first signed up for auto upgrade, but wanted to contact the help center to ask when or if they would normally release the upgrades, because previous experiences have taught me never to completely trust the auto upgrade system, as I once was able to upgrade myself without ever getting a mail.
At first the dude I spoke to in the chat was very formal and said the upgrade offers could be released at any time, and that I should consult a local office. I thanked him and said I would do so. Then a long pause where I could see he was typing. He then asked for my name and booking reference. Sure. Then another long pause.
Then he came back and said there was one seat in J that was planned to be released for upgrade on a later date, and he asked me if I was interested in it. I said yes of course.
But this make me wonder. If the seat was there the entire time and was planned to get released as a milage upgrade offer, then why not just make it available? What does Emirates gain from holding it back?
Just thinking out loud here...
#3
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 5,454
Probability of sale weighed against making a Skywards customer happy.
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Denmark
Programs: Skywards, Silver
Posts: 54
Indeed. He took care of it in less than a minute. An hour later I got the confirmation that I had been auto upgraded. I don't know if it was his doing to make it more official, or if I would actually have gotten the upgrade anyway.
But very cool. I honestly never expected an upgrade through the chat. That`s a first
But very cool. I honestly never expected an upgrade through the chat. That`s a first
#6
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: MAN DXB ✈️
Programs: Skywards Gold
Posts: 6,827
Indeed. He took care of it in less than a minute. An hour later I got the confirmation that I had been auto upgraded. I don't know if it was his doing to make it more official, or if I would actually have gotten the upgrade anyway.
But very cool. I honestly never expected an upgrade through the chat. That`s a first
But very cool. I honestly never expected an upgrade through the chat. That`s a first
#8
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 9,307
I saw it a couple of times today - it just popped up. It may depend on what you're trying to do at the time, your country settings, or maybe the availability of operators.
#9
Join Date: Jul 2012
Posts: 131
#10
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 9,307