Txolo

Should not get it... but, please let us know just in case is any "glitch"

Txolo

Try to get from AA the "Amadeus" reservation number and have a look with it into Iberia website... may be a chance...

spainflyer

The offer / system must be working. I flew last night JFK - MAD and every seat -- every one of them-- in Business was taken. Don't mean to be judgemental, but from the looks of it, not all of those people purchased a full-fare Biz ticket. (I upgraded with Avios about two months ago).

Mods -- If there is interest, it might be useful to start a string with the costs of upgrades actually paid (rather than those offered by Iberia). A la BiddingForTravel.

FlyerTalker688786

Not likely at all. There could be lots of non-rev on that route who is entitled to Business class travel when space permits.

If you have no concrete evidence suggesting many of those 'non-business class look' are paying for the bids, they can be non-rev travelling on employee ticket; industry ticket and even higher priority buddie passes from IB, BA, AA, AY and other airlines.

spainflyer

Reading through this thread again, I am wondering if the offers for paid upgrades (not the bidding system) vary by fare bucket originally paid.

That is, if I bought an H fare thinking I might upgrade with Avios, might I get a lower upgrade cost than someone who bought the cheapest ticket on the same route?

I am thinking of intercontinental routes, not intra-European ones.

Cerebrito

For SH European out of Madrid, a business upgrade seems to be consistently offered at about 60 euros, whether I have a cheap ticket booked way in advance, or a more expensive ticket booked last minute.

nseraleyva

Hey everyone -

I've been offered a buy-up to J on a TXL-MAD sector tomorrow, and I accepted but the OLCI interface on the Iberia website isn't giving me any option to complete the process or enter payment information...just options to change seats, add luggage, and then a breakdown of pricing (but not "continue to payment" or "enter card info" or anything like that).

Does anyone know if I'll just be able to pay for this at the check-in desks in person tomorrow at Tegel? Or will the offer have expired by then? When I try to check-in now it says that "modifications have been made and payment is required" so it's clearly registered somehow, but I have no way of getting past the screen mentioned above.

Calls to Iberia reservations (in Germany, England, and Spain) haven't been successful as it's an "online offer" which agents can't assist with. Any advice, anyone?

LupineChemist

I don't have any active reservations right now, and when I do, it's almost always work that pays so I may be wrong, but I seem to recall one of the options of being "my payments" (mis pagos if you do it in Spanish) or something like that if on the list where it has baggage/seat revs/insurance/etc.. Does that take you anywhere?

Cerebrito

When this has happened to me before, clicking on the option to change seats, then clicking cancel afterwards without changing seats, normally brings me to the payment page.

nseraleyva

Finally got it to work through the mobile app for Android - had to trick it into thinking I was going to pay for extra baggage before faking it out and cancelling, only then did it let me proceed to payment without crashing the app.

Between that and the dead-end screen for "Reviewing" the purchase but no payment option, I'm really disappointed with IB's IT infrastructure - it's plastered with their pretty new branding, but all chewing gum and paper clips under the hood. Definitely not good.

Thanks guys for your help, LupineChemist and Cerebrito!

tmac100

I have a RT MAD-PTY booked originally in Economy. When I saw the upgrade bid provision I bid for a Business class seat on the MAD-PTY flight. However there was no provision for bidding for a Business class seat on the return PTY-MAD flight. Currently am seated in economy.

I sent an inquiry to Iberia but have heard nothing.

Suggestions?

Cerebrito

You're probably just out of luck. Iberia don't offer the chance to bid for Business for every flight/leg because if you really want it they want you to pay for a normal Business ticket. In fact, recently, I have seen a big reduction of the number of paid upgrades that I have been offered.

tmac100

Thank you for this. I figured this was the case. OTOH, as a BAEC Silver I have been able to book exit row isle seats on both flights (to/from PTY) and that alone will be a plus

I am looking forward to flying IB and experiencing their service. Other OW flights have always been good. Fingers crossed

ringingup

I am pretty sure last week I saw the possibility to bid for an upgrade for the return leg of a booking.

Logging back in today, it's disappeared :-( I wanted to bid as it's LPA - LHR, which is a fairly long flight!

galego

I've got a MAD-GRU flight coming up and I'm looking for some advice on 'bid strategy'

Looking at Expert Flyer, it seems only 11 out of 46 Business Class seats are reserved at this point (the return flight is much more full, which is why I'm guessing I can't bid on an upgrade).

Would it be an idea to wait until as close as possible to the deadline, look at Expert Flyer and base a bid on that?

Can the numbers be relied upon. i.e. is it possible that business class ticket holders haven't chosen a seat yet? It's just economy where you have to pay for a seat right?

If I don't bid at all am I likely to get an offer to straight up pay for the upgrade? (if there's space)

thanks!