upgrading to World business class
#16
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Netherlands
Programs: FB Platinum, M&M, BA Executive Club, Sofitel Plat, Priority Club, Starwood Preferred Guest
Posts: 1,447
AFAIK there are various options:
1) the regular upgrades purchased with miles before your trip through FB (fare classes M and higher only)
2) Day of Departure upgrade at airport: you pay a fee to bump up your initial fare and then pay the required miles. Available at most stations provided sufficient seats in J-cabin.
3) Fully paid upgrades to the lowest available J-cabin fare at the airport or on board with the purser (pretty steep rates).
4) Random upgrade offer through internet check-in or kiosk check-in when J-cabin is very open, you only pay a cash fee (not sure of the fee but see post by sixbit). Regular fare class miles are earned and regular Y baggage allowance applies. You cannot be sure that this pops up every time though, it's been a hit-and-miss on my recent flights.
5) Operational Upgrades (Op-ups) when Y oversold and J has seats, based on a number of factors like FB/Skyteam status, travelling alone or not, fare class, etc. And note: when you order a special meal you won't be Op-Up'd.
1) the regular upgrades purchased with miles before your trip through FB (fare classes M and higher only)
2) Day of Departure upgrade at airport: you pay a fee to bump up your initial fare and then pay the required miles. Available at most stations provided sufficient seats in J-cabin.
3) Fully paid upgrades to the lowest available J-cabin fare at the airport or on board with the purser (pretty steep rates).
4) Random upgrade offer through internet check-in or kiosk check-in when J-cabin is very open, you only pay a cash fee (not sure of the fee but see post by sixbit). Regular fare class miles are earned and regular Y baggage allowance applies. You cannot be sure that this pops up every time though, it's been a hit-and-miss on my recent flights.
5) Operational Upgrades (Op-ups) when Y oversold and J has seats, based on a number of factors like FB/Skyteam status, travelling alone or not, fare class, etc. And note: when you order a special meal you won't be Op-Up'd.
#19
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Netherlands
Programs: KL Platinum; A3 Gold
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#22
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Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 14,352
Johan
#24
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Netherlands
Programs: KL Platinum; A3 Gold
Posts: 28,722
I've had only intermittent success in accessing the seat map from the "blue robots" in the past few months. (I started a thread back in March wondering if the facility had been withdrawn - http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/klm-f...ter-check.html )
In most cases, I am not able to change seats anymore - so perhaps the clue is to select the "collect boarding pass at the airport" option during the online checkin (though I really don't see that this would/should prevent you from looking at the seating map again at the airport).
Last Friday I checked the seatmap from the lounge, only to discover I'd been op-upped to 1A. So although the system should have realised that I really did need to print a new boarding pass, it wouldn't let me, merely printing the "information voucher" showing flight number, boarding time, and gate.
In most cases, I am not able to change seats anymore - so perhaps the clue is to select the "collect boarding pass at the airport" option during the online checkin (though I really don't see that this would/should prevent you from looking at the seating map again at the airport).
Last Friday I checked the seatmap from the lounge, only to discover I'd been op-upped to 1A. So although the system should have realised that I really did need to print a new boarding pass, it wouldn't let me, merely printing the "information voucher" showing flight number, boarding time, and gate.
#25
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: OSL
Posts: 275
What I am actually asking for is if a paid upgrade offer is most likely to happen when doing an OLCI in advance or at the kiosk. And if an OLCI affects chances to get a paid upgrade at the kiosk. I now understand that if a paid upgrade is possible on my flight, I will get the offer at both olci and kiosk, right?
#26
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Netherlands
Programs: KL Platinum; A3 Gold
Posts: 28,722
I don't think there is any way of saying when it is more likely.
We don't fully understand the logic and pricing behind the offers. If it's as a result of an overbooked economy cabin (so: they are trying to see if anyone might want to "pay" for an upgrade, rather than having to give free upgrades at random) then the later you check in the more chance you have of receiving such an offer.
If it's just offered semi-randomly as a way to try and increase revenue even when the economy cabin is full, it could happen at any time.
We don't fully understand the logic and pricing behind the offers. If it's as a result of an overbooked economy cabin (so: they are trying to see if anyone might want to "pay" for an upgrade, rather than having to give free upgrades at random) then the later you check in the more chance you have of receiving such an offer.
If it's just offered semi-randomly as a way to try and increase revenue even when the economy cabin is full, it could happen at any time.
#27
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: FRA
Programs: FB Plat & DL KM, Le Club Plat, GHA Plat, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 1,591
What I am actually asking for is if a paid upgrade offer is most likely to happen when doing an OLCI in advance or at the kiosk. And if an OLCI affects chances to get a paid upgrade at the kiosk. I now understand that if a paid upgrade is possible on my flight, I will get the offer at both olci and kiosk, right?
#28
Suspended
Join Date: May 2012
Posts: 1,593
does KLM often offer this promotion ?
i recently flew from Vancouver to AMS
and at online checkin time (30h prior to the flight), i was really surprised to see the option available
therefore i costed me 549€ to upgrade from Eco to Business
i was really happy to pay for this option
that was a smart move from KLM, because i was reluctant to paying more than my regular eco class
at first, i would not have paid more for something like Premium Eco
and Business was way to expensive
finally, 549€ was a quite fair deal to get a Business Seat
i recently flew from Vancouver to AMS
and at online checkin time (30h prior to the flight), i was really surprised to see the option available
therefore i costed me 549€ to upgrade from Eco to Business
i was really happy to pay for this option
that was a smart move from KLM, because i was reluctant to paying more than my regular eco class
at first, i would not have paid more for something like Premium Eco
and Business was way to expensive
finally, 549€ was a quite fair deal to get a Business Seat
#29
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Netherlands
Programs: KL Platinum; A3 Gold
Posts: 28,722
See the following thread, then draw your own conclusions.
You may wish to add your own data point to that thread, too.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/klm-f...-ups-olci.html
You may wish to add your own data point to that thread, too.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/klm-f...-ups-olci.html