OS offers Business upgrades when overbooked
Aug 10, 2012, 9:39 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: Vienna, Austria
Programs: LH HON, Privelege Platinum
Posts: 35
OS offers Business upgrades when overbooked
Just came back from Bangkok with OS. At check-in, special offer for upgrade in business for EUR 350,- per pax. Asked to be upgraded free of charge as HON. Staff first refused, saying my ticket (miles ticket for the whole family) did not allow any upgrade.
As I had been upgraded on the same ticket from Vienna to BKK, I requested to speak with the flight manager and to complain with Management in Vienna. At the end, got the upgrade in Business free of charge for 2 PAX, my friend paid 2 x EUR 350 and got 3 upgrades in Business.
I believe OS sold about 10 upgrades on this flight.
Conclusion: with such cheap offers by airlines, it becomes more and more difficult as a HON to get any upgrade due to overbooking
As I had been upgraded on the same ticket from Vienna to BKK, I requested to speak with the flight manager and to complain with Management in Vienna. At the end, got the upgrade in Business free of charge for 2 PAX, my friend paid 2 x EUR 350 and got 3 upgrades in Business.
I believe OS sold about 10 upgrades on this flight.
Conclusion: with such cheap offers by airlines, it becomes more and more difficult as a HON to get any upgrade due to overbooking
Aug 10, 2012, 1:10 pm
#2
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: MUC
Programs: LH SEN, SQ Gold
Posts: 479
So you were on a reward ticket anyway, then played the DYKWIA-card and now you are telling us the nice story that a company indeed prefers to make money with its services instead of feeding it to freeloaders.
Really?!
Really?!
Aug 10, 2012, 1:51 pm
#4
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 48,178
An aggresive pitch at checkin to upgrade with miles/vouchers/cash is a clear indicator that the flight is oversold. Still they will and should upgrade those willing to pay something first before giving out op-upgrades for free.
Aug 10, 2012, 3:02 pm
#5
Formerly known as koeche
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: Switzerland
Programs: LX HON, QR Plat, Hilton Diamond, Windows 11, Adobe Creative Suite
Posts: 340
Generally I agree with Oliver and at one point I asked myself why those upgrade offers are not being made more often. To avoid annoying their loyal customers (aka FFP slaves) too much I would just sell status clients such upgrades at half the price or so. The airline still gets some money but the loyalty is still being recognized.
Aug 10, 2012, 3:53 pm
#6
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Garden of England
Programs: LH HON, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 407
The German word "Peinlich!" comes to mind!
Last edited by DUS; Aug 11, 2012 at 3:35 am
Aug 10, 2012, 7:34 pm
#7
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: OSL/IAH/ZRH (time, not preference)
Programs: UA1K, LH GM, AA EXP->GM
Posts: 38,265
- flight was oversold
- upgrades were hawked off at a fraction of the buy up price
OS is just following the new LH paradigm that "there is no such thing as an elite".
Aug 10, 2012, 9:24 pm
#8
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: PMI
Programs: BA,LH,CX,EK SPG,IC mainly and a few others
Posts: 1,862
[QUOTE=weero;
OS is just following the new LH paradigm that "there is no such thing as an elite".[/QUOTE]
it is hardly the new LH paradigm.
Way back in 2004, LH agent at SIN suggested that I upgrade to F with e-vouchers as I had lots of them to spend. Since I knew C was oversold, I asked her why doesn't she give me an op-up instead, and she told me they were told to find some SENs to upgrade with vouchers first before op- ups.
I suppose they got some as I flew C.
OS is just following the new LH paradigm that "there is no such thing as an elite".[/QUOTE]
it is hardly the new LH paradigm.
Way back in 2004, LH agent at SIN suggested that I upgrade to F with e-vouchers as I had lots of them to spend. Since I knew C was oversold, I asked her why doesn't she give me an op-up instead, and she told me they were told to find some SENs to upgrade with vouchers first before op- ups.
I suppose they got some as I flew C.
Aug 11, 2012, 1:28 am
#10
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: ORD
Programs: BA, AA, SQ, UA, AC, WS, MR TIT
Posts: 8,659
Man you are asking for toooo much
Aug 11, 2012, 3:21 am
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: London
Programs: Hilton, IHG - BA, GA, LH, QR, SV, TK
Posts: 17,008
I requested to speak with the flight manager and to complain with Management in Vienna. At the end, got the upgrade inid not allow any upgrade.
Conclusion: with such cheap offers by airlines, it becomes more and more difficult as a HON to get any upgrade due to overbooking
Conclusion: with such cheap offers by airlines, it becomes more and more difficult as a HON to get any upgrade due to overbooking
Aug 11, 2012, 7:00 am
#13
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 48,178
Upgrading a HON is hardly "for free".
Yes .... just that you omitted the crucial facts here:
OS is just following the new LH paradigm that "there is no such thing as an elite".
Yes .... just that you omitted the crucial facts here:
- flight was oversold
- upgrades were hawked off at a fraction of the buy up price
OS is just following the new LH paradigm that "there is no such thing as an elite".
OS is currently not making any money from its operations. I fail to understand why they shouldn't look for additional revenue before upgrading elite pax on award tickets. Imagine a weero was in line waving 350€ wanting to upgrade and noticing that a DYKWIA HON on an award tix got upgraded along with his entire party.... and weero stays in economy....
Aug 11, 2012, 7:40 am
#14
Join Date: Aug 2010
Programs: TK Elite Plus, SAS EBG, QR Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,297
Well I'm just baffled the OP even chose to purchase an Economy Class award ticket in the first place. After all, being a HON clearly he should've a stash of miles big enough for forking out those extra miles for a biz award.
But then again, maybe the OP felt that given the ridiculously high taxes&YQ that M&M charges on award tickets (let alone the fact that spending miles on Y awards is considered a crime in FT terms
) would entitle him to a free upgrade anyway...
But then again, maybe the OP felt that given the ridiculously high taxes&YQ that M&M charges on award tickets (let alone the fact that spending miles on Y awards is considered a crime in FT terms
) would entitle him to a free upgrade anyway...
Aug 11, 2012, 4:12 pm
#15
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Garden of England
Programs: LH HON, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 407
In another thread the OP says that they got an upgrade to C on their flight to BKK, too. Well, Mike Indo clearly seems to believe that his HON status entitles him to be upgraded every time he sets foot onboard a plane. 
Peinlich!
Peinlich!