Upgrades on Lufthansa/Swiss using partner Star Alliance Gold
Hey everybody,
Just a quick question with some background first:
I was flying PHL-FRA the other day on Lufthansa, and I have *Gold with Aegean Airlines. I inquired about an upgrade to business due to my *Gold status - I was flying coach - and the check in agent seemed very willing to make it happen. However, once he realized that I was *Gold Aegean rather than *Gold Lufthansa/Miles&More, he said that he is only able to accommodate Lufthansa Gold, Lufthansa Silver, and even Lufthansa Blue upgrades before considering partner airlines. I really had trouble believing this and continued arguing but he insisted that he was right. It makes obvious sense to me that Lufthansa respects their *Golds above others, however, for Silver and Blue then to be ahead in terms of priority makes no sense. If anything, I should be "next in line" after they go through their golds, no?
In any case, I showed up at the gate and was going to ask again. In the meantime, the check in agent downstairs had upgraded me and my business boarding pass was waiting for me already. I just want to confirm: was I in fact right, and is this why he went ahead and upgraded me?
Side question: I am flying back GVA-JFK in a few days on Swiss and will try again to get an upgrade with my *Gold status. Is this rare on international flights that may be overbooked in economy? It seemed to work on the PHL-FRA leg. Any other tips on how to generally get upgrades? Thanks a lot!
Are you sure the check-in agent was talking about the same thing you were talking about? Are you sure they were not thinking you wanted to upgrade using miles? (hence they would be able to do it from M&M, but not from a 3rd party scheme).
Or did you know they were oversold or something like that?
Otherwise I can't see them just upgrading people on the basis of being *G, or even any M&M status.
Programs: LH SEN, UA*G (1k again) + other *G, 9wPlat, Sixt Plat, *was* SQ QPP01 & SK EBS/EBG
Posts: 6,343
Quote:
Originally Posted by nygiants242
Hey everybody,
Just a quick question with some background first:
I was flying PHL-FRA the other day on Lufthansa, and I have *Gold with Aegean Airlines. I inquired about an upgrade to business due to my *Gold status - I was flying coach - and the check in agent seemed very willing to make it happen. However, once he realized that I was *Gold Aegean rather than *Gold Lufthansa/Miles&More, he said that he is only able to accommodate Lufthansa Gold, Lufthansa Silver, and even Lufthansa Blue upgrades before considering partner airlines. I really had trouble believing this and continued arguing but he insisted that he was right. It makes obvious sense to me that Lufthansa respects their *Golds above others, however, for Silver and Blue then to be ahead in terms of priority makes no sense. If anything, I should be "next in line" after they go through their golds, no?
This is what I had been told repeatedly by LH personnel manning FRA gates (some years ago), when trying to use UA*G in my locater. (I now use my M+M FF# initially)
However, I have now seen 1K's get upgraded last minute on LH metal (just happened a week ago) ex-EWR, Y->C (no idea of fare basis).
Last edited by SuperFlyBoy; Dec 25, 12 at 7:33 am..
Programs: IC PC Plat., HH Diamond, SPG Plat., A|Club Plat., M&M SEN
Posts: 1,437
Quote:
Originally Posted by nygiants242
I inquired about an upgrade to business due to my *Gold status - I was flying coach - and the check in agent seemed very willing to make it happen.
Why would you even ask this question? Did you have information that they needed to upgrade passengers from Y to C?
If the OP just happened to get an upgrade "due to his *Gold status" LH (and the value of SEN) has dropped even lower than I thought. Not only upgrading *Gold rather than SEN (we already knew about that), but giving them upgrades just for the heck of it on top of that.
Why would you even ask this question? Did you have information that they needed to upgrade passengers from Y to C?
If the OP just happened to get an upgrade "due to his *Gold status" LH (and the value of SEN) has dropped even lower than I thought. Not only upgrading *Gold rather than SEN (we already knew about that), but giving them upgrades just for the heck of it on top of that.
LH would never do this. OP must have gotten lucky and the flight was really overbooked. OP probably also doesnt know that asking for a complimentary upgrade does not work
Programs: LH SEN, UA*G (1k again) + other *G, 9wPlat, Sixt Plat, *was* SQ QPP01 & SK EBS/EBG
Posts: 6,343
Quote:
Originally Posted by mxr
LH would never do this. OP must have gotten lucky and the flight was really overbooked. OP probably also doesnt know that asking for a complimentary upgrade does not work
Quote:
Originally Posted by Koby
Why would you even ask this question? Did you have information that they needed to upgrade passengers from Y to C?
If the OP just happened to get an upgrade "due to his *Gold status" LH (and the value of SEN) has dropped even lower than I thought. Not only upgrading *Gold rather than SEN (we already knew about that), but giving them upgrades just for the heck of it on top of that.
Either lucky or he was flying in Y with a really high fare basis with an oversold Y cabin.
OP could advise us what fare basis his ticket was, so we can further understand the intricacies of what transpired...
Programs: AF/KL Gold, LH SEN, BA Gold (BD*G), IHG Platinum, MR Gold, HH Diamond, A-Club Gold, Hertz 5*
Posts: 111
Quote:
Originally Posted by SuperFlyBoy
Either lucky or he was flying in Y with a really high fare basis with an oversold Y cabin.
OP could advise us what fare basis his ticket was, so we can further understand the intricacies of what transpired...
Given the loads of *G on a TATL flight, the status of A3*G does not worth a lot. OP should have been very lucky and/or flight was oversold with high booking class. European airlines (and LH especially) does not work like North-American airlines, you are not getting any upgrade unless absolutely necessary (overbooking for instance).
Otherwise, I can simply throw my SEN card to the trash...
Programs: UA 1K, AA Gold, Starwood Plat, Marriott Silver, Hilton Gold, Hertz Prez, AVIS First, Amtrak Select+
Posts: 2,612
Quote:
Originally Posted by SuperFlyBoy
This is what I had been told repeatedly by LH personnel manning FRA gates (some years ago), when trying to use UA*G in my locater. (I now use my M+M FF# initially)
However, I have now seen 1K's get upgraded last minute on LH metal (just happened a week ago) ex-EWR, Y->C (no idea of fare basis).
UA 1K's can upgrade on LH in advance using miles or on the day of departure using a UA paper GPU certificate.
Programs: LH SEN, UA*G (1k again) + other *G, 9wPlat, Sixt Plat, *was* SQ QPP01 & SK EBS/EBG
Posts: 6,343
Quote:
Originally Posted by palmanfr
Otherwise, I can simply throw my SEN card to the trash...
I would say the time has come for you to do this now.
Be advised that status *does not* matter any longer with LH - they op-up passengers with higher fares *first*, and then only go down the list - as per latest reports.
So, yes, the time has come...
Last edited by SuperFlyBoy; Dec 26, 12 at 12:06 am..
Programs: Severals Golds (BA, BD, AB and LH), Highest tier with HH, SPG and ICRA, lawyer, sometimes a nice guy
Posts: 7,966
ROFL!!!!
Free upgrade to C based on a Aegan Card?? The gate agent could have upgraded the OP using M&M miles or vouchers but a free upgrade as a Star Gold Nothing??
I sometimes wonder whether people have lost their sense for reality
__________________
Do not feel offended by my posts - remember, I am a simple minded litigation lawyer.
Programs: Severals Golds (BA, BD, AB and LH), Highest tier with HH, SPG and ICRA, lawyer, sometimes a nice guy
Posts: 7,966
Quote:
Originally Posted by SuperFlyBoy
I would say the time has come for you to do this now.
Be advised that status *does not* matter any longer with LH - they op-up passengers with higher fares *first*, and then only go down the list - as per latest reports.
So, yes, the time has come...
That's nothing but cheap propaganda. SEN like most if not all European programmes was never about free upgrading and nonsense like this. I fly them domestic one or twice every week and most of the time on cheapest 78 to 99 Euro discounted discounted fares. And believe me, I am happy with my exit rows, my blocked middle seat in an exit row, free lounge on departure and arrival, a solid product and nice crews. If I want to fly business or first, I pay for this or upgrade in the foreseen way (miles or cash). But expecting a free upgrade on a German airlines because you as an American hold a more or less free gold card of a Greek * carrier, this is a bit of too much loss of the feeling for the real world.
__________________
Do not feel offended by my posts - remember, I am a simple minded litigation lawyer.
Programs: LH SEN, UA*G (1k again) + other *G, 9wPlat, Sixt Plat, *was* SQ QPP01 & SK EBS/EBG
Posts: 6,343
Quote:
Originally Posted by Flying Lawyer
That's nothing but cheap propaganda. SEN like most if not all European programmes was never about free upgrading and nonsense like this. I fly them domestic one or twice every week and most of the time on cheapest 78 to 99 Euro discounted discounted fares. And believe me, I am happy with my exit rows, my blocked middle seat in an exit row, free lounge on departure and arrival, a solid product and nice crews. If I want to fly business or first, I pay for this or upgrade in the foreseen way (miles or cash). But expecting a free upgrade on a German airlines because you as an American hold a more or less free gold card of a Greek * carrier, this is a bit of too much loss of the feeling for the real world.
Right - that is what LH is moving towards - you paying the cheapest fares and getting what you pay for - nothing more - therefore, loyalty is out the window.
Everyone can enjoy the minimal benefits of SEN or HON now...
(We cannot even use our miles any longer to upgrade to F in lower biz classes)
Why would you even ask this question? Did you have information that they needed to upgrade passengers from Y to C?
