Optiontown experience on Malev
Sep 4, 2011, 6:57 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 9
Optiontown experience on Malev
Hello! I would like to share my experience with Optiontown. Last June, booking MALEV I was contacted by Optiontown and applied to them for an upgrade to Business. I was finally upgraded from Economy Q to Business class while flying LCA-BRU (they were able to upgrade me only for LCA-BUD and BUD-LCA section) which anyway was a great surprise! I paid just 100 euro more for this. I got a notification for the upgrade 24 hours before the flight.Back then the ticket for Economy Q was almost 400 euro. With the upgrade I got all the benefits a business passenger gets. Lounge, points, even fast line permission while returning back to Larnaca at Brussels airport (even though for BRU-BUD section I was flying economy)!
Now, I'm thinking of applying again to Optiontown for the same flight in November (LCA-BRU) flying again with Malev. I haven't yet applied for it but I have a concern. This time my ticket was quite cheap, Economy T (for 231 euro) and I have my doubts whether with such a low cost ticket they can upgrade me to business and if it even worths to give it a try. For the moment they haven't yet contacted me but I'm thinking of applying myself through their website. Did anybody with such a low price ticket got an upgrade? I would appreciate to have your opinion on that or similar experience. Thanks!
Now, I'm thinking of applying again to Optiontown for the same flight in November (LCA-BRU) flying again with Malev. I haven't yet applied for it but I have a concern. This time my ticket was quite cheap, Economy T (for 231 euro) and I have my doubts whether with such a low cost ticket they can upgrade me to business and if it even worths to give it a try. For the moment they haven't yet contacted me but I'm thinking of applying myself through their website. Did anybody with such a low price ticket got an upgrade? I would appreciate to have your opinion on that or similar experience. Thanks!
Sep 5, 2011, 12:59 am
#2
Join Date: Mar 2008
Programs: SAS Diamond, Hilton Diamond, IHG RA Spire
Posts: 423
Hello! I would like to share my experience with Optiontown. Last June, booking MALEV I was contacted by Optiontown and applied to them for an upgrade to Business. I was finally upgraded from Economy Q to Business class while flying LCA-BRU (they were able to upgrade me only for LCA-BUD and BUD-LCA section) which anyway was a great surprise! I paid just 100 euro more for this. I got a notification for the upgrade 24 hours before the flight.Back then the ticket for Economy Q was almost 400 euro. With the upgrade I got all the benefits a business passenger gets. Lounge, points, even fast line permission while returning back to Larnaca at Brussels airport (even though for BRU-BUD section I was flying economy)!
Now, I'm thinking of applying again to Optiontown for the same flight in November (LCA-BRU) flying again with Malev. I haven't yet applied for it but I have a concern. This time my ticket was quite cheap, Economy T (for 231 euro) and I have my doubts whether with such a low cost ticket they can upgrade me to business and if it even worths to give it a try. For the moment they haven't yet contacted me but I'm thinking of applying myself through their website. Did anybody with such a low price ticket got an upgrade? I would appreciate to have your opinion on that or similar experience. Thanks!
Now, I'm thinking of applying again to Optiontown for the same flight in November (LCA-BRU) flying again with Malev. I haven't yet applied for it but I have a concern. This time my ticket was quite cheap, Economy T (for 231 euro) and I have my doubts whether with such a low cost ticket they can upgrade me to business and if it even worths to give it a try. For the moment they haven't yet contacted me but I'm thinking of applying myself through their website. Did anybody with such a low price ticket got an upgrade? I would appreciate to have your opinion on that or similar experience. Thanks!
Sep 6, 2011, 2:05 am
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 9
OptionTown states that the more you make use of their service the more the chances are to get upgrades... this can be true but also it can be a marketing trick.:-)
Thing is that the first time I used OptionTown worked great for me! Reading your reply it seems I will give them a try for my upcoming flight too... Hope I won't be disappointed because psychology is that the more you get used to upgrades if for once they don't manage to upgrade you, you get slightly disappointed.:-)
Sep 6, 2011, 8:43 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 9
WilcoRoger: so it seems the value of the ticket (and therefore the economy level) doesn't have anything to do with the chances of being upgraded or not.
OptionTown states that the more you make use of their service the more the chances are to get upgrades... this can be true but also it can be a marketing trick.:-)
Thing is that the first time I used OptionTown worked great for me! Reading your reply it seems I will give them a try for my upcoming flight too... Hope I won't be disappointed because psychology is that the more you get used to upgrades if for once they don't manage to upgrade you, you get slightly disappointed.:-)
OptionTown states that the more you make use of their service the more the chances are to get upgrades... this can be true but also it can be a marketing trick.:-)
Thing is that the first time I used OptionTown worked great for me! Reading your reply it seems I will give them a try for my upcoming flight too... Hope I won't be disappointed because psychology is that the more you get used to upgrades if for once they don't manage to upgrade you, you get slightly disappointed.:-)
Sep 9, 2011, 1:40 pm
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: HEL
Programs: lots of shiny metal cards
Posts: 14,104
I tried to see the upgrade options after signing in the OptionTown website and under SkyClub Business was noted 'UTo Not Available' :-( Is it maybe too early since my flight is mid November? Is there any possibility that after a month there is availability for upgrade or as long as it's shown like this now this is it?
Also - in case of SK, it seems that the lowest fares are not qualifying for u/g
Oct 13, 2011, 6:38 am
#8
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: KRN
Programs: SK*G, Malév Gold, BA Blue, Hertz #1 Gold, Club Carlson Gold Elite, Starwood Preferred Guest, A Club
Posts: 41
I tried to see the upgrade options after signing in the OptionTown website and under SkyClub Business was noted 'UTo Not Available' :-( Is it maybe too early since my flight is mid November? Is there any possibility that after a month there is availability for upgrade or as long as it's shown like this now this is it?
Nov 1, 2011, 10:49 am
#9
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Frankfurt
Programs: LH SEN , UA 1K, SPG Platinum, HH Diamond, Hyatt Diamond, Marriott Silver, GHA Black
Posts: 429
totally useless this service. tried it a couple of times and never worked - actually I do not understand how it works. flying on 25.12 from Fra - Bud and no upgrade available.
Nov 1, 2011, 6:43 pm
#10
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: KRN
Programs: SK*G, Malév Gold, BA Blue, Hertz #1 Gold, Club Carlson Gold Elite, Starwood Preferred Guest, A Club
Posts: 41
None of my two flights with MA got available for sign-up. Quite a lot of passengers in Economy and in Business there were just 2 seats occupied to BUD and 0 to GOT. In all there were 8 seats in Business on both flights...