Donna49

I've been a Saga Gold Card holder since 2001, well before the introduction of Economy Comfort class. Back then, there was only economy and Saga class, and a Gold Card holder could get upgraded to Saga class on a economy fare.

When EC came about in 2008 or so, the Gold Card upgrade policy changed to a one class upgrade; economy to EC, or EC to Saga.

But my recollection is that, when upgraded, you received the service of the cabin you were seated in. And that is what I have always experienced.

In looking at the FI web site today, I checked on Saga Gold Card benefits and noticed this:

"Upon a complimentary upgrade, the members seat is upgraded but the service provided stays the same as in the travel class that the member bought originally."

I have never experienced this (upgrade to the seat, but not the service) in all the many upgrades I have received. But it has been 4 months since my last FI trip, and that was a purchased Saga class fare.

I wondering if this is a new change that I missed, or something else.

I know a problem with an upgrade is a very minor problem, but FI's upgrade policy is why I always flew FI enough to qualify for the Saga Gold card.

BostonFlyer1624

The problem is that FI only caters a certain number of Saga meals for each flight. If you get upgraded, the only change that may occur is that they won't have a Saga meal for you.

garethlewis

thank you for posting this, I wasn't aware of this

hordurg

Hi,

I've only once experienced that they did not have a meal for me. So it is more of an exception I guess, they probably just have it in there in case.

I've flown a lot the last months, last time 2 weeks ago, and every time they had a meal for me the last few months.

Donna49

I can certainly understand the meal situation, as this has happened to me on flights from EUR-KEF, where I believe the outbound flight from KEF is double catered.

But I had never seen the upgrade policy written in this way.... "you get the seat, but not the service".

By these rules, if you flying on an economy ticket and get ug'ed to EC, you sit in EC and pay for food and alcohol, or if on an EC ticket and get ug'ed to Saga, you sit in Saga and pay for spirits (but not beer and wine, as these come with EC service).

I really doubt if it comes to that, but I have never seen the policy stated this way. Perhaps this is just a preemptive disclaimer, caused by someone getting an ug and then not a meal, and complained.

Really, with an ug, you get what you get, but I have always found it to be the main benefit of earning the points required for the Gold Card. That and the 2 free nights at an Icelandair Hotel. Just wondered if things are changing.

hordurg

Hmm I'm sure when I checked on the Icelandic version of the SagaClub page the other day id did not say anything about this.

But was checking again, and now it says the same in Icelandic version.

I have a flight back home tomorrow, I will report if anything strange happens, also if anything strange happens during another flight early October.

This would be a pretty big devaluation of Saga Gold membership I think, I normally buy EconComfort tickets so I can enjoy the SagaClass service, but I don't see any big reason doning that anymore if the seat is only upgraded as Comfort is frequently Saga Class seats, so can as well just buy a normal Econ ticket.

But I hope this is just a "just in case" statement.

I also noticed one thing new, now they allow upgrade at check-in counter if there are enough seats available (except when travelling from Iceland).