TATL Upgrades using Skymiles and SWUs on Air France/KLM

Some useful info on upgrading (or actually not upgrading) on Skyteam partners….

I was thrilled when DL finally code shared the two daily AF MIA - CDG flights as I visit Paris regularly and MIA is only 30 miles or so from my home in FLL. Imagine my disappointment when I tried to upgrade into BE on these flights – there appears to be no availability at all – for any day! Infact the agent who looked for me told me DL only buys two BE seats on one flight and one seat on the other. All seats are held for full fare passengers. Given the no-upgrade-on-the-day policy it’s unlikely there will be any chance of getting an upgrade on those flights.

I also asked the SMS agent if there was any chance of AF upgrading PMs “to-be-nice” (rather than for operational reasons) and he said both AF and South-African do not upgrade their elites except with purchased certificates (bought with miles.).

…. So for the DL loyal in South Florida, looks like we’re still going via ATL if we need BE upgrades …..

No upgrade on AF is a real Skyteam concern.
Not knowing the number of available Delta seats on a codeshare flight is an another one.

But, and see my post under SKYTEAM, the real cocnern is that we now are no more suppose to buy our tickets to Air France or Delta.

According to their advertisement, AND the difference they make between AF, DELTA, and others (UNITED, and othere codeshared partners not part of the alliance), we could be able to buy to SKYTEAM.
But Skyteam DOES NOT EXIST. Sorry, that is my conclusion.
It does not exist for upgrades, it does not exist for common procedures (boarding, lounges,;..) and does not exist to buy a comon ticket from A to B. You habe to buy A to C to Delta and C to B to Air france.

Skyteam has to be invented. I welcome here all possible Delta and AF employees that would get to really good ideas on this thema.

Little will change about SK***AM. It is an alliance in name only and is a cosmetic response to DL's failure to impelment a truly global alliance. Having been bested yet again by its competitors, the best DL could do is create this facade. As so many posts have explained, once you look behind it, there is no there, there.

What are the chances? How do I do it?

bribe them

[This message has been edited by airpolo (edited 05-18-2002).]

It happened once to me, but I don't know the secret. I guess they just needed the business class seat for someone else.

AF personnel in France DO accept bribes, I know this for a FACT!

Pan Am Clipper Club receptionists were legendary for being receptive to up-grading (with a VERY polite handshake), of course.

Tell us what the magic amount is, as I do not want to be the source of inflation. hahaha

Got these 4 (four) Air France Business Class Upgrade certificates at the New York Film Festival last fall. The Delta / Skyteam program does not work for my travel needs anymore, so these certs. are up for grabs.

These Certificates are Valid for one way L’Escape Affaires Business Class upgrade from a one-way unrestricted full Economy (Y) fare ticket on Air France operated transatlantic flights from U.S. to Paris, and on connecting Air France operated flights beyond Paris to Europe. Further terms and conditions apply (on reverse side of the certs).

Make upgrade reservations as early as 30 days prior to departure. Subject to availability of D class. Fare Basis Code: DYFIUP. Applicable Fare: Full Y fare. Depart by Aug 31, 2003; Return by Sep.15, 2003

E-mail me if you or someone you know can use some or all of them. Not looking for anything in return, but in case someone has lounge access passes for any airline (preferably CO or NW), and deem it to be a fair exchange for these Certificates, then I’d gladly accept those.

Pleasant flights to all!

[Cross-posted in Coupon Connection and Air France forums]

Edited to add:
As my FT email address isn't one that I check that often, it would be much better if you could post here when you send me your e-mail so I can go ahead and check.



[This message has been edited by knit-in (edited 07-08-2003).]

A very generous offer, knit-in!

All gone. Thanks for your interest!

I'm going to London in November (from LAX) and plan to upgrade using miles. Normally I go Delta metal through ATL or CVG to LGW. But there are two AF codeshares (connecting in CDG) from LAX, and it would be nice to do the long haul in one long haul. I recalled that Al'Italia doesn't (or at least when I last checked a year or so ago) allow upgrades using skymiles, so I thought I'd call and check. The agent I spoke to on the special members service line says yes, you can upgrade on AF metal, no problem, sir. But reading of the repeated distrust of phone agents on this forum, I thought I'd check with the gurus. So -- can you?

Yes you can; however, AF has 3 classes and DL only 2 on int. flights. I prefer DL B/E over AF biz. I have heard that AF is upgrading their biz class but I don't know the staus of it.

If you booked your ticket through DL you'll have no problem upgrading to biz on the AF flight LAX-CDG, as long as standard upgrade space is available and your ticket is Y/B/M. As USCGamecock said, AF biz isn't as great - get a bulkhead or else the lack in pitch (45-50"-ish i think) will have you wedged in.

If you booked through AF, Y or K fares only. The new biz class is as of yet only available to EWR and PHL, and will be on one JFK rt as of Sept 27th.