SAA Paying For Last Minute Premium Class Upgrade
Sep 28, 2008, 1:23 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2005
Programs: SQ *Gold
Posts: 871
SAA Paying For Last Minute Premium Class Upgrade
Is there a set price for last minute premium class upgrades on SAA? I paid for an upgrade on a flight from MNC-JNB once and it cost EUR1,000. I'm wondering if its roughly the same price at other airports (adjusted for currency) and/or if this is something they offer at all everywhere.
Sep 29, 2008, 6:37 am
#2
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Previously LAX now JNB
Programs: SAA Gold/US2/Starwood Platinum
Posts: 69
SAA upgrades
they don't. I am Gold with SAA and tried several times when I was commuting between the US and JNB across 06/early 07 before moving to SA in April last year.
Sep 29, 2008, 12:52 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2005
Programs: SQ *Gold
Posts: 871
Well, I definitely paid for an upgrade on an SAA flight from Munich to Johannesburg and the price was EUR1,000. I paid for the upgrade at Munich airport, at the ticketing desk by the gate past security.
Can anyone shed any light on this seeming discrepancy? One factor might have been that my original flight ticket was booked on Swiss (economy class) though we were placed on an SAA flight because our Swiss flight was cancelled due to weather.
Can anyone shed any light on this seeming discrepancy? One factor might have been that my original flight ticket was booked on Swiss (economy class) though we were placed on an SAA flight because our Swiss flight was cancelled due to weather.
Sep 30, 2008, 1:18 pm
#6
Ambassador, Emirates
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: LGW / AMS / CPT
Programs: SA KL BA EK
Posts: 4,273
Oct 1, 2008, 6:02 am
#8
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: BRU
Programs: LH SEN, SN Gold, Eurostar Carte Blanche, BA, QF, AF
Posts: 6,856
Well, I definitely paid for an upgrade on an SAA flight from Munich to Johannesburg and the price was EUR1,000. I paid for the upgrade at Munich airport, at the ticketing desk by the gate past security.
Can anyone shed any light on this seeming discrepancy? One factor might have been that my original flight ticket was booked on Swiss (economy class) though we were placed on an SAA flight because our Swiss flight was cancelled due to weather.
Can anyone shed any light on this seeming discrepancy? One factor might have been that my original flight ticket was booked on Swiss (economy class) though we were placed on an SAA flight because our Swiss flight was cancelled due to weather.
Oct 1, 2008, 12:47 pm
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2005
Programs: SQ *Gold
Posts: 871
It seems odd though that the upgrade cost was precisely EUR1,000. If I were just paying the fare difference, I would think that it would most likely not be such a round number...
The ticketing agent I dealt with was Lufthansa... perhaps they just applied Lufthansa rules to an SAA flight?
I know that other Star Alliance carriers also offer paid last minute business class upgrades. I've done so on Swiss and United before and on United they even offered it on the electronic check-in terminal. Price: GBP450 for an LHR-SFO flight.
The ticketing agent I dealt with was Lufthansa... perhaps they just applied Lufthansa rules to an SAA flight?
I know that other Star Alliance carriers also offer paid last minute business class upgrades. I've done so on Swiss and United before and on United they even offered it on the electronic check-in terminal. Price: GBP450 for an LHR-SFO flight.
Jan 22, 2014, 3:59 am
#10
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: CPH-HAM-NCE-MCM
Programs: SK*D, HHonors D
Posts: 26
Checked this thread before my trip in class W this week, and tried my luck. We ended up paying 990€ each pax for an upgrade from W to C on a trip from MUC-JNB. Searching expertflyer for seats before departure, no "available" status, but 9 was "Blocked by airline". 3h before departure, though, we upgraded 4 people with success - for that one leg. So it seems like a fixed price policy.
Aug 25, 2014, 12:55 pm
#11
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 144
This thread is a bit dusty so I wanted to follow up.
Has anyone had any luck recently (this year?) with day-of-the-flight or over the counter upgrades? Are the fares reasonable?
I've got a flight with them coming up soon and when I called their call center they gave me a very reasonable quote for upgrading a Y fare to J. I wonder if they've changed their policy and if seats go unsold until the day of the flight they would make "promotions".
Cheers.
Has anyone had any luck recently (this year?) with day-of-the-flight or over the counter upgrades? Are the fares reasonable?
I've got a flight with them coming up soon and when I called their call center they gave me a very reasonable quote for upgrading a Y fare to J. I wonder if they've changed their policy and if seats go unsold until the day of the flight they would make "promotions".
Cheers.
Aug 25, 2014, 1:53 pm
#12
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: N/A
Programs: UA 1K, BA Gold, LH/SN/LX Senator
Posts: 449
This thread is a bit dusty so I wanted to follow up.
Has anyone had any luck recently (this year?) with day-of-the-flight or over the counter upgrades? Are the fares reasonable?
I've got a flight with them coming up soon and when I called their call center they gave me a very reasonable quote for upgrading a Y fare to J. I wonder if they've changed their policy and if seats go unsold until the day of the flight they would make "promotions".
Has anyone had any luck recently (this year?) with day-of-the-flight or over the counter upgrades? Are the fares reasonable?
I've got a flight with them coming up soon and when I called their call center they gave me a very reasonable quote for upgrading a Y fare to J. I wonder if they've changed their policy and if seats go unsold until the day of the flight they would make "promotions".