Originally Posted by SS255

And if it were your 40th birthday, maybe you'd get the "mercy upgrade."

Good luck.

Originally Posted by elitefreak

1. Pray that coach is oversold.

2. Be Plat

3. Ask when you check in to confirm that coach is oversold. Ask if they are looking yet for Plat volunteers to be moved up to BF. Note to the agent that it is your birthday (and you do have proof, right?)

4. If (3) doesn't pan out immediately, find the concierge for your flight (not the easiest thing to do - usually at the gate and maybe an hour before departure) and politely let him/her know that you understand the flight is oversold, that you are Plat, THAT YOU WILL BE CELBREATING YOUR BIRTHDAY IN-FLIGHT, and that you would be available to move into BF "to help their oversold situation".

Good luck.

PS - My favorite op-up success story was on a 757 to somewhere in Europe (eew - a 757 in coach to Europe?!). Traveling with my colleague, I let the concierge know that I was available if needed (flight was supposedly oversold) and was traveling with one colleague. My colleage boards early; I wait to see if I will win the lottery. BINGO! Gate agent delivers my two BF boarding passes. I board the plane - my colleague is sitting in the first row of coach with a grimace on her face. I grimace back as if to say "sorry, not this time" . . . and then I wave our new BF boarding passes in her face. We were so happy - BF was never sweeter.