Originally Posted by
Globaliser
Be careful what you wish for.
My usual experience on another Big Airline that runs the other system has been that you simply find out 9 months earlier that you have no upgrade.
On an admittedly small base (because I fly too many QF sectors on a BA code), I'm running at 100% on the QF system at the moment. If in the long term, if QF delivers 60-70% as its emails suggest, that's a pretty good rate.
strange that you should mention that! I was just thinking last night that qf recently implemented a strategy where they guaranteed the lowest airfare... if you book with qf then find it cheaper elsewhere they will refund you the difference.
qf is quoted as saying that they wanted you to stay on their website and complete the sale... not go elsewhere.
part of me thinks this whole standby upgrade is merely to keep your hopes up and buy the ticket... if you already knew 9 months in advance you had no chance of getting the upgrade then you may well fly someone else.
most airlines have sophisticated seating programs... they know for example which flights are more likely to have no shows (they tell us this all the time in their overbooking policy). I reckon by the same count they also know exactly how many seats they will have open in higher classes for upgrade.
why not be transparent and tell us?
I can't remember the newsletter exactly... but were the upgrade per centages only in reference to international? or did it include domestic?