Originally Posted by
mherdeg
If the Asiana flight is oversold in your booked class of service, the fact that you are an elite-level frequent flyer with an Asiana partner airline (United) may lead to your being "operationally upgraded" (pushed into a higher class of service because they oversold coach), but op ups are pretty rare. That's your only hope for a "free" upgrade flying on a Star Alliance economy award ticket.
Got bumped from economy to business on a Thai flight last week from HKG to BKK. It came as quite a surprise! I was waiting in the *A Gold line for boarding and the person in front of me got upgraded. When I handed my ticket over, it did the double beep when they scanned it, and I was handed a new ticket. The upgrade was an emergency exit row business seat - loads of space in front of me to stare at.
I didn't bother looking to see if economy was filled or wondered too hard on why I got upgraded. Only a 2.5 hour flight, but I was not going to look at a gift horse in the mouth!