Originally Posted by
dmp1991
Let's just be clear that award seats are different from free upgrades. Award seats cost me a currency (Avios) whereas the later cost me nothing. I argue that it is in the airline's favor to get me to spend my Avios balance down, especially if it is at a less favorable exchange rate to the £ than I might otherwise get from whole reward flights.
All very well, however as noted already BA (and many other European airlines) do not take the view that it is always in their favour to allow avios upgrades for all unbookee seats.
Also free status or miles upgrades are not really free, how many flights have you had to take to earn the avios, SWU, or GUF? There is always a cost even if it is not directly incurred on actioning the upgrade.