Originally Posted by
Crampedin13A
Actually I fully understand this. It is the term "protecting the integrity of the cabin" that makes me laugh. I do remember when BA flew with empty seats in CW and F but now they ram them with random passengers. I agree you shouldn't nurture an expectation for top status passengers to get upgraded all the time like with NA airlines. I still don't understand why BA's higher status fliers can't be given an opportunity to UuA at T-24 or less rather than random op-ups for free. BA would still be further ahead revenue wise as an Avios liability would be drawn down.
BA do not ram their premium cabins full of random people, or at least they do not view it this way. Unless the rear cabins are oversold there will be no upgrades - there is no commercial reason to do so. IF the rear cabins are oversold then there will be upgrades, there are several ways you can do this - many on this board would suggest that frequent fliers and those with status should get these upgrades. To a certain extent this is the case, but BA also use this as an opportunity for those close to a status jump to show them a higher class of travel, the belief being that show them a glimpse of something better and they will be more inclined to pay for it next time. The flip side of this is that FFs would soon learn to use the various tools online to identify which flights are liable to status upgrades so preferentially travel on these flights and to gain upgrades for free. Better to use these upgrades as a upselling tool than to gift free upgrades to no sales advantage. Either way, you get what you pay for and free upgrades are just that, BA decide who they want to give them to, in this sense it is their train set and they get to decide who they give away upgrades to.