Originally Posted by
SDQBound
Well, on my last CDG-IAD flight upgrades from W to J were not offered before or during check-in. Asked at the airport and they were asking something in the 800s. J was not very full, but right after the "PNC boarding finished" PA message, the Y to J parade started. When the door was closed, J was full. So carnavon's suggestion might be the more plausible
Flying in J, I always witnessed the "Y to J parade after the door closes" on the HKG or BKK route. And that is quite frustrating. I now fly AF rarely, but I have AF friends on both sides of the route, and they "expect" that their family/friends get the parade, whether Y is full or not. Actually they feel that their chances are better if Y/PE is not full (no opup).
I even heard a gossip, and I treat it as such, that unions insist that this perk be built into the IT system by leaving some J seats not filled by paid upgrades.