Hi All:

Just had a nice talk with the Comair lounge agent in CPT Domestic...as I was waiitng for my flight...and we got around to the topic of upgrades....

I told her that I have been getting quite a bit of upgrade lately (about 75%) for all my trips on Comair between JNB, CPT, DUR and asked her if it was because I was gold? She informed me that Comair, unlike BA international flights, does not do the upgrades online or at check-in, and in fact only processes upgrade 25 minute before boarding. THis is done at the LOUNGE only. What surprised me was the fact that the basis of the upgrade was less on Status and more on fare class... So, a Silver with Y class ticket would be upgraded before a Gold card holder holding B fare. Only in instances where two passengers were holding Y fares and one was a silver and the other was gold, would gold get first priority.

Since most of my travels are on Y within South Africa, that would probably explain why I get upgraded more often, and not necessarily because I am
gold.

Edit to add: THis would explain why Lounge agents ask to take the boarding passes of Gold and Silver members entering the Terrace lounges and return to them once the flight is called. When I first arrived in South Africa last year, I found that rather odd - I thought they kept the boarding passes so that you dont steal anything when you walk out, and only then would they give you back your boarding pass. It's South africa after all!