<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Threy:
I actually appreciate KLM`s strict rules on free upgrading, RW`s and SW`s first but only, if Coach is oversold.
It is absolutely common throughout europe and throughout the industry, the US is certainly excluded.
In addition to that, upgrades from AMS are handled by AMS ground staff only, that is another rule, confirmed by the senior ground staff agent for KLM in DUS, working for KLM for nearly two decades, actually they have been outsourced about three years ago and work for AHS now.
There are certainly a lot of things to complain about throughout the FD programm, but I don`t think that their upgrade rules are that bad...
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I don't mind the basic thrust of the policy. It's fair enough for them not to upgrade if they do not have to, as long as everybody is treated the same (with relevant differentiation factored in: elite status, fare paid, etc...)
Handling by AMS ground staff only means that those originating in AMS are systematically privileged, in that they might benefit from an operational upg at check-in, whereas those on transfer from another flight will not. It seems to me that, in all fairness, operational upgrades should be handled by gate agents, and possibly lounge agents as well, not at check-in in AMS.