Originally Posted by
mikebg
That is simply not true. I quote from the EL AL website:
(
http://www.elal.co.il/ELAL/English/M...Guaranteed.htm)
Using an upgrade voucher, you can upgrade M, S, Y class tickets to Business Class.
Tickets in C and I classes can be upgraded to First Class.
... ... ... ...
If you would like to upgrade your flight ticket from Economy Class to Business Class, reservations should be made in D or Z class.
If you would like to upgrade your flight ticket from Business Class to First Class, reservations should be made in class A.
The new system is very strange, as it means that if someone wants a First Class ticket they must take one I and one A seat. The current system only uses the A seat. The number of I seats available is not reduced. I can book the A class (for example) 6 months ahead without making any difference to the I seats available (but the number of A seats will be reduced, of course).
Yes, notice that it says that you can upgrade from M, S and Y classes to business class. That was to get people to make the original bookings in M-class and then upgrade to business (subject to availability of Z or D-class). Travel agents would make bookings in Z or D-class and then issue the ticket using the M, S, or Y fare basis even though those seats were not available. There was no way to stop this with Carmel.