Mar 9, 2015, 6:33 am
Last edit by: Gnopps
*** MOD NOTE: Please do not remove ***
A friendly reminder that Flyertalk is not a marketplace, and nothing may be offered (or solicited) for sale or barter within the general forums - which includes offering vouchers for free. For those with sufficient posts and length of membership, trading/exchange is allowed solely within Coupon Connection, and then only in accordance with the specific rules of that forum.
Please do not attempt to solicit, sell or trade upgrade vouchers within this forum. Posts will be deleted and the members concerned potentially subject to disciplinary action. **Please note that this includes directly using the PM system to do so without first posting in Coupon Connection**. Thanks for your co-operation.
A friendly reminder that Flyertalk is not a marketplace, and nothing may be offered (or solicited) for sale or barter within the general forums - which includes offering vouchers for free. For those with sufficient posts and length of membership, trading/exchange is allowed solely within Coupon Connection, and then only in accordance with the specific rules of that forum.
Please do not attempt to solicit, sell or trade upgrade vouchers within this forum. Posts will be deleted and the members concerned potentially subject to disciplinary action. **Please note that this includes directly using the PM system to do so without first posting in Coupon Connection**. Thanks for your co-operation.
Criteria
- You must be travelling on A3 or OA metal - codeshares are not included.
- The original ticket must be issued on either A3 (390) or OA (050) ticket stock.
- Only revenue (paid) tickets, in fare classes other than U, P & T on a GoLight fare basis, can be upgraded, but not redemption tickets.
- All flights on the ticket must be on A3 or OA metal.
- There must be award availability in I-class for the upgrades to clear. You can check this by logging in to M&B then going to https://en.aegeanair.com/milesandbon...t/spend-miles/ The results page will initially be a calendar. To see Business availability, you have to click through to the next step. (You can also use a free or paid tool such as ANA website, UA website (looking for saver award space), Aeroplan, AwardNexus or ExpertFlyer to check for availability.)
- One coupon per person per journey leg is required - so, for example, TXL-ATH-SKG and return via the same route would require four coupons per person.
- Anyone can be upgraded using the coupons - you do not have to be travelling on the same booking or even the same plane.
Procedure
- Call A3 to request the upgrade. The phone numbers are listed at https://aegeanairlines.custhelp.com/ (most of them should go to the same call centre in Greece).
- If successful, a new ticket will be issued (with a new number). The PNR will remain unchanged.
- You are liable for any extra taxes applicable to Business Class (e.g. APD from the UK). Sometimes this gets charged, sometimes it doesn't - if it's due and you're not charged because the agent forgets, you've just been lucky.
- If there's no immediate I-class availability, you can ask to be waitlisted for upgrade. The ability to waitlist was reported to have been removed in August 2016, but was again possible in September. Check with the agent - option available on May 2018.
- in case you requested to be waitlisted for upgrade and want to check if the customer care agent made the changes on your booking you can check the reservation on checkmytrip.com (click here), the leg you requested the upgrade will be shown here as ”Waitlisted”.
- If you wish to upgrade one segment of a multi-segment trip (e.g. XXX-ATH-YYY) and there is availability on the leg you wish to upgrade, you may still have to be waitlisted due to married segment issues. The process of clearing the waitlist is somewhat confusing and may result in frustration due to the availability seeming to disappear but in reality, this may mean that the segments have been "unmarried" and the availability has been allocated to your reservation. See post 2272 and the update in post 2294 for more details.
Benefits
- No matter what the fare basis of the original ticket, you receive full Business Class benefits after upgrade.
- This includes lounge access (useful if you're upgrading someone other than yourself who has no status, or if you've run out of Silver lounge vouchers) and full baggage allowance (it applies for first leg as well, in case you are upgraded only on the 2nd leg of your trip - confirmed on the etix).
- Because the ticket books as a redemption, the free car hire is not included.
Mileage/segment earning
- You will earn at the underlying rate of your purchased ticket in economy, not at a business class rate. Because status miles are awarded, this also counts as a segment for re-qualification purposes.
- The flights may credit automatically, but may take longer to credit than tickets that have not been changed. They may also credit as 0 miles, and later change to the correct rate. If the flights have not credited properly after a few weeks then calling A3 will rectify this rapidly.
Expiry
- The vouchers expire at the end of your membership year - they do not carry over, even if status is retained. A new set is issued every year.
- It is the date when you use the voucher that matters. It can upgrade a flight that takes place after expiry as long as you apply the voucher before.
- On upgrade from Silver to Gold, any remaining Silver upgrade coupons expire, but they are replaced by four Gold ones which expire at the end of the Gold membership year.
BEWARE
- Once you have upgraded your seat, your ticket will be reissued. Suddenly, this ticket may be VERY expensive to change. If, for instance, you later decide to travel on a different date, you will probably be required to rebook into Business, even if Economy was available for new bookings. A3 will charge you the difference from your original Economy fare to a NEW Business fare. Plus fees, taxes and whatnot. Update 18/08/2021: this appears to no longer be the case, as an upgraded ticket was changed and the underlying Economy fare was used for the upgraded segments. The coupon was "removed" from the old dates and "reapplied" to the new dates.
- Coupons will not be returned/reinstated. Once a coupon is applied, it is gone for good (the T&Cs printed on the coupons allow for date and time changes, but not route changes).
- If you want to provide your coupons to upgrade a friend's travel, it is advisable to call in yourself. Your friend can call in if they know your name, birthdate, M&B-number and the email address associated with your account. That means: Anyone who knows these particulars can use your coupons without your knowledge. They do NOT need the coupon numbers.
- Crediting upgraded segments to another program will likely fail, as it will be reported as I-class. It may be possible to retro-claim the miles.
Seat upgrade coupons
Oct 5, 2016, 1:52 am
#1126
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Komotini - Greece
Programs: A3*G
Posts: 31
Booking class
By the way, if you book directly from Aegean web site, where on earth can you check the booking class before paying the ticket? Is for Example a "Flex" ticket always the kind of ticket that can be upragded to C with vouchers? And are the GoLight booking classes other than the excluded ones that can be upgraded?
Oct 5, 2016, 4:13 am
#1127
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 7
This is so unfair 
I just got silver and was looking forward to using my coupons for a return flight I bought for my mum in U thought it would be a nice surprise for her to upgrade to business
I still think however that A3's economy is far better than other air carriers so there's not much to complain about. It's just annoying when the terms are updated without notice in advance :/
I just got silver and was looking forward to using my coupons for a return flight I bought for my mum in U
thought it would be a nice surprise for her to upgrade to business I still think however that A3's economy is far better than other air carriers so there's not much to complain about. It's just annoying when the terms are updated without notice in advance :/
Oct 5, 2016, 4:35 am
#1128
Community Director
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Norwich, UK
Programs: A3*G, BA Gold, BD Gold (in memoriam), IHG Diamond Ambassador
Posts: 8,473
Unfortunately the fare type is not relevant or helpful here - if only it was that simple! The type just defines the underlying conditions - you can have exactly the same fare bucket in both types. The only way to force a higher fare class is currently to either book through a TA or call A3.
Oct 5, 2016, 5:33 am
#1129
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Athens Greece, Brighton UK
Programs: A3*Gold
Posts: 64
I have filed a complaint with Aegean and encourage all to do so.
I have a reference number. My main argument was that there was no warning of this and that it is a poor show of loyalty. In my case I booked and then found out. In addition, my complaint focused on the fact that there is no way of booking these tickets on their site. I suggested that the flexi-ticket was a more appropriate way of allowing eligibility to this perk. That would at least cover the booking fee and allow us the opportunity to book the fares. Customer relations is: +30210 3550300
The stronger the response, the more likely that there will be some reconsideration.
I have a reference number. My main argument was that there was no warning of this and that it is a poor show of loyalty. In my case I booked and then found out. In addition, my complaint focused on the fact that there is no way of booking these tickets on their site. I suggested that the flexi-ticket was a more appropriate way of allowing eligibility to this perk. That would at least cover the booking fee and allow us the opportunity to book the fares. Customer relations is: +30210 3550300
The stronger the response, the more likely that there will be some reconsideration.
Oct 5, 2016, 6:20 am
#1130
Moderator: British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jan 2009
Programs: Battleaxe Alliance
Posts: 22,127
It's sometime ago now but I flew OTP-ATH on A3 and was genuinely shocked to get a little hot meal in Y on such a short sector. I am led to believe that they are still doing so. I'm sure she will still enjoy the flight regardless.
Oct 5, 2016, 9:39 am
#1131
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Komotini - Greece
Programs: A3*G
Posts: 31
I have filed a complaint with Aegean and encourage all to do so.
I have a reference number. My main argument was that there was no warning of this and that it is a poor show of loyalty. In my case I booked and then found out. In addition, my complaint focused on the fact that there is no way of booking these tickets on their site. I suggested that the flexi-ticket was a more appropriate way of allowing eligibility to this perk. That would at least cover the booking fee and allow us the opportunity to book the fares. Customer relations is: +30210 3550300
The stronger the response, the more likely that there will be some reconsideration.
I have a reference number. My main argument was that there was no warning of this and that it is a poor show of loyalty. In my case I booked and then found out. In addition, my complaint focused on the fact that there is no way of booking these tickets on their site. I suggested that the flexi-ticket was a more appropriate way of allowing eligibility to this perk. That would at least cover the booking fee and allow us the opportunity to book the fares. Customer relations is: +30210 3550300
The stronger the response, the more likely that there will be some reconsideration.
Oct 5, 2016, 11:32 am
#1132
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: MAN,TLV
Programs: Silver:BA,VX,AB, QF. Gold:A3,RJ,AZ,GF, EY,SPG,Marriott,Choice, Carlson. Dia/Plat:HH,IHG,BW,Accor
Posts: 1,965
I'd like to join into this complaining campaign. Is this only possible on the phone speaking to a person?
Oct 5, 2016, 1:22 pm
#1135
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 4,477
I think we should refrain to make complaint towards A3. It is simple, A3's best value is to achieve *G not to upgrade yourself. A3 must have thought through the impact and did their math. If we complaints too loudly, A3 may have to tight the requalification requirement. That is not what we would like to see. I guess what I am saying is, restrict upgrade voucher may cause you to spend more in order to use, but it is better than A3 to raise Gold card requalification to 24,000 with 4 A3 segments (instead 12,000). We know we have to give something back some day. Restriction on seat upgrade voucher is annoying but we should let it go. Unless A3 change its requalification formula then we should get serious.
Oct 5, 2016, 3:53 pm
#1136
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: MAN,TLV
Programs: Silver:BA,VX,AB, QF. Gold:A3,RJ,AZ,GF, EY,SPG,Marriott,Choice, Carlson. Dia/Plat:HH,IHG,BW,Accor
Posts: 1,965
Oct 6, 2016, 2:37 am
#1137
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 5,882
I can actually see them bringing in another level maybe a Platinum type which will be aimed at corporate high yield revenue generators ie: those that book C/Y fare buckets with a higher A3 seg count requirement. Moving to 2 upgrades for Golds ( booking in S and above ) and 4-6 for Plats with no restrictions.
Oct 6, 2016, 4:37 am
#1138
Moderator: Aegean Miles+Bonus
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: AMS / ATH
Programs: AFKL Plat, A3 Gold
Posts: 7,333
To be quite honest I doubt that. Their member base is still small, I would guess too small for another tier level. And it would only make sense for them if a. They attract more members, or b. they have to pay less for benefits using such new system.
Keep in mind that such change will costs them hundreds of thousands of euros to get implemented on their website and IT systems. I'd think that such overhead would be way too much at a time where I am sure they are trying to reduce costs.
I do not think people are complaining about the change per se, the complaints are about the fact that there was no advance notice. Currently the upgraded 40-euro flights will simply cost them money, which I assume is an investment into the members loyalty that they can no longer sustain at this point.
Keep in mind that such change will costs them hundreds of thousands of euros to get implemented on their website and IT systems. I'd think that such overhead would be way too much at a time where I am sure they are trying to reduce costs.
I think we should refrain to make complaint towards A3. It is simple, A3's best value is to achieve *G not to upgrade yourself. A3 must have thought through the impact and did their math. If we complaints too loudly, A3 may have to tight the requalification requirement.
Oct 6, 2016, 6:25 am
#1139
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Netherlands
Programs: KL Platinum; A3 Gold
Posts: 28,694
I think we should refrain to make complaint towards A3. It is simple, A3's best value is to achieve *G not to upgrade yourself. A3 must have thought through the impact and did their math. If we complaints too loudly, A3 may have to tight the requalification requirement. That is not what we would like to see. I guess what I am saying is, restrict upgrade voucher may cause you to spend more in order to use, but it is better than A3 to raise Gold card requalification to 24,000 with 4 A3 segments (instead 12,000). We know we have to give something back some day. Restriction on seat upgrade voucher is annoying but we should let it go. Unless A3 change its requalification formula then we should get serious.
The change is just effectively adding a monetary requirement to the coupons (the requirement to pay extra for an "upgradable" fare class where previously every class was upgradable).
Silvers get 2 upgrade coupons, which further incentivises them to fly the at least 2 sectors (the 2 sectors required to reduce their requalification threshold). The upgrades were only ever granted on a space-available basis, so it was never guaranteed that you would get them. What harm was it to upgrade a silver member on at most two sectors if there was no-one else in that seat? And the lure of an upgrade on any ticket may have convinced you to "try again" and fly on A3 when you had other options in order to benefit from the coupon.
Similar for Gold, but with 4 upgrade coupons as an extra incentive to fly at least 4 (or more!) sectors.
(It must further be noted that the 4 sectors/4 upgrade coupons never acted as an incentive to buy business class travel....so the coupons (in particular) were only ever going to incentivise additional economy class purchases. The requirement to avoid U,P,T now classes now acts as a new disincentive to make additional economy class purchases)
Last edited by irishguy28; Oct 6, 2016 at 6:40 am