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
Nov 16, 2017, 6:02 pm
#1562
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: NW London and NW Sydney
Programs: BA Diamond, Hilton Bronze, A3 Diamond, IHG *G
Posts: 6,343
A week left to use my coupons for the current year, but struggling to find something suitable, either too cheap or too expensive.
The fare difference between golight/flex is Ł76 return (+ Ł13 UK APD extra) and I certainly wouldn't pay that to upgrade on any other European airline unless it was definitely a long-haul plane with a proper J seat. On A3 it does mean a proper meal and a bit more spacious and quiet, but still not sure it's really worth it especially on the LHR-ATH redeye where I'm not particularly keen on eating and drinking excessively at midnight.
Don't know if visiting SKG in January is advisable and might as well wait until the new ATH lounge is ready, but fares go up in spring and summer...
The fare difference between golight/flex is Ł76 return (+ Ł13 UK APD extra) and I certainly wouldn't pay that to upgrade on any other European airline unless it was definitely a long-haul plane with a proper J seat. On A3 it does mean a proper meal and a bit more spacious and quiet, but still not sure it's really worth it especially on the LHR-ATH redeye where I'm not particularly keen on eating and drinking excessively at midnight.
Don't know if visiting SKG in January is advisable and might as well wait until the new ATH lounge is ready, but fares go up in spring and summer...
Nov 17, 2017, 1:30 am
#1563
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Paris
Programs: Miles&Bonus *G
Posts: 318
Nov 19, 2017, 6:41 am
#1564
Join Date: Dec 2009
Programs: A3*G, Marriott Gold, Hilton Honors Gold, Radisson Rewards Premium
Posts: 851
Quick question for you A3 gurus out there: if my upgrade coupon is listed as expiring on 24/11/2017 does that mean I have until 23:59 on 23/11 or on 24/11 to use it? I have an upcoming reservation with 1 waitlisted segment but it looks like that won't clear before the voucher expires so I'd like to apply it to one of the other flights on the reservation (domestic so not great but still better than letting the voucher expire). However, I want to wait until as late as possible so that I'm not in a situation where revenue management opens an I class seat for me on the international and then there's no voucher available (unlikely but I want to be sure). I will get 4 new vouchers once my new membership year starts so I will then have a coupon to cover the waitlisted segment again.
Thanks in advance!
Thanks in advance!
Nov 23, 2017, 4:21 am
#1566
Join Date: Dec 2009
Programs: A3*G, Marriott Gold, Hilton Honors Gold, Radisson Rewards Premium
Posts: 851
Quick question for you A3 gurus out there: if my upgrade coupon is listed as expiring on 24/11/2017 does that mean I have until 23:59 on 23/11 or on 24/11 to use it? I have an upcoming reservation with 1 waitlisted segment but it looks like that won't clear before the voucher expires so I'd like to apply it to one of the other flights on the reservation (domestic so not great but still better than letting the voucher expire). However, I want to wait until as late as possible so that I'm not in a situation where revenue management opens an I class seat for me on the international and then there's no voucher available (unlikely but I want to be sure). I will get 4 new vouchers once my new membership year starts so I will then have a coupon to cover the waitlisted segment again.
Thanks in advance!
Thanks in advance!
Edited to add: the A3 agent just called me back and said she was wrong, the coupon would still be valid tomorrow. ;-) However, she also said that the waitlist was unlikely to clear in the next 24 hours so to re-request that once the new coupons arrive.
Last edited by gpb_croppers63; Nov 23, 2017 at 4:33 am Reason: A3 called back! ;-)
Nov 24, 2017, 4:37 am
#1567
Join Date: Dec 2009
Programs: A3*G, Marriott Gold, Hilton Honors Gold, Radisson Rewards Premium
Posts: 851
Here's my update from today. ;-) I saw the 4 new coupons in my account so rang up to upgrade the last domestic sector and to put the other international sector back on the waitlist. It was all done quickly and efficiently as usual. Before hanging up, I asked the agent about the changed airport upgrade policy and she confirmed that it was possible at check-in but only if you're already on the waitlist, as the airport can't see the coupons so doesn't know whether you have any available. A confirmed waitlist however shows that A3 reservations have checked that and the upgrade can be processed regardless of I class availability. That seems to make sense to me so my advice is definitely get on the waitlist even if you don't think it will clear, as otherwise you may not be able to upgrade at the airport. Hope that info helps!
Before hanging up, I asked the agent about the changed airport upgrade policy and she confirmed that it was possible at check-in but only if you're already on the waitlist, as the airport can't see the coupons so doesn't know whether you have any available. A confirmed waitlist however shows that A3 reservations have checked that and the upgrade can be processed regardless of I class availability. That seems to make sense to me so my advice is definitely get on the waitlist even if you don't think it will clear, as otherwise you may not be able to upgrade at the airport. Hope that info helps!
Nov 24, 2017, 10:10 am
#1568
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 13
Nov 25, 2017, 8:54 am
#1569
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: CPH
Programs: SK, A3, QR
Posts: 220
I've been looking to book a return CPH-ATH-TLV with A3 to get my 4 sectors and found very reasonable tickets at 175 EUR. The tickets book into P in Go Light, so cannot use the upgrades. Am a bit unsure whether it is worth it to spend the extra euros - about 40 each way - to getting a flex fare ticket, as the upgrade is still uncertain and I'll most certainly be waitlisted. I'm already quite impressed with A3 in Y and I'll have lounge access in Athens already. Any input?
FWIW I've been doing some research and it seems the fare bucket changes to category S at 125 EUR per way, at least for this particular route. Don't know if anyone has other experience as to how cheaply a Go Light-ticket not in U, P or T class can be bought?
FWIW I've been doing some research and it seems the fare bucket changes to category S at 125 EUR per way, at least for this particular route. Don't know if anyone has other experience as to how cheaply a Go Light-ticket not in U, P or T class can be bought?
Nov 25, 2017, 1:53 pm
#1571
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: PAS, Paros Greece
Programs: A3 *G
Posts: 1,369
I've been looking to book a return CPH-ATH-TLV with A3 to get my 4 sectors and found very reasonable tickets at 175 EUR. The tickets book into P in Go Light, so cannot use the upgrades. Am a bit unsure whether it is worth it to spend the extra euros - about 40 each way - to getting a flex fare ticket, as the upgrade is still uncertain and I'll most certainly be waitlisted. I'm already quite impressed with A3 in Y and I'll have lounge access in Athens already. Any input?
FWIW I've been doing some research and it seems the fare bucket changes to category S at 125 EUR per way, at least for this particular route. Don't know if anyone has other experience as to how cheaply a Go Light-ticket not in U, P or T class can be bought?
FWIW I've been doing some research and it seems the fare bucket changes to category S at 125 EUR per way, at least for this particular route. Don't know if anyone has other experience as to how cheaply a Go Light-ticket not in U, P or T class can be bought?
From what I've noticed of the fares I've bought, it is cheaper to buy a P class fare and pay for Flex than to wait for S class in GoLight, whereas if only U or T are available, It's cheaper to wait for the S class fare than to pay the extra 40 euro for Flex.
Dec 5, 2017, 9:41 am
#1574
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Maribor SLO
Programs: MM silver, Flying blue Platinum, A3 gold, Marriott platinum, IHG gold
Posts: 132
Update about my upgrade: at OLCI I was able to get business class seat so waitlist obviously cleared. No email received before (this was usual when I got upgraded by coupons). Called and checked return flight (2 days later) - still waitlisted.
Dec 6, 2017, 8:03 am
#1575
Join Date: Dec 2009
Programs: A3*G, Marriott Gold, Hilton Honors Gold, Radisson Rewards Premium
Posts: 851