DELLAS

I dont think it was suggested that in house staff created it . Its the decision to implement this technology that really matters.

swingaling

Ah, gotcha. Well perhaps they'll do a better job of it than the other implementations I've seen. The pricing I've been quoted when travelling on CX, MH and BI have been really poor value across the board.

FlyerTalker688786

I assume whomever developed the bidding process will take a cut each time a customer purchase an upgrade. I was offered few time son other airliner but never took any offers nor made any bid. Although I had historically bought upgrade when check-in for a flight in airport. I dislike the principle of bidding for upgrade in heart. But good luck to all had bid in the process.

DELLAS

On a few trips I have used it with IB and SK I have to say it worked very well for me and they were accepted. I have people I know who do it on other airlines with mixed reports.

nk15

Another lame development in A3's race to the bottom...

fransknorge

So that explains the Greek email I received about a future flight, where it seems I could do something to get business seat to flight to EVN. Well it has worked ok for me with SK, which uses the same technology called Olusgrade. As long as they maintain the coupons I am ok with this.

East_and_West

Perhaps it's just me, but it seems like a waste of money to fly J on intra-European flights, especially as a *G (long-haul is a completely different story of course). The reasons I seldom pay for J in such trips (unless I get upgraded, or m employer agrees to reimburse it) are the following:
1. As *G you get priority check in, priority tags on your bags, lounge access, and priority boarding anyway.
2. In all European carriers I ve flown J seats are basically Y seats with a free seat in the middle and non-existent IFE (the only exception among European airlines being TK, with comfortable business seats and good IFE)
3. The flight is anyway too short for the remaining J advantages over Y (if any) to make some real difference.

Ok you may get better food, and perhaps better service (which in this case is basically restricted to a faster refill), but that's pretty much where J benefits end. So even paying even an extra €100 (which I doubt it is sufficient to get me an upgrade) in order to get a slightly better meal, and eat with metal cutlery instead of plastic ones, sounds way too much to me. Even in an pricey city such as Stockholm or Copenhagen this amount can get you a three-course meal with wine at a nice restaurant for one person, or a decent meal for two people; I would rather spend it on that than on a lukewarm airplane meal. But again, that's just my point of view, and different people have a different takes on that...

Yup, that's also my experience.

GBobon

tried once with LATAM from MAD to FRA, 50$ bid, accepted. totally worth it, lounge access and great onboard service for a 2.5h flight.

headingwest

I'm not sure if you're a oneworld status passenger or not, but if you don't have lounge access by virtue of status then I quite understand that $50 is indeed good value. However, as an A3*G member who always travels with hand luggage, I see very little value in paying a minimum of 85 EUR - the lowest possible bid offer. As far as I can see that only thing that would get me, besides the empty next seat, is a better meal. I know A3 shorthaul catering is better than most airlines, but I don't value it at 85-375 EUR!!!

GBobon

@headingwest, i am not big fan of OW, so I do not have any status there... I flew that route with LATAM just for fun and was better to spend couple of hours (between connections) on Iberia lounge instead of staying in the terminal for 50usd.

headingwest

Makes sense. Plus they have a 'real' business class seat which must have been nice! Aegean certainly doesn't offer that.

GBobon

maybe they will choose real business class seats for these new airbuses..

KLouis

These times are long gone . Name one European airline outside TK that has "real business class seats". This would only make sense if they had dedicated planes for their summer routes which, in the vast majority (or is it all of them?), don't offer business class.

GBobon

@KLouis, afaik KLM has some, and TAROM (old but very comfy on their B737 cl and A318)? and from Russia, Aeroflot, S7 Airlines (great airlines both of them)

headingwest

Did Aegean used to have different business class seating, or have they always had the standard seats for both cabins?