Comp upgrades
 

While I am still trying to figure out why i haven't gotten a comp upgrade from AC so far http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif, would like to do a interesting little survey here:

- Have you ever got a comp upgrade from AC?
- What was the reason for the comp upgrade?
- Did you ask and what was your status?

Somewhere between several and many. Never asked for one (too shy). Reasons many and varied. The most recent few (last 6 months):

YYC-YOW redeye - had a confirmed u/g on a full Y ticket, but oversold in Y so they had called the lounge to upgrade me before I arrived from my connection. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

YVR-YOW last flight of the afternoon - full Y ticket standing by for upgrade. At the gate they called my upgrade, took my BP and said 'we are not collecting vouchers today'.

YOW-YVR checked in at kiosk and got a screen I'd never seen before offering me comp u/g. Not a fullfare ticket, but continuation of a flight from Europe.

To summarize: full-fare helps (it d**n well should) and I have always had a vague feeling that domestic segments of international tickets seem to get comp upgrades far more often than otherwise, at least on rapidair routes. Anyone else?

I was once offered a comp on a YVR - YOW leg. Unfortunately I had already received a requested upgrade at check in and surrendered my coupons.

Several time, but I went through a 2 year "dry" period until about a month ago.

I recieved comp upgrades in 1998 for being a Prestige, and since 1999 as an Elite.

Reason has ALWAYS been oversolf Y cabin. Routes have been:
YYZ-YVR
YYZ-BOS
YYZ-YYC

Empress.

NO

NO

AND

NO.

I don't understand why, i travel well dressed, (i think so), i am polite...

It would be interesting to ask the odd gate agent that checks in as to what they use to decide who they are going give the comps to..

It would be nice, however i have more upgrade certs than i really know what to do with.

Empress, maybe you need to be more flirtatious http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

My first ever comp upgrade happened last month and some how I got lucky on the return trip. But comp upgrades for me are very rare, as I am almost always denied the upgrade.

AC 899 YVR-ICN June 05. I was booked on a 'V' class fare and uneligible to use Elite SWU. Upon arrival at the gate for the flight, I was called up to the desk and they exchanged my Y class boarding pass for J class with "ML*1" remarks.

AC 898 ICN-YVR June 19. I was told by the check-in agent that AC had upgraded my flight to J prior to the departure date. The agent was shaking her head and complaining to the person in charge about 'V' class fare receiving comp upgrade. I guess they rarely give comp ugrades in ICN?

The reason for the comp upgrades was due to oversold flights. I thought that was strange, as the other flights I took in April were also oversold, but I was stuck in Y.

I am guessing the comp upgrades are sometimes hit and miss on AC. I noticed a few others who received comp upgrades had NO status with AC or any * carrier.

Flying buffalo:

This suggests to me what I've suspected: fare matters much more than status for comps.

Fair(fare?) enough, I suppose, since elites on cheaper fares should have upgraded already if they want to sit in the nice seats. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

Ooops.... I forgot to mention in my list of routes that I recieved a comp upgrade:
LHR-YYZ on a 747-400... booked in L class and I was Prestige!!!

does CP/AC count? the last "comp" I received was on CP metal on Xmas day, 2000. Used points to fly YYC-YYZ on an 11 am flight and showed up at the airport to get a standby earlier flight. The check-in agent told me there were plenty of seats available and proceeded to book me on the earlier flight. We chatted about the Christmas Eve crush and the red-eye mad dash that she worked through and that she was looking forward to the xmas breakfast that AC was arranging for all of the employees that morning. Then she handed me the boarding pass, smiled and wished me a merry xmas and a smooth flight.

I looked at the pass - J class. she comped an award ticket!!!!

ho ho ho! merry xmas indeed...

not only did I get a comp upgrade on an award seat, but b/c she stuck me in J, i got Q POINTS and CLASS OF SERVICE BONUS as well. I was so amazed that I had to print out the CPlus statement just to make sure.

how's that for a surprise gift from the airline that seems to go out of it's way to irritate?

However, that seems to be the LAST time I saw a comp from Air Canada. No mercy, especially on the coupon beggin' L fares.

I received a comp upgrade last week. My father died unexpectedly, called AC booked a ticket on the next available, which ended up getting cancelled... was rebooked on a different flight 2 hrs later, and was upgraded to J with apologies of the staff. FYI this was a reward ticket, not a revenue ticket (couldn't afford to purchase a last minute ticket).

The extra space was much appreciated.

Not on AC, but once on LH. I had a purchased J ticket FRA-YYZ, and I had checked in really early and then left the airport to go to a business meeting not far away. I used my AC Elite card to go to the Senator lounge until they started to board the plane. When I handed in my boarding card, they said, "We have a new seat for you sir" and gave me a red boarding pass with a big "F" on it. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

A very nice flight indeed! Apparently Y was oversold, so they started to bump people up!

I received a couple on CP due to an oversold Y cabin. None so far on AC (but I never ask).

My CP days were before my time on this board so I wasn't even aware of comp upgrades until this year. With CP, though, I did get sticker upgrades on non-eligible fares several times. This year with AC, I did get one (without asking) from HNL-YYC after a very minor problem with Y seating assignment. On another HNL-YYZ flight the same (very pleasant )agent was quite apologetic that she couldn't give one. The only other one this year was when I was on my first leg of a J-class MHD, taking my daughter to the YVR FT gathering (on a webasver). I asked about the possibility of allowing her to sit with me. Although the gate agents noted that the ticket was ineligible, they said to leave it with them and shortly after I was paged in the MLL. I very much appreciated that gesture.

My sense is that the crucial factor in many cases is the gate agent who filters all of the other information (tier status, fare basis, etc.) before making the assignments. I've also been denied an u/g on an eligible ticket by a cranky g/a

On a flight from YQT to YYZ, I asked at check in if there were any comp upgrades.The young lady asked if I would like one.I said sure and she gives me a seat in J.
Also have a friend in YYZ who is a gate agent.If he is working,I usually have a better than 50/50 chance,no matter what fare.
I do pay more than my share for tickets to achieve Elite,so I consider this a nice benefit.