YEG ex Executive Platinum

I've just requested an upgrade on this flight with a SSWU and put on a wait list. Anyone with any recent experience on this sector to advise chances of getting in the front cabin? If an upgradeable seat opens up, will they notify before check in?

Clipper801

I have problem trying to find more than 1 upgrade seat on the AC007 for November 2006 at 11 months out.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=517250

Even though you are on the waitlist, an SE calling later than you will jump the queue to get any upgrade seat being released before you.

Keep us posted whether your waitlist clears before check in.

k22

At J1 I0, doesn't look too good I'm afraid. Best of luck!

yyzDJ

I've never had much luck on this segment. Last time I flew, however, it showed J1 I0, and to my luck the plane was oversold in Y. I was the fortunate soul who got the last J seat -- and without having to use an SSWU! ^

shore9

My parents are going YVR - PVG, PEK - YVR, I got them a full Y fare off ac.com, because it is fully refundable, the upgrade cleared one direction, but not the outbound flight. If it doesn't clear within time, they have the option to pay up to executive class, or goto another carrier, and my choice would be goto another carrier, China Eastern has some pretty good fares for First class. That'll be almost 8K in revenue that AC will lose.

MapleLeaf

I so wish I had access to your parents bank account.

californiadreamin'

True, if space is available at departure, someone else has to be willing to upgrade($$/cert). But if the space isn't available on the flight they want, there is no loss to AC. Rather, the incremental revenue will have been earned by AC, having sold the applicable fare to another buyer. That is, after all, the way it should be. In fact, if they were to have been allowed an early UG, AC risks an opportunity of earning the applicable fare.

djfn49

For what its worth; I flew YVR to Seoul last year on SQ and back to YYZ through HKG.

I booked the AC HKG in full fare Y 3 months in advance and got the instant upgrade and my AC itin. stated 'confirmed".

When I arrived at the airport, I was informed by the AC Conc. that J was now sold out and as I was on an upgrade I would be bumped back to Y.

Obviously I was pretty upset; I wasnt contacted in advance to make alternative options on Cathay or United (and AC had an international cell # so there was no excuse). The Conc didnt even apologize.
She was as unhelpful as could possibly be; basically looking down on me because I had paid for Y versus J.

I waited by the check-in counter until 30 minutes before the flight and eventually as there was a no show, I still got my J seat. I had to run thru the airport like OJ to make the flight (& missed the great duty free shopping there).

The Toronto Conc. I speak to all the time told me she had NEVER EVER heard of them selling seats out from under SE or J customers and that the only time it ever happens is when an aircraft is downsized.

Anyone else have an exp. like this on AC.

Botton line HKG is a busy busy leg and the upgrades are a lottery.

Good luck.

ACORD

How can AC lose in this situation? If the J cabin is full, doesn't that mean someone else was willing to pony up for a business class ticket (or a more deserving SE member claimed the upgrade)?

BTW -- this route tends to be fairly full in J on all carriers, so you are by no means guaranteed a seat on an alternative airline.

ABG

you could have bought them SQ in C for less than your one way Y segement from PEK to YVR and still earned status miles on AP. Of course, your Y2R fare on the route you have is refundable, but the NUCs don't divide equal, so you won't get back 50% of your fare if you don't use the return.

Clipper801

Yes, twice this year.

I am like you who have no interest to play aerolotto and buy Y/M for instant upgrade “confirmation”. That is the word used on the SWU.

Last summer, I held a confirmed upgrade on an AC flight from YYZ to LHR. When I arrived at the airport, I was told that there was an equipment swap. Instead of an A330, it was being operated with an A340 with 12 business class seats less. I was bumped back to economy without any compensation or apology. No apology because it was AC's right to do so.

I wrote to Customer Care and the reply was even more shocking. All SWU are subject to availability. Even if the upgrade was “confirmed”, AC reserves the right to revoke that “confirmation” at its pleasure at any time when it is convenient to do so, e.g., equipment change, operation issues caused by a delayed or cancelled flight when seats must be cleared to accommodate other affected business class passengers paying full J or C fare.

What frustrated me most was no apparent procedure and policy in place to put those with “confirmed” upgrade and being bump on the top priority upgrade waitlist. An SE without a prior upgrade confirmation could jump the queue ahead of you to grab the last J seats first.

No compensation, monetary or non monetary (e.g., an extra non status upgrade certificate or MLL coupon) was offered by AC.

I posted this topic in this Forum and an overwhelming fellow members told me that there was nothing wrong for what AC was doing. I along with a minority bunch disagreed.

I flew to HKG in December on a C ticket. The equipment was unceremoniously switched from an A345 to an A343 resulting in 12 fewer business class seats. A few “confirmed” upgrade passengers were bumped back to economy. I was glad that I wasn’t using a SWU.

I have changed my travel pattern this year with the objective of achieving SE at minimum expense by early May 2006. I shall then be at the top tier through to February 2008. I usually travel to Asia at least twice in either J or C, spending about $14~16,000. I am now making more frequent and shorter trips in Y/M using my SWU and for each roundtrip; I shall receive two more (15,000 Status Miles threshold). After 5 roundtrips plus my other travel, I shall be SE for slightly less money ($2,600/M rt.), and also in business class every time, assuming that I can find “I” seat. It should not be a problem if I plan early in advance enough and is not looking for >1 “I” seat.

Albeit the risk of being bumped back to economy without compensation, the ability to buy Y/M for instant upgrade confirmation remains the best value of the AE programme.

Amongst other things, I have also learnt to avoid the A330 and A345 like SARS! Fly via YVR, more miles and no chance of equipment swap to one with fewer J seats!

Once an SE, AC will treat me as one of their most desirable customers. For me, it costs less but gets more. Why not?

aiyapk

FWIW, back in December I found that I-class opened up with a couple seats about 12-24 hours before the four day E upgrade mark.

BlondeBomber

This is the only route that I have lost the upgrade lottery on (twice in the same year, once going and once coming back) but even when J0, I have gotten on the flight in all the other times I have flown. I could have gone via ICN and guaranteed my upgrade but it would have been many more hours of flying and less time in HKG before going on to China so I opted to stay in econo which really isn't so bad even on this long haul . . .

Definitely a busy route. AC concierges have been helpful to me most of the time in HKG and they do watch those United agents at the gate for upgrades.

Check in as soon as you can (In HKG, you can check in at about 5:30 AM at one of the Airport Express Train stations and then go back to your hotel) or check-in on line just after midnight for your flights starting in Canada. It will put you to the front of the queue for your status and fare class at least. There are always us SEs ahead of you though.

Clipper801

Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that it will open up as you say. I am not interested in buying a cheap economy fare to play aerolotto. I usually able to plan my trip quite early in advance and buy Y/M to secure my upgrade confirmation at reservation. I am now changing my travel pattern to be SE this year.

parnel

Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/4.0 (compatible; MSIE 6.0; Windows 95; PalmSource; Blazer 3.0) 16;160x160)

And some of the same people here complaining about ug space also don't want AE Instant KK restricted to AC's "best customers". Go figure