Is La Premiere becoming less exclusive?
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: NYC
Programs: DL DM | FB Platinum
Posts: 80
Is La Premiere becoming less exclusive?
So here's a question: how easy is it to upgrade to La Premiere (cash or miles)?
The reason I am asking is that I have been flying that cabin quite regularly since mid-last year, and it feels like it has become less and less exclusive.
Case in point: my last flight CDG-SFO last week. Was only pax in cabin up until 3 hours before the flight. Then 2 more seats got blocked and occupied. And then when I was settling down on the plane, one of the crew pulled someone from the back to sit her in the last open seat. Same thing when flying the A380, it seems the cabin is full more often that not.
Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy the experience no matter what, but I'm just wondering whether I'm stupid buying F fares, when others seem to be able to get the same experience at a much lower cost.
Thoughts?
The reason I am asking is that I have been flying that cabin quite regularly since mid-last year, and it feels like it has become less and less exclusive.
Case in point: my last flight CDG-SFO last week. Was only pax in cabin up until 3 hours before the flight. Then 2 more seats got blocked and occupied. And then when I was settling down on the plane, one of the crew pulled someone from the back to sit her in the last open seat. Same thing when flying the A380, it seems the cabin is full more often that not.
Don't get me wrong, I still enjoy the experience no matter what, but I'm just wondering whether I'm stupid buying F fares, when others seem to be able to get the same experience at a much lower cost.
Thoughts?
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Netherlands
Programs: KL Platinum; A3 Gold
Posts: 28,550
What does "less exclusive" mean here? I am not sure what you mean from the context. People who tend to travel in F tend to book last minute rather than having things locked in a T-11months, like the careful mileage planner would have to do, so it seems unlikely that you meant that the cabin is "less empty".
Why do you think the later bookers are getting it for a "much lower cost"?
As you seem to be rather new to AF, you may not be aware of the bugbear that was the friends and family travelling for free in La Premiere for a long time, most of which seems to have now come to an end.
Why do you think the later bookers are getting it for a "much lower cost"?
As you seem to be rather new to AF, you may not be aware of the bugbear that was the friends and family travelling for free in La Premiere for a long time, most of which seems to have now come to an end.
#3
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
Nothing is exclusive in the least. Anybody who can afford a ticket may fly F. That's pretty much true for most carriers. You don't have to prove your royal lineage.
As to who books when, you should know that many F pax are people who may book while enroute to the airport for a flight. Something comes up, they grab their "go" suitcase, car picks them up and enroute someone books them.
It is the other ranks in the back who tend to book months out.
As to who books when, you should know that many F pax are people who may book while enroute to the airport for a flight. Something comes up, they grab their "go" suitcase, car picks them up and enroute someone books them.
It is the other ranks in the back who tend to book months out.
#5
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: HAG
Programs: ST E+, *G, some hotel gold...
Posts: 7,836
And that's the question OP proposes to my understanding - would it be cheaper to ticket into business and count on upgrades?
#6
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: CPT,AMS
Posts: 4,409
If you need to be on a specific flight/fly to a specific destination, maybe, otherwise there are La Premiere sales every now and then which will most likely end up being cheaper, OLCI upgrades were reported for around 2000 from J to F, and that was before the new system came into place which seems to have made upgrades even more expensive...
#7
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: New York
Posts: 453
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Hong Kong, France
Programs: FB , BA Gold
Posts: 15,495
Peasants are OK. It's blue collar workers who are disturbing.
As a side note, having one pax scheduled out of four P77W seats means that they do not schedule much variety on the menu. If 4 pax are regularly scheduled, that migt be better for variety of choices.
As a side note, having one pax scheduled out of four P77W seats means that they do not schedule much variety on the menu. If 4 pax are regularly scheduled, that migt be better for variety of choices.
#10
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,334
Are you saying that someone buying an AF FC fare can eat their fellow passengers for dinner? That would make an OPUP or last minute purchased upgrade less appealing. Some forms of variety are not good.
#11
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Staffordshire UK
Programs: FB LT Plat, BA LTG, LH HON
Posts: 273
I have flown F to CDG to JNB a few times over the last few months (admittedly with some notice) and the price variance between Business and First has been minimal, in the region of 2-300 and actually below some Business fares on the same day with different flight combinations. This may serve to reduce the "exclusivity".