natcin

so i just got off the phone with both FB service centre and Platinum service line.

apparently FB cannot access reservations to process upgrades using FB miles if the booking wasnt made on AF/KLM website? ive tried looking on the website and nowhere does it say that.

for what its worth, im on an SU flight S booking class, and had hoped to enquire about an upgrade.

i was then told to go to an AF/KLM counter at the airport on the day of departure during which they'll be able to check and process it, before going to the SU check-in counter.

they even suggested that i call SU now, but can SU even process an FB upgrade?

thanks!

MSPeconomist

You're trying to use the program that's called something like SkyTeam Upgrade awards. IIRC you can find rules on the SkyTeam website or, for comparison, check the rules on the DL website. Normally a fare very close to FULL Y is required, so I don't know whether your S class ticket on SU would be eligible. Also, not all carriers participate. There's a slight chance that AF/KLM and SU might have some separate bilateral upgrade arrangement under different terms, but I doubt it.

Roughly, as I understand it, the underlying problem is that FB (AF/KLM) agents can access your FB miles, but only SU agents can touch SU tickets (assuming that the ticket was purchased directly from the airline and not a TA, discounter/consolidator, or an OLTA). On the day of departure the ticket comes under control of the operating carrier.

Wunk

You cannot upgrade flights that are booked on one skyteam member, with miles from another one.

You'll have to book through the skyteam member that you have the points/vouchers with, to upgrade a flight. There's no problem in upgrading a partner flight (i.e. Delta metal on a KLM ticket), as long as you booked it through KLM.

natcin

am i missing something here, or misinterpreted the FB website?



that doesnt seem to be what the flyingblue website says/shows. and for what its worth, ive enquired FB before about upgrading an SU flight booked directly from SU website before, and there didnt seem to be any issue, though i did not follow through in the end as the miles required were more than i was willing to pay.

https://www.flyingblue.com/upgrade-award.html

Aeroflot Economy (Y, S) → Business

How can you request your upgrade award?
The easiest way to request your upgrade award is by calling the Flying Blue Service Centre.

as of now, the only reason i can think of is that i was only about 50hrs, at the time of the call, from my flight whereas the FB site says "up to 72hours before your flight with a Skyteam partner".

but they did not say that was the reason, only that i have to book the SU flight on AF/KLM website, which was not what i was told the last time, nor stated on the FB website.

also, if the 72hr deadline was really the reason, then why did the second agent tell me to enquire about the upgrade at a AF/KLM desk at the airport on the day of departure before going to the SU check-in desk.

chil

I tried it several times under very similar circumstances: SU booking in S. Never succeeded: they confirmed me on phone that the upgrade was theoretically possible but they never had any availability. However, if you're booked as S-flex (Aeroflot has flex and non-flex under the same letter), you can probably do cash upgrade at the airport for as little as ~$250 (this was the amount for JFK-SVO a couple of years ago)

natcin

funnily enough, they told me there was 1 availability left in J that i could upgrade to, just that they couldnt seem to access my reservation to process the upgrade.

anyway, will try at the airport. i will be departing from T2C in CDG, is there a AF/KLM desk? i will try asking them with miles first as suggested by the FB service centre.

otherwise i will try asking at the airport, my fare is SFMA, which seems to be flex booking class from their site.

Goldorak

Yes, there is a small AF ticketing desk in the middle of the terminal.

irishguy28

Yes, you can.

Using Flying Blue miles, you may be able to upgrade Aeroflot Y and S economy classes to business.

https://www.flyingblue.com/upgrade-award.html

irishguy28

That is unlikely to work. The FB website says that upgrades on Skyteam partners need to be requested (i.e. processed) up to 72 hours before departure.

Did you give them the e-ticket number?

natcin

for the first agent on platinum line, i gave him my PNR, and he said he couldnt find my booking. and then i gave him my e-ticket number and he was able to locate it, but said wasnt unable to access it.

second agent on the FB service line was able to locate using PNR, but similarly unable to access.

its most probably the 72hrs issue since it was T-50hrs when i make the call.

but its odd that they were unaware of the 72hr rule, and instead both told me to contact SU instead to upgrade using FB miles since i doubt SU has access to my FB miles. and both also said to do it at an AF/KLM counter on day of departure.

my last two experiences with FB/platinum line had been less than satisfactory, while both dealing with partners instead of AF/KLM which i understand that some might not be 100% familiar, but the previous one said i will get a call back once she confirms the relevant info (but never did), and now this, with uncertain/wrong information.

irishguy28

I doubt that very many people use FB miles to upgrade partner flights; for the few airlines for which it is possible, it is only the very expensive fully-flex economy tickets that can be upgraded; using miles to upgrade on FB is, in my opinion, an expensive (and therefore wasteful) use of miles [especially for partners, given that a lot of cash has had to be paid to even get an upgradeable fare] so I would expect it's not a topic most agents have had a lot of personal experience in dealing with.

natcin

yup for sure. anyway. will try again next time, much earlier than 72hr and will report back if i succeed in upgrading.

chil

Since they need to access another airline's reservation system, they need what is called a "ghost PNR" -- I heard this term from FB staff when I was (unsuccessfully) trying to upgrade full Y fare on DL a few years back. It took me 4 or 5 calls to get that stupid "ghost PNR" from Delta representatives because normal agents had no idea what it was. I'm pretty sure it's the same story with Aeroflot. It's like when you book an FB award on SU/DL/..., you'll get a 057 e-ticket with some AF PNR which has nothing to do with the airline -- you normally have to call the airline to locate your PNR within their reservations (e.g. to select a seat or do a web check-in). However, in case of an upgrade it's the reverse situation: you need to get an AF PNR attached to a ticket issued by another carrier.

Anyway, the interaction between the airlines remains really poor -- I'm wondering how they're able to book award tickets one from another...

natcin

i have another SU flight in 3 weeks. will call to do an enquiry test, this time before the 72hr cut-off, though i probably wont be making the upgrade since my ticket this time round is classic S class, and not full flex S.

will update accordingly

natcin

so an update, just called platinum service line for an SU flight i have next week, well more than the 72hours cut-off. and was once again told that they cannot access the reservation for "im not sure why" reason.

she suggested that "if your itinerary has at least one AF/KLM segment, then we will definitely be able to access to process the upgrade, but for a pure SU flight, I am unable to confirm why we are unable to access the reservation"

nowhere on the website does anything suggest a partner airline upgrade award having to include AF/KLM segment in the itinerary....