How many times have you been upgraded on AF/KL ?

Old Sep 18, 2008, 4:39 am
  #46  
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Zanzibar
Programs: Flying Blue
Posts: 1,319
I am PE for life and have never been upgraded in the last 5 years on KL or AF metal. I do however get upgraded on NW metal all the time even on MR tickets. I just went to LAX on a NW flight of 345 dollar ticket and got upgraded on 3 of the 4 legs (via MSP)
Meneer Guggenheimer is offline  
Old Sep 19, 2008, 8:00 am
  #47  
 
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: FB Platinum, UA 1K, BA Gold, SPG Platinum
Posts: 36
Originally Posted by dechil
since 5 years : 0
Same here: many trips CDG to NRT in biz class and never an upgrade. It gets worse: on a JFK-CDG, my wife was on award in First and I was in biz. I asked to pay an award upgrade. I was told the F cabin was full and my award upgrade was declined. As you can imagine, the cabin was not full when we boarded. The purser was really kind and let me sit in F!
cdg2sfo is offline  
Old Sep 21, 2008, 2:02 am
  #48  
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Programs: LH SEN, OW Emerald, AF/KL Gold, SPG Gold, HH Diamond, Marriott Silver
Posts: 66
I am PE since 2006 and get about 3-4 intercontinental upgrades per year, all to Asian destinations (Japan & Korea) on AF metal. None on KL so far.
Momo4Ever is offline  
Old Sep 21, 2008, 10:48 am
  #49  
 
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: DUB/ORD/SIN/PVG
Programs: EI AerClub Concierge, EK Gold, BA Gold, BD Gold (Retired), HHonors Diamond, Bonvoy Lifetime Gold
Posts: 2,922
No upgrades of any kind in the last 5 years on AF metal, although we did have one invol downgrade which took ages to sort out. (In fairness 90% of my travel has switched to BA/BD due to a country move)

Prior to that, multiple upgrades on KL metal as a Royalwing/PE (those were the days!)
Dambus is offline  
Old Sep 29, 2008, 1:53 pm
  #50  
Moderator: Flying Blue (Air France & KLM)
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Rotterdam, NL
Programs: Flying Blue (AF/KL)
Posts: 4,711
My mother got upgraded yesterday on KL 1024 from LHR-AMS as a PE, but on a cheap-... N-fare. The flight was oversold by 6.
Maybe the upgrade policy has started to change..?
Gajan is offline  
Old Sep 29, 2008, 2:17 pm
  #51  
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: GRU / SXB
Programs: FB Plat, CX Diamond, TK Elite *G, EK Gold, EY Silv, Amex Cent, R&C 5C, HH Diamond, SPG Gold, Avis PC
Posts: 1,077
Well this might be a bit off topic but I wanted to share my opinion and travel pattern insofaras I don't bother to fly AF/KLM whenever I have reached the threshold to renew my Platinum status in a year. I know that I'm not gonna get any special treatment being Platinum. I know that I'm more likely to win the lottery than to be upgraded (eventhough I don't play the lottery)! I know my earned miles will be very hard to spend. So, all in all, there is absolutely no edge for me to fly AF over any other airline and this is, IMHO, very sad.

Why would AF upgrade someone on a full fare and who doesn't have Status with them rather than one of their most loyal customers ? This is beyong my understadning. Someone who's paying for a full fare ticket and who doesn't have status wouldn't necessarily expect to be upgraded or choose AF rather than any ohter airline for future travels whereas upgrading loyal customers can help keep them loyal!

I'm even considering not going through the trouble of staying Platinum as I really don't see much difference between being a Platinum member vs. base member...

I think that if their FF program wasn't ill-conceived I would be thinking exactly the opposite of what I've just stated. As a matter of fact, this is what I should be thinking: "Now that I'm a platinum member, I'm gonna try and fly AF even more because I know I'm gonna get great perks thanks to my status"...

That's my 2 cents...
fredsxb is offline  
Old Sep 30, 2008, 5:58 am
  #52  
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: London Town
Programs: BA Silver, AF Silver
Posts: 465
I have been Plat for 5 years straight, dropped to Gold this year and about to hit Plat again. This morning I was op-upped LCY-ORY, first time ever on either AF or KL. This route is jam-packed now, and has been ever since the Eurotunnel incident.

In fairness, the curtain was moved back one row and I was moved to a different seat in the same row originally booked...however whilst at the gate I saw the original occupant of my new seat get reallocated a seat right at the back of the bus

Of all the routes to get upgraded on, anything out of LCY is pretty pointless...no lounges, same seating, marginal catering difference. God only knows why people pay the premium they do for J class out of that airport.....
Kevlondon is offline  
Old Oct 21, 2008, 2:07 am
  #53  
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Programs: AF/KL PLAT
Posts: 29
I am PE.
Over the last 3 years I have flown AF/KL longhaul (transatlantic, to Africa or to Asia) at least once a month - both out of AMS and CDG.
And... over these last 3 years not a single upgrade on KL or AF...
I must say that I do get my treat on the NW domestic upgrades - that's a great system !
lpjanssen is offline  
Old Oct 21, 2008, 4:50 am
  #54  
 
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: DUB/ORD/SIN/PVG
Programs: EI AerClub Concierge, EK Gold, BA Gold, BD Gold (Retired), HHonors Diamond, Bonvoy Lifetime Gold
Posts: 2,922
Originally Posted by lpjanssen
I am PE.
Over the last 3 years I have flown AF/KL longhaul (transatlantic, to Africa or to Asia) at least once a month - both out of AMS and CDG.
And... over these last 3 years not a single upgrade on KL or AF...
I must say that I do get my treat on the NW domestic upgrades - that's a great system !
An American airline awarding your Flying Blue loyalty? Whatever are they thinking!
Dambus is offline  
Old Oct 21, 2008, 5:30 am
  #55  
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 3
I was in flying AF economy HAV - CDG last week and asked for a window seat at check-in so that I would be able to sleep. The guy at the desk then told me that he might be able to do something even better and upgraded me to buizz.

Last edited by Kallekula; Oct 21, 2008 at 5:53 am
Kallekula is offline  
Old Oct 21, 2008, 7:04 am
  #56  
Moderator: Flying Blue (Air France & KLM), France and TravelBuzz!
 
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Paris, France, AF F+ Rouge pour toujours, Flying Blue whatever, LH FTL, HHonors Gold, formerly proud SCC Executive, now IC Ambassador, BA down to nobody, Grand Voyageur Le Club
Posts: 12,399
Originally Posted by Kevlondon
Of all the routes to get upgraded on, anything out of LCY is pretty pointless...no lounges, same seating, marginal catering difference. God only knows why people pay the premium they do for J class out of that airport.....
In my case, flexibility.
JOUY31 is offline  
Old Oct 21, 2008, 7:14 am
  #57  
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Luxembourg
Programs: KLM/AF Platinum for life, IHG Platinum, Accor Platinum
Posts: 1,026
PE for 6 years. 2 of which only Fokkers so no upgrade possibility. The rest:

KL Metal:
3 flights AMS-HKG 1x
20 flights AMS-KBP 3x (once was actually in-flight. 1 person up front and only 2 PE's in the back)

AF Metal:
25 odd flights to SVO - 0 upgrades

DL Metal:
Never. TATL and domestic with Mrs Bankops 8 months pregnant.

NW Metal:
50/50
bankops is offline  
Old May 4, 2009, 12:40 pm
  #58  
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: PVG
Programs: Flying Blue Platinum, Air Berlin Gold, IHG Rewards Platinum, Accorclub Silver
Posts: 20
How many times have you been upgraded on AF/KL ?

Upgrade policy is obviously depending of the Airline you are flying on.
I would say it is somehow the best kept secret of their own upgrade policy that all of us -Arliners- try to disclose!

It might be weird at some occasions and very complicated to find out the way it really works.
Every airline have their own system that may vary even within alliances.
Well, it is all about marketing...

I will speak mainly for AF case as I had numerous examples with them about upgrades.
Of course it happens only when your flight is overbooked in Y.

Few years back, before the introduction of Flying Blue, AF FFP was called Frequence Plus and it was definitely easier to get upgrades.

Now time has changed and it seems really difficult to secure an upgrade or have the very nice surprise at the gate during the boarding process. (What a memorable moment....)

Being a non very frequent flyer on AF (basic Frequence Plus at that time equivalent to the Ivory Flying Blue tier now) , I used to be upgraded - due to surbooking or voluntary stand-by for the next day flight - at the gate on long haul flights to Asia.

I noticed (not only me was upgraded) it was not due to my FFP miles (as I was not silver or higher status) but based on the fare class of my air ticket (for AF, B or K)

This procedure seems quite fair for the passenger being on the upgade "priority list" whatever the airline calls it.

The computerized system will use two main criterias

Based on upgrade from Y to C:

1) The higher fares (from full fare Y all the way down such as Y B K H W T V L N X for AF)
2) Taking in consideration the FFP status (Elites, passenger flight history, potential, etc.)
3) First or last passengers checking in have more chances.
4) Voluntary upgrade, agent will ask if you can change your flight to the next day and give you a confirmed upgrade as a gesture of courtesy (In that case, airline must arrange meals and hotel rooms at their own expense and eventually give you a compimentary cash voucher according to the Vienna convention)

(By the way stop thinking it all depends of the airline agent upon check in... it is useless to come with a nice suit and gold swiss made watch to multiply your chances, it is already done in advance however if you can seduce her/him, that is another story that cannot be "handle" by a computer..)
Agents are less and less empower to assign seats according to each passenger request.


However and here is the trick that is really weird, sometimes even with an heavily discounted fare (e.g. V or N for AF) it is possible to be upgraded.
My bother and my mum flew CDG-HKG in 2004 and were upgraded to Business Class. At that time they got a very good deal and the fare code was V.
And the real thing that I quite do not understand, they were not member of the FFP Frequence Plus.

I heard similar examples that only AF kept the secret to know how it really works.

Do they have additional criteria (such as potential frequent flyer coming from the competition, reservation paid with the airline credit card), may be folks from FFP marketing team could tell us. It would help us SO much.

Another possible way to have upgrade is to pay upon check-in according to the airline offer (I guess UA and VS are doing pretty well on this and it is an additional source of last minute revenue for the airline.
Based on first passengers to check-in, they will give you a choice to have a good value upgrade from Y to C or C to F to be paid upon check in or simply use your miles at a lower amount than usually requested.
I am also used to ask upon check-in if there is any offer to pay an upgrade and easily got very good deal. (TG offered me -once requested- an upgrade to C class from HKG to BKK for less than US$200 based on a very low fare
(AF (what a pity!) does not have this policy, but numerous airlines like UA commonly uses it.

And last but not least, I do believe everyone has a chance to get an upgrade depending on the airline and conditions, it is not a lost battle,
believe in it...or? (simply pay for the class you want to fly..)

Good luck folks!!!
jdeliens is offline  
Old May 4, 2009, 2:36 pm
  #59  
 
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,596
Once or twice a year on shorthaul KLM flights. Never on AF, although a couple of times on AF shorthaul codeshare operated by Finnair. Last time it was really close to get an upgrade from Voyageur to Premium Voyageur but then they did the opposite what is shown in this classical Air Libert commercial. So no such luck.
nordic is offline  
Old May 6, 2009, 3:32 am
  #60  
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Programs: AF/KLM FB Silver
Posts: 32
Unhappy

When I was with NWA WorldPerks I got many upgrades on longhaul flights. Then I changed my address to a Middle Eastern country and had to move to Flying Dutchman, and then the upgrades stopped altogether!

Only last February, and maybe 6 years after the last upgrade, got a pseudo-upgrade! Was flying from Mexico to AMS on KLM and the Business class section was totally empty, so they selected a number of PEs to fill these empty seats!! Only that because the service continued to be economy.. Didn't bother.
Aber Sabeel is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.