cazoz

That is much to my chagrin, when flying with my coeliac OH on the same PNR!

"Can't you just pick out the gluten..."

TheBaps

I think it depends on how you normally fly, if you've always flown in prem cabins and suddenly switch to WT+then you may find yourself with a long run without op-ups. Certainly my longer runs without have coincided with prior runs of bookings in prem cabins, but it always seems to revert after a couple of trips.

DirkGently

I've not been Gold long enough to know whether my hit rate is going to reduce but what little experience I have of op-ups does tend to bear out the theory that the higher the status the lower your chances. We flew as a family of four to PHX about four years ago, booked in WT+. I was Silver at the time (and barely clinging on to that). In the week or so leading up to departure, I was carpet-bombed with increasingly attractive POUG offers, all of which I ignored.

Anyway, at check-in we were promptly upgraded to CW. Completely gratuitously. I'd barely fished out the passports. Cue high fives between offspring. Then we reach the gate and the chap there flourishes his magic marker and scribbles new seat numbers on all our BPs which even as a comparative novice I recognised as First. (Poor old Ben Fogel, by the way, who is standing immediately behind us in the queue remains slumming it in CW. To be fair, there isn't even a flicker of DYKWIA from the man.)

I've puzzled over this ever since to be honest. One mid-status EC member and wife, two children aged (at the time) 16 and 12 at a BA hub crawling with Golds and higher? I couldn't think of a less likely set of circumstances to get one upgrade, let alone two. But some of the theories spun in this thread do make it a little more plausible. In particular, I like the notion that paying a bit extra in the first place for WT+ can enhance your chances of getting lucky.

Anonba

Yes discretionary upgrades do sometimes happen if there is space and someone has status. It can also be a goodwill gesture to apologise for something BA didnt get right ir if you recently achieved status i believe. Of course if you havent travelled business or first before it may encourage you to try it next time and pay! So it is to a point in BA's interest to make use of the space.

paulwuk

I knew a good rant would help Been booted out of 28J on tonight's 12, into 20D, ending a run of 18 WTP flights with no op-up.

Do you think it would be cheeky to ask at the lounge if there's any space upstairs ?

joey_12

I have received 5 consecutive upgrades from BA WTP+ to CW, all when I was still a Blue member 5/6 years ago , since then, I have moved up to Silver and now Gold for a few years after being persuaded by them to continue my travels in CW after those upgrades (and sometimes F) and haven't had an upgrade since.

williamn78

Just had my most long-range upgrade from WT+ to CW around 22 hours out, flying LHR-YYZ. Seem to get a 50% hit rate on this route which often seems very busy (I note the plane has changed from a 787 to a 777). I thought I might have ruled myself out of upgrades as I have recently bought a couple of CW fares since BA's tempting of me through upgrades has worked!

I should reach Gold later this year but am now worried the upgrades will disappear when I do! (currently silver)

Adventpreneur

You're right badoc. I was recently downgraded from CW to PE (on a miles ticket), while my wife and infant remained in CW. After a prolonged back and forth with BA customer services, I was offered a space available upgrade!

Quite an appalling experience. They should have offered it upfront.

golfmad

Hello @Adventpreneur and welcome to FlyerTalk. That doesn't sound like a great experience and may be another anecdotal example of BA choosing to downgrade someone on an Avios ticket as opposed to a revenue ticket. Would you care to provide any other information that you're aware of surrounding the downgrade? Was it a simple case of overbooking or was there perhaps something else going on such a problem with the seat you were assigned which - coupled with a full cabin - required a move?

For those interested, this is the reference to badoc's post early on in the thread (albeit for just over 4 years ago).

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/21074802-post15.html