kingstontoon

Bit late on this but myself (Silver) and three friends (all Blue) were upgraded to CW on the BA193 A380 flight LHR-DFW on Saturday 17 February. I'm quite surprised as we were on the cheapest possible WT+ BA Holiday starting in Jersey and the WT+ cabin, while busy, never at any point had fewer than four vacant seats in it according to Expert Flyer. I spotted the upgrade when checking in online in Jersey and you can imagine the shouts of excitement and joy from my friends who had never flown long haul business class before! When getting documents checked at LHR, we had new boarding passes printed which all said "Thank you from BA - enjoy your upgrade" which I thought was a nice touch.

Still no idea why we were chosen, and this was only my second upgrade in a decade of BA flying (previous was WT to WT+ PVG-LHR).

Sifu

A nice surprise last week when I got upgraded on BA117 LHR-JFK from CW to F. It was all done on a TP run/long weekend trip to SFO so I wasn't expecting much as I probably had the cheapest J ticket!

I had already booked a trip with Mrs Sifu in September in F to SIN for our honeymoon which was supposed to be our first trip in F. At least I can tell her what F is like beforehand

ankasi

A few days late:

Last Friday (29th March) I was flying from LHR to STR on BA918. Full flight and they asked for people to check in their trolleys. Had nothing major in there, went to the desk, GA took my boarding pass, removed the luggage stickers and printed me a new one. I was shifted from row 19 in Euro Traveller to Row 1 in CE. New BP said "Thank you from BA".

julmops

BA434 to Amsterdam on Good Friday … full flight, upgraded to Club Europe … checking my boarding pass before leaving home and noticed the move from 10A exit seat to 7A … husband was also upgraded … we are both freshly Silver for the first time ever …

dsf

Also late - my partner (Blue) and I (passing through Bronze on the way to Blue) were both upgraded at the gate from ET to CE (row 1, in fact) on a LGW-AMS redemption last week. We didn't volunteer our hand luggage or anything, just got the magic beep as we were boarding. First upgrade in a long time, well over 10 years, maybe since 2007 or so.

Pigeon49

Free upgrade? I had to change my First LHR-IAH leg to LHR-DFW (albeit midway through a DFW-DEL BAH package) and BA wanted my first borne and 6000. I asked if I could downgrade to CW for free and was told that would be 400! Then he saw, or so I assume, that I am Gold so he waived the CW downgrade fee.

Question: I paid for First but will I only get CW TPs?

Finland Station

If you were reticketed to J, then you will get CW TPs.

Pigeon49

Thanks, Finn, it was mostly a rhetorical question
but hope springs eternal, except when expecting
some love from BA. To add insult to injury it is
looking a done deal that the WX in Dallas will put
paid to my hopes for this eclipse.

Grace B

Perhaps somewhat off-topic, but I received an upgrade to business last week on an SN flight from FCO to BRU.

Rather surprised, as I'm a mere *G and was travelling on a UA award ticket. Just can't see BA ever doing a similar thing for me, as a Qantas OWE.

megaloman

BA does not upgrade pax just to fill the front cabin, like airlines in the US do. If you get upgraded on BA, it's often because they need your seat for someone else, so they have to upgrade someone.

Personally the auto upgrade for elites in the US is a nightmare, when IRROPS happen - "I'm sorry sir, all flights are full in first class for the next 48 hours, but I can see availability in coach..."

Chiller3333

My brother is flying LHR-JFK tomorrow and just received an upgrade from a WT exit row to a WTP aisle (a few hours before check-in opened).
WT is sitting at Y9, so quite an unexpected one.

ung1

A few weeks ago now but in mid-March, flying Club from MEX, got an upgrade to First (1A) at the gate. I asked at check in if they were oversold as the flight looked busy, and they told me they were just at capacity. At boarding the same gentleman was there to scan my BP, which beeped red, and they said we need to change your seat. I said, I hope to a better one (I had 7K in Club which is supposedly one of the nicest seats on the 789), and he said yes, we have you in 1A. It was in fact quite overbooked as they even had a few people on jump seats.

Finland Station

In fairness, AA at least has modified its procedures. A proportion of available seats in the (domestic) First cabin are held back from release to upgrades for 'elites' until flight closeout precisely to protect for IRROPs, who (as revenue first pax) will generally have a higher priority for available seats than the upgrAAde brigade.

What you describe was very definitely the position with the old US Airways, and very frustrating it was too. But those days are over.

Grande Annee

A few weeks ago flying LHR DXB and DXB LHR, I was upgraded at the boarding gate J to F both ways . I will never moan about BA again .
This was an avios booking with an Amex companion voucher.

I love the Lanson Noble vintage

c1223

Upgraded Y - J on LHR-PRG. CE all the way back to row 12.