Upgrade at airport
Jan 3, 2017, 1:41 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2015
Programs: BA
Posts: 71
Upgrade at airport
Advice please.
Myself and my son are booked in economy on the 21.40 from Cape Town to London tomorrow. My wife, mother-in-law and other son are in Club World. Naturally, I would quite like to join them. I could currently upgrade online but at a cost of £3500 for the two of us, which is more than I am prepared to pay.
A few questions:-
What are are the chances of them reducing in price online between now and departure?
Should I be turning up at the airport 3 hours ahead of the flight to give myself the best chance of bagging them at the airport?
If I do that, what are my chances? And what sort of cost am I likely to pay?
Any other tips?
Many thanks for any help.
PUMA
Myself and my son are booked in economy on the 21.40 from Cape Town to London tomorrow. My wife, mother-in-law and other son are in Club World. Naturally, I would quite like to join them. I could currently upgrade online but at a cost of £3500 for the two of us, which is more than I am prepared to pay.
A few questions:-
What are are the chances of them reducing in price online between now and departure?
Should I be turning up at the airport 3 hours ahead of the flight to give myself the best chance of bagging them at the airport?
If I do that, what are my chances? And what sort of cost am I likely to pay?
Any other tips?
Many thanks for any help.
PUMA
Jan 3, 2017, 1:53 pm
#2
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: near to SFO and LHR
Programs: BA Gold, B6 Mosiac, VS, AA, DL (and a legacy UA 2MM)
Posts: 2,274
You can try getting there early, but ExpertFlyer shows BA flight 42 quite full in all classes, with only J2 (full fare CW) available, so an upgrade might be a long shot at best. If you are Gold or Silver, maybe...
F1 A0 J2 C0 W1 Y0 B0 H0 K0 M0 G0
F1 A0 J2 C0 W1 Y0 B0 H0 K0 M0 G0
Jan 3, 2017, 2:03 pm
#3
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: London
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold & GGL & CCR, HH Diam, Bonvoy Titanium, IHG Spire, Tastecard
Posts: 7,549
I am also not sure if there are AUP (airport upgrade offers) that cover 2 classes - usually, I think, they are one class only though I might be wrong.
Jan 3, 2017, 2:07 pm
#4
Join Date: May 2010
Location: UK
Posts: 5,380
OP, given the availability, route and season I don't think that price you were offered is too bad. Not too good either I recognise...
Jan 3, 2017, 3:50 pm
#7
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,492
flight looks chockers - if attempt to book 2 x cash tickets, only economy showing (reducing to 1 seat shows other cabins)
Do you or any of the others have OW status? getting to the airport too early may make for an uncomfortable wait if only the 3 in CW can get into the lounge
Do you or any of the others have OW status? getting to the airport too early may make for an uncomfortable wait if only the 3 in CW can get into the lounge
Jan 3, 2017, 3:55 pm
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: London
Programs: Mucci. Nothing else matters.
Posts: 38,644
Code:
F1 A0 J1 C0 DC RC IC W1 EC TC Y2 B2 H1 K1 M0 LC VC SC NC QC OC G0
Jan 3, 2017, 5:07 pm
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Somewhere between 0 and 13,000 metres high
Programs: AF/KL Life Plat, BA GGL+GfL, ALL Plat, Hilton Diam, Marriott Gold, blablablah, etc
Posts: 30,584
Yes I don't think that's going to happen.
Jan 3, 2017, 6:02 pm
#11
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: SYD, Australia
Programs: VA Silver, QF FF, Priority Club
Posts: 923
If they ask for volunteers you could offer to fly the next day...
In CW! 😋
In all seriousness, they could be looking for volunteers to not fly based on those numbers. That's your best hope for cheap CW.
In CW! 😋
In all seriousness, they could be looking for volunteers to not fly based on those numbers. That's your best hope for cheap CW.
Jan 3, 2017, 10:03 pm
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2015
Programs: BA
Posts: 71
Thanks everyone - very helpful.
As you all say, it looks like our flight is chock full. The slightly earlier flight seems to have a bit of availability in premium economy and club world. Do BA ever ask passengers to fly on the earlier flight if the later one is overbooked? If so, is there any point calling the airport earlier in the day and volunteering ourselves for this?
As you all say, it looks like our flight is chock full. The slightly earlier flight seems to have a bit of availability in premium economy and club world. Do BA ever ask passengers to fly on the earlier flight if the later one is overbooked? If so, is there any point calling the airport earlier in the day and volunteering ourselves for this?
Jan 4, 2017, 12:39 am
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Somewhere between 0 and 13,000 metres high
Programs: AF/KL Life Plat, BA GGL+GfL, ALL Plat, Hilton Diam, Marriott Gold, blablablah, etc
Posts: 30,584
Thanks everyone - very helpful.
As you all say, it looks like our flight is chock full. The slightly earlier flight seems to have a bit of availability in premium economy and club world. Do BA ever ask passengers to fly on the earlier flight if the later one is overbooked? If so, is there any point calling the airport earlier in the day and volunteering ourselves for this?
As you all say, it looks like our flight is chock full. The slightly earlier flight seems to have a bit of availability in premium economy and club world. Do BA ever ask passengers to fly on the earlier flight if the later one is overbooked? If so, is there any point calling the airport earlier in the day and volunteering ourselves for this?
Jan 4, 2017, 2:42 am
#15
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Somewhere between 0 and 13,000 metres high
Programs: AF/KL Life Plat, BA GGL+GfL, ALL Plat, Hilton Diam, Marriott Gold, blablablah, etc
Posts: 30,584
for 2 that might work if too many people have already checked in for your flight and they are certain they'll have to offload people, but again you would only know at the airport and risk waiting a long time for nothing if, as is 90% likely they say no or only for the change fee.