Why did my colleague (Blue) get upgraded and not me (Gold)?
Nov 3, 2018, 3:29 pm
#16
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Argentina
Posts: 40,211
A recent upgrade (or lack of) experience on the flight back from Toronto yesterday. I was flying with my work colleague (who is a Bronze member), we were both flying PE and both sitting next to each other. A rather baffling event then ensued at the gate, where my colleague got an upgrade to Club and I, as a Gold member, stayed where I was. My colleague doesn't fly all that much but he got to enjoy the luxuries of a flat bed and haute cuisine!
I was quite confused - I know that there is a secret algorithm that they use but I always thought that the first gating process would be tier status (and then maybe ticket type, etc.). Anyhow, the PE experience was fair and the crew were really good.
I was quite confused - I know that there is a secret algorithm that they use but I always thought that the first gating process would be tier status (and then maybe ticket type, etc.). Anyhow, the PE experience was fair and the crew were really good.
Nov 3, 2018, 3:38 pm
#17
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Scotland
Programs: BA silver
Posts: 1,850
I know upgrades worked for me. We started off flying wt all the time. Then we ended up buying wt+ seats after an upgrade. Then we got upgraded to cw and we did what I had thought was unthinkable- bought cw tickets. We fly wt+ or cw now. An upgrade to First won't work though 😂
Nov 3, 2018, 5:18 pm
#18
Join Date: Jan 2017
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 470
I know upgrades worked for me. We started off flying wt all the time. Then we ended up buying wt+ seats after an upgrade. Then we got upgraded to cw and we did what I had thought was unthinkable- bought cw tickets. We fly wt+ or cw now. An upgrade to First won't work though 😂
However there's more to it than marketing, I regularly do SYD-SIN-LHR and various combinations thereof, I think the split flight (and the fact that I'm often still in PE) makes a big difference as I get bumped around 50% of the time (or have done over the last 12 months at least, significant dry spell before that).
Nov 3, 2018, 6:45 pm
#21
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 698
Well, I've fallen for a similar trick with one of the hotel chains. I had a few stays as a lowly member but they pushed an upgrade on me (to a suite) to make me a taste of the good life. It worked.
In the OP's case, you probably should encourage your friend to close his Executive Club account and fly other airlines. BA might think its tactics aren't working.
In the OP's case, you probably should encourage your friend to close his Executive Club account and fly other airlines. BA might think its tactics aren't working.
Nov 3, 2018, 6:49 pm
#22
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: YYC
Programs: BA bronze, Aeroplan peon
Posts: 4,746
I was actually surprised on my last flight, as it was the third last day of service on LHR-YYC. Loads were very light, looked like only 6 people in CW. The second section of CW in a 788 was completely empty. 14 of us in WTP, the middle section of 3 seats per row was completely empty. I did a rough count in the boarding area before we started to board and I estimated ~65 passengers in total.
As far as I could tell, there were no upgrades. At least by the time I boarded in zone 3 there hadn't appeared to be anyone getting a new boarding pass. The zone 1&2 line was very short and went through fast, no new boarding cards were issued. With loads so light I would have thought it would be a good opportunity to let a few people sample CW as an upgrade. Indeed, they could have moved everyone in WTP into the second section of CW and not disturbed passengers who bought CW.
As far as I could tell, there were no upgrades. At least by the time I boarded in zone 3 there hadn't appeared to be anyone getting a new boarding pass. The zone 1&2 line was very short and went through fast, no new boarding cards were issued. With loads so light I would have thought it would be a good opportunity to let a few people sample CW as an upgrade. Indeed, they could have moved everyone in WTP into the second section of CW and not disturbed passengers who bought CW.
Last edited by Jagboi; Nov 3, 2018 at 6:54 pm
Nov 3, 2018, 7:26 pm
#24
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: SE1, London
Posts: 23,439
IME GGL makes a big difference, being regular Gold...well you’ve discovered how important BA think you are 😉
op-up rate as a GGL on long haul flights was around the 50% mark. As GFL (but still earning plenty of TP) it’s less than 10%.
op-up rate as a GGL on long haul flights was around the 50% mark. As GFL (but still earning plenty of TP) it’s less than 10%.
Nov 3, 2018, 7:48 pm
#25
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: 30,535
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Nov 3, 2018, 10:29 pm
#26
Join Date: May 2013
Posts: 6,349
As an eternal Silver I was asking myself the same question; in 2016 I was upgraded (always WTP to CW) on 90% of my flights, by 2017 it went down to a third or so, and so far this year NONE (still 2 WTP to go though, who knows...). Cannot figure this out, and neither could the airport agents, it was simply there...
So in your case I would say they are spot on.
Nov 4, 2018, 1:43 am
#28
Join Date: Mar 2018
Posts: 124
Blue. Fly WT / ET maybe 6 times a year max but have now moved so LHR is my local airport, few miles away.
First First / CW flights through Avios redemption earlier this year. Have now paid for First in cash (cheap ORD). I've done it to myself! Will be interested to see what happens when I next book WTP as will be in the lofty heights of Bronze. /Sarcasm
First First / CW flights through Avios redemption earlier this year. Have now paid for First in cash (cheap ORD). I've done it to myself! Will be interested to see what happens when I next book WTP as will be in the lofty heights of Bronze. /Sarcasm
Nov 4, 2018, 1:32 am
#29
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: PHX, SEA
Programs: Avis President's Club, Global Entry, Hilton/Marriott Gold. No more DL/AA status.
Posts: 4,422
You may want to do some searches of the DUT algorithm used by BA, but the gateway to this does not start with your status. It's an important part of the mix certainly, but if - for example - the system has you down as essentially a CW traveller, it won't always rescue you from WTP. On the other hand there is - from BA's perspective - the enticing prospect of luring an innocent Bronzie into the mesh with a well timed upgrade, which may well get him more ensnared into the BAEC web. The process isn't much more sophisticated than that of a crack cocaine dealer, frankly. From a shareholder's point of view - who is the better prospect? Someone who flies on BA a lot and will continue to do so regardless? Or someone who now thinks Álex Cruz loves him? Incidentally this is the reason why I've never paid for or redeemed in First, the system is still trying to woo me over to the charms of sitting up front. I had 6 First upgrades in October alone.
Nov 4, 2018, 1:37 am
#30
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: BAEC Silver, IHG Diamond
Posts: 7,770
GGL wise, in 3 years, two upgrades from GOT-LHR and LHR-LAX, and they were both on my birthday, so no idea if that and/or GGL helped here.