What level status must you be for free upgrades?
Jun 20, 2019, 9:32 am
#62
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: London
Programs: Mucci Blue, BAEC Gold, Blockbuster Video card
Posts: 1,378
I've had upgrades when Blue, Silver and Gold (never Bronze but never spent much time at Bronze).
I think there's a fairly sophisticated process behind it as far as I can tell. And rightly so. These things are part of the commercial 'secret sauce' of revenue management and a fair degree of thought goes into the process I believe.
I think there's a fairly sophisticated process behind it as far as I can tell. And rightly so. These things are part of the commercial 'secret sauce' of revenue management and a fair degree of thought goes into the process I believe.
Jun 20, 2019, 9:50 am
#64
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: London
Programs: Executive Club - Gold, HH - Gold, Marriott - Gold
Posts: 372
Live from CW somewhere over the Atlantic en route to MCO....
I had a T fare I believe worth 20TP for this flight and was upgraded when I online checked in to WTP. That’s the first time I have ever had an upgrade and I am currently Gold. I took advantage of the £400 CW upgrade though so I didn’t even get to use my free upgrade!
I hope that I may get another upgrade on the way back for free.
I had a T fare I believe worth 20TP for this flight and was upgraded when I online checked in to WTP. That’s the first time I have ever had an upgrade and I am currently Gold. I took advantage of the £400 CW upgrade though so I didn’t even get to use my free upgrade!
I hope that I may get another upgrade on the way back for free.
Jun 20, 2019, 9:59 am
#65
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Godalming, Surrey, UK.
Programs: Nowt of note.
Posts: 1,628
6-8 WTP to CW back in 2007 as a silver, and a solitary ET to CE in the same year. In the subsequent years I went up to gold, back down to blue, then back up to gold which I've had since 2016 - and throughout that whole time I've had one upgrade, a QR J to F.
Jun 20, 2019, 10:09 am
#66
Join Date: Jan 2017
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 469
With promotional fares, the chance of upgrade is %0. I have never been upgraded since today, even traveling in a mediumish-higher fare bucket ( H, K, M, etc... ).
The OP should be glad that BA offers free exit row seating for Bronze and Silver during OLCI for long haul flights.
The OP should be glad that BA offers free exit row seating for Bronze and Silver during OLCI for long haul flights.
Jun 20, 2019, 1:24 pm
#67
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: London
Programs: Gold at BA, Hilton and Radisson.
Posts: 591
Upgrades are based on flight loads, not status 99.99% of the time. Status helps with your position in the list of people to upgrade should a cabin be overbooked, but simply being Silver, Gold or even a Prem does not mean "You are due an upgrade".
I suspect a primary a reason people who have told us they receive frequent upgrades to club on JFK-LHR is due to booking W on a Super Hi-J 747, which BA oversell.
I suspect a primary a reason people who have told us they receive frequent upgrades to club on JFK-LHR is due to booking W on a Super Hi-J 747, which BA oversell.
Jun 20, 2019, 1:36 pm
#68
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Buckinghamshire
Programs: BAEC Gold Guest List, Hilton Honours Diamond, Accor Gold
Posts: 2,303
Lowly means nothing. I've been Gold for 4-5 years and only been upgraded once, as part of a BA holiday (in advance to Club Europe for the rtn from KRK), so not sure that even counts! Strikes me from my friends that GGL status goes a long way....
Jun 20, 2019, 1:45 pm
#69
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Scotland
Programs: BAEC - Silver | Hilton Honors - Gold
Posts: 296
I have been silver for just over a year and in that time been upgraded to J 3 times. 2 long haul and 1 Domestic.
That being said, I recent travelled for work as a group. 2 of the group being blue where upgraded to WTP and I was left in Y.
Like others say, it’s a combination of status, empty seats and fares. However, expectation can lead to disappointment, so best to be prepared to be underwhelmed at all times, especially with BA
That being said, I recent travelled for work as a group. 2 of the group being blue where upgraded to WTP and I was left in Y.
Like others say, it’s a combination of status, empty seats and fares. However, expectation can lead to disappointment, so best to be prepared to be underwhelmed at all times, especially with BA
Jun 20, 2019, 7:57 pm
#70
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: 4éme
Posts: 12,038
Jun 20, 2019, 7:59 pm
#71
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Barcelona, London, on a plane
Programs: BA Silver, TK E+, AA PP, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 13,043
I have learned to never check loads. It just isn't worth the feeling of disappointment when your cabin appears oversold and yet you still don't hear the magic beep.
Obviously the algorithm has surmised that they won't really extract much additional revenue from me. But at the same time, it seems to be missing the fact that there are going to be several ex-Golds who abandoned BA because of the stingy upgrade policy. There will be many who defend how it works, but a Gold becoming aware that a Silver or Blue was upgraded instead of them is definitely not going to engender a feeling of loyalty...
Obviously the algorithm has surmised that they won't really extract much additional revenue from me. But at the same time, it seems to be missing the fact that there are going to be several ex-Golds who abandoned BA because of the stingy upgrade policy. There will be many who defend how it works, but a Gold becoming aware that a Silver or Blue was upgraded instead of them is definitely not going to engender a feeling of loyalty...