HighLife Shopping and OpUp
 

Hello fine people

I know there is no real formula for who gets an OpUp and when, but I'm wondering if pre-ordering from the HighLife shop for onboard delivery would make any potential less likely?

For reference, we are both Gold and traveling in WT+ on a JFK-LHR in mid-October.

I can't help with the Highlife shopping aspect of your question but I've never had an upgrade other than my first BA flight as a blue over 10 years ago and many legs, so don't hold your breath. If it happens it happens. I always book the seat I'm prepared to travel in and travel without expectations.
John

On the other hand I've had more than 20 in 4 years... Which just goes to show you know and can't plan on them! I can't see how highlife shopping would affect anything.

Although I have never been ‘op-upped’ before, I have used the ‘Hi-Life’ shopping to pre-order/pre-pay a couple of times.

Basically whatever you order will be loaded onto the aircraft and it is delivered to you when you show your e-mail to the cabin crew. They then go off and find your item.

Last time I used it, I was in 64K in CW upstairs on a B747 and the cabin crew lady had to go hunting for the item downstairs in the duty-free trolleys.

She eventually returned with the item which was already sealed in a STEB plastic bag.

Just so you are aware, if you do pre-order/pre-pay you do not get any Avios on the purchase. However if you don’t pre-purchaser/pre-pay, but simply buy/pay for items from the duty-free trolley when it comes around and give your BAEC number (and for some odd reason your passport number) you do get credited with the Avios.

So, last time I flew (in First), I asked the CC early on in the flight if she could grab me something from the duty free trolley (before it did its rounds and potentially sold out) and I paid for it onboard and received the Avios.

Just as an aside though, it may work out cheaper to buy your duty free items in the duty free at JFK rather than onboard unless it is something only available through BA Hi-Life.

That is particularly true for cigarettes. 44$ versus 50£+ on my usual carton. Even with 5x Avios (3x through BAPP, 2x through BAEC) it's not worth it -- for now.

The procedure for claiming Avios for pre-ordered items is set out here: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/brit...l#post25677624. It might be worth checking that against the current version of the website.

It seems that the system doesn't always work very well. In amongst a number of anecdotes in that thread, I see that I posted some personal experience here: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/brit...l#post27056293

As pointed out by others, in my experience the items aren't proactively delivered to your seat. You have to ask a crew member to find them for you. So if you ended up in another cabin I don't see it being a problem.

Last time I did a pre-order I almost forgot about it until late in the flight and it seemed to take the crew forever to find the order. If I want something now I just take the risk and buy on board.

I'm guessing a few items must go uncollected. I assume they just refund those after the flight?

I think any individual's knowledge of upgrades / DUT and related areas is necessarily imperfect, and that's deliberate. But from what I know, have seen and experienced, I cannot see any link between OpUps and HighLife shopping. As ever, the biggest factor is simply how full the aircraft is, and how many standbys need to be squeezed on at the end.

Very helpful, thanks everyone!

I’m actually looking forward to trying out WT+ We traveled in WT once about 8 years ago and got upgraded TWICE on the return and ended up in CW. Since then, we’ve flown CW or F but now have a toddler so WT+ is a bit easier on the wallet. I’m interested to try it out! That said, wouldn’t decline an opup of course :D

Were on the LCY-JFK on the babybus for the return and I’m quite excited about it!

There isn’t any DF on that flight as far as I can tell so I was planning to
preorder on the outbound.

Thanks for that.

When I used it, although my BAEC number is on my Hi-Life shop account and I gave the CC who fetched my item my BAEC card, the Avios was never credited. I did e-mail the Hi-Life Shop about it and the following is cut and pasted from the e-mail I received in response:

‘Unfortunately we are unable to award Avios on your Buy before you Fly Purchase’.

So, it seems to have now changed.