"Ask me about upgrades"
Mar 10, 2020, 5:19 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2018
Posts: 246
"Ask me about upgrades"
Flying phl to lhr last night, I had a couple of hours to kill in the lounge.
When checking into the lounge, the receptionist notified me that "we have upgrades for sale if you're interested?". I've never had this before, at check-in desk or lounge.
Anyway, I was in PE and thought $510 for a 6 hour flight was a little much (and I've already retained silver for the year, and will not reach gold, so that element wasn't relevant).
Got onboard, and there was only 4 of us in the whole PE cabin. One woman decided to berate the cabin crew that she should be moved to business class as it was also quiet. The cabin crew member, admirably, laughed at her.
Anyway, landed at lhr today and noticed there are booths around with the "ask me about upgrades" slogan on them.
My questions are -
1) Is this a response to dwindling passenger numbers with the current coronavirus issues? And the numbers of people at all the airports, and on all the aircraft, I've been at have been visibly low.
Or is it a new way of trying to make customers pay for upgrades instead of giving them away free (when necessary)?
And 2) Does anyone have any info on whether this upgrade option represents value to the customer?
Or is it simply a way of BA to minimise losses on certain flights?
Oh, and for what it's worth, the phl to lhr flight yesterday, BA 68, I moved back into economy and lay across 3 seats, slept 4 hours of it.
And I'm 99% sure every customer had 3 seats to themselves.
When checking into the lounge, the receptionist notified me that "we have upgrades for sale if you're interested?". I've never had this before, at check-in desk or lounge.
Anyway, I was in PE and thought $510 for a 6 hour flight was a little much (and I've already retained silver for the year, and will not reach gold, so that element wasn't relevant).
Got onboard, and there was only 4 of us in the whole PE cabin. One woman decided to berate the cabin crew that she should be moved to business class as it was also quiet. The cabin crew member, admirably, laughed at her.
Anyway, landed at lhr today and noticed there are booths around with the "ask me about upgrades" slogan on them.
My questions are -
1) Is this a response to dwindling passenger numbers with the current coronavirus issues? And the numbers of people at all the airports, and on all the aircraft, I've been at have been visibly low.
Or is it a new way of trying to make customers pay for upgrades instead of giving them away free (when necessary)?
And 2) Does anyone have any info on whether this upgrade option represents value to the customer?
Or is it simply a way of BA to minimise losses on certain flights?
Oh, and for what it's worth, the phl to lhr flight yesterday, BA 68, I moved back into economy and lay across 3 seats, slept 4 hours of it.
And I'm 99% sure every customer had 3 seats to themselves.
Mar 10, 2020, 5:24 am
#2
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Ipswich
Posts: 7,543
I had this at PHL months ago, and took the offer. So I don't think it's COVID-19 specific but the low volumes may have made it more common. Lots of flights used to go out full, so little point in directing people to ask about non-existing upgrades. Now, every extra buck they can get is a bonus.
Was it good value? I'm so-so about that which suggests they priced it exactly right.
Was it good value? I'm so-so about that which suggests they priced it exactly right.
Mar 10, 2020, 5:25 am
#3
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Flatland
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold 1MM, BA Gold, UA Peon
Posts: 6,109
The "ask me about upgrades" signs have been out for many months.
There's a whole thread on airport upgrades here:
Airport Upgrades (AUP) promotion 2020 thread
BA have been much more active about advertising them in the last year or so, before that they were a bit of an insider's secret. So that's not just a sudden reaction to COVID-19.
The thread above has tracking of the costs offered (and I encourage you to contribute, even if you didn't take up the offer). BA will usually never have you paying less for the lower cabin plus the upgrade than the cheapest fare for higher cabin, but the cost total can be a lot less than the walk-up fare in the higher cabin. Whether you consider them good value or not is a personal choice, much like the choice to book Club or WT+ in the first place.
There's a whole thread on airport upgrades here:
Airport Upgrades (AUP) promotion 2020 thread
BA have been much more active about advertising them in the last year or so, before that they were a bit of an insider's secret. So that's not just a sudden reaction to COVID-19.
The thread above has tracking of the costs offered (and I encourage you to contribute, even if you didn't take up the offer). BA will usually never have you paying less for the lower cabin plus the upgrade than the cheapest fare for higher cabin, but the cost total can be a lot less than the walk-up fare in the higher cabin. Whether you consider them good value or not is a personal choice, much like the choice to book Club or WT+ in the first place.
Mar 10, 2020, 5:36 am
#4
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2020
Posts: 122
I have to say, while it doesn't really bother me, I find the new techniques a bit cheap. POUG, alright, that's subtle enough. But now BA with the ads in the lounge or Lufty with announcements at the gate (advertising cash upgrades to general pax particularly when Y is over-booked). IDK.
Mar 10, 2020, 5:43 am
#7
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,760
PHL (and EWR) are fairly active in pushing upgrades, so that's not new. I have been chased around an empty EWR lounge by the lounge agent in a mock fight on the issue. Some Airport Managers in the USA seem to set targets on the ground crew to get x number of AUPs processed by a given time.
However what has happened in the last 2 weeks or so is that agents in LHR T5 and T3 seem to be proactively using the trolley check-ins to act as pro-active AUP centres. LGW isn't doing this yet, as far as I can see, plus they don't have the tolleys (and LCY doesn't do AUPs).
However what has happened in the last 2 weeks or so is that agents in LHR T5 and T3 seem to be proactively using the trolley check-ins to act as pro-active AUP centres. LGW isn't doing this yet, as far as I can see, plus they don't have the tolleys (and LCY doesn't do AUPs).
Mar 10, 2020, 6:26 am
#8
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: Scotland
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 443
Mar 10, 2020, 6:29 am
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: SE1, London
Posts: 23,428
The signs might be new, but BA staff offering paid upgrades when they are looking to maximise revenue has been around for years - my first offer would have been around 7-8 years ago!
So, it’s far from a new thing though I imagine pressure on revenues right now is making for some changes. I’m on a very lightly loaded flight later which is only selling to H in ET -and is pushing upgrades at OLCI to the currently empty CE cabin. Revenue maximising from those that have to travel, very logical.
So, it’s far from a new thing though I imagine pressure on revenues right now is making for some changes. I’m on a very lightly loaded flight later which is only selling to H in ET -and is pushing upgrades at OLCI to the currently empty CE cabin. Revenue maximising from those that have to travel, very logical.
Mar 10, 2020, 6:33 am
#10
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Based out of MAN; LON/NYC regular
Programs: BAEC Gold, IHG Platinum Amb, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 214
I've encountered this for a few years now flying out of ORD during the winter season; I have a regular trip in November and almost without exception there've been signs up during check in offering upgrades, in fact I've booked a couple of trips as WTP because I've been expecting a good value WTP-CW AUP to be offered.
Mar 10, 2020, 7:23 am
#11
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: London
Posts: 778
Yesterday I noticed that at LHR T5 there were a couple of agents walking around the check in areas with iPads showing "UPGRADE PROMOTION ASSISTANCE" or something along those lines. It has to be an attempt to push revenues from premium cabins, due to the COVID-19 travel slump. In my company we have just stopped all non-essential travel. My observations are anecdotal, but on certain routes I definitely see the effect... LHR-DUB had 2 rows of CE yesterday vs the typical 8+...
Mar 10, 2020, 8:01 am
#13
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: US/UK - and elsewhere
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 2,554
I've never been tempted by these 'offers' - primarily because I'm a tight bugger - I think of it as 'an upgrade' vs 'a new phone/etc'.
Besides, most of my upcoming (non-cancelled-yet flights) from the seat maps business seems to be pretty full while economy is virtually empty - although this might mean the status-misers aren't flying as much!
Besides, most of my upcoming (non-cancelled-yet flights) from the seat maps business seems to be pretty full while economy is virtually empty - although this might mean the status-misers aren't flying as much!
Mar 10, 2020, 8:58 am
#14
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 610
Flying phl to lhr last night, I had a couple of hours to kill in the lounge.
When checking into the lounge, the receptionist notified me that "we have upgrades for sale if you're interested?". I've never had this before, at check-in desk or lounge.
Anyway, I was in PE and thought $510 for a 6 hour flight was a little much (and I've already retained silver for the year, and will not reach gold, so that element wasn't relevant).
Got onboard, and there was only 4 of us in the whole PE cabin. One woman decided to berate the cabin crew that she should be moved to business class as it was also quiet. The cabin crew member, admirably, laughed at her.
Anyway, landed at lhr today and noticed there are booths around with the "ask me about upgrades" slogan on them.
My questions are -
1) Is this a response to dwindling passenger numbers with the current coronavirus issues? And the numbers of people at all the airports, and on all the aircraft, I've been at have been visibly low.
Or is it a new way of trying to make customers pay for upgrades instead of giving them away free (when necessary)?
And 2) Does anyone have any info on whether this upgrade option represents value to the customer?
Or is it simply a way of BA to minimise losses on certain flights?
Oh, and for what it's worth, the phl to lhr flight yesterday, BA 68, I moved back into economy and lay across 3 seats, slept 4 hours of it.
And I'm 99% sure every customer had 3 seats to themselves.
When checking into the lounge, the receptionist notified me that "we have upgrades for sale if you're interested?". I've never had this before, at check-in desk or lounge.
Anyway, I was in PE and thought $510 for a 6 hour flight was a little much (and I've already retained silver for the year, and will not reach gold, so that element wasn't relevant).
Got onboard, and there was only 4 of us in the whole PE cabin. One woman decided to berate the cabin crew that she should be moved to business class as it was also quiet. The cabin crew member, admirably, laughed at her.
Anyway, landed at lhr today and noticed there are booths around with the "ask me about upgrades" slogan on them.
My questions are -
1) Is this a response to dwindling passenger numbers with the current coronavirus issues? And the numbers of people at all the airports, and on all the aircraft, I've been at have been visibly low.
Or is it a new way of trying to make customers pay for upgrades instead of giving them away free (when necessary)?
And 2) Does anyone have any info on whether this upgrade option represents value to the customer?
Or is it simply a way of BA to minimise losses on certain flights?
Oh, and for what it's worth, the phl to lhr flight yesterday, BA 68, I moved back into economy and lay across 3 seats, slept 4 hours of it.
And I'm 99% sure every customer had 3 seats to themselves.
Just out of curiosity and i know you prob dont know the answer but was the rest of the flight particularly busy?