Class Upgrade Bidding Initiative - your feedback sought
Jun 6, 2014, 3:36 am
#151
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: CX (elite) and a few others (non-elite)
Posts: 687
Operational upgrades are just part of it. The unpublished benefit as a diamond of getting mileage upgrades/redemptions released from inventory is to be honest more beneficial - specifically when traveling with the family. Op ups are a pure bonus but I am guessing mileage availability will suffer enormously on the back of this.
I absolutely agree, and if this disappears I really don't see the point of maintaining DM status
Jun 6, 2014, 5:33 pm
#152
Formerly known as jsfrSuperElite
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Hong Kong, Montreal
Programs: Air Canada SE100K-1MM, Hilton Honors Lifetime Diamond
Posts: 590
In light of this, I may as well continue to be SE 100 K with Air Canada for the 8th year in a row and continue being MP Gold for 2014...
Jun 6, 2014, 5:38 pm
#153
Formerly known as jsfrSuperElite
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Hong Kong, Montreal
Programs: Air Canada SE100K-1MM, Hilton Honors Lifetime Diamond
Posts: 590
^
I'm not fussed about the effect this will have on op-ups. I suspect it won't be as much as we think. BA have operated a form of cheap buy-up for some time (at a fixed price) and you'll still see frequent reports about op-ups there. While CX can capture some marginal revenue from this auction scheme, I suspect the universe of people who will bid in the end is smaller than they think.
My bigger concern will be award availability either for full redemptions or upgrades. This, unlike op-ups, is a published benefit (even if not guaranteed on any specific flight). Already I see a huge problem insofar as it sounds like auction upgrades will be processed four or so days before the flight. To the extent people do buy upgrades, it will cut down on availability for instant mileage upgrades on day of departure, let alone close-in redemptions. I'm generally not for threatening to leave over any little thing, but if award availability materially decreases I would take my business elsewhere.
Not that CX cares, given this sham feedback process, but if they're now willing to lower the revenue bar for premium cabins by instituting an auction process, they could ease the blow by making E fares upgradeable with miles. Other than lower award availability, I can't think of a quicker way to alienate their most frequent customers than to offer a discounted way for occasional fliers to upgrade with cash while soaking loyal customers by making us buy R fares to use CX's own loyalty currency.
My bigger concern will be award availability either for full redemptions or upgrades. This, unlike op-ups, is a published benefit (even if not guaranteed on any specific flight). Already I see a huge problem insofar as it sounds like auction upgrades will be processed four or so days before the flight. To the extent people do buy upgrades, it will cut down on availability for instant mileage upgrades on day of departure, let alone close-in redemptions. I'm generally not for threatening to leave over any little thing, but if award availability materially decreases I would take my business elsewhere.
Not that CX cares, given this sham feedback process, but if they're now willing to lower the revenue bar for premium cabins by instituting an auction process, they could ease the blow by making E fares upgradeable with miles. Other than lower award availability, I can't think of a quicker way to alienate their most frequent customers than to offer a discounted way for occasional fliers to upgrade with cash while soaking loyal customers by making us buy R fares to use CX's own loyalty currency.
Jun 7, 2014, 5:48 pm
#154
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: IAH
Programs: Marriott Plat, Hyatt Globalist, DL Plat, UA Silver
Posts: 4,043
CX is always the premium airline and the best.
We in the USA unfortunately don't have CX. But now CX flyers are going to finally taste the feeling of buying a J class ticket in United when 90% of it's J class ticket's were simply Complimentary premier upgrades.
This new system implemented by Air China is being really annoying also.
Seems like all airlines should adapt. If anything UA should do that instead of offering CPU's
We in the USA unfortunately don't have CX. But now CX flyers are going to finally taste the feeling of buying a J class ticket in United when 90% of it's J class ticket's were simply Complimentary premier upgrades.
This new system implemented by Air China is being really annoying also.
Seems like all airlines should adapt. If anything UA should do that instead of offering CPU's
Jun 7, 2014, 6:34 pm
#155
Join Date: Jan 2014
Programs: CX DM, TK Elite, Hilton DM, Shangrila DM
Posts: 32
This proposal is simply a bad idea!
I do have optionality with whom I fly; in fact, I have pushed hard for CX considering they are always much more expensive and my company is not convinced of the benefits of flying CX. I think they may be right ......
Jun 7, 2014, 7:08 pm
#156
Suspended
Join Date: May 2006
Location: HKG
Programs: A3, TK *G; JL JGC; SPG,Hilton Gold
Posts: 9,952
Wirelessly posted (Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 6_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/536.26 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/6.0 Mobile/10B142 Safari/8536.25)
I have a feeling ivan chu is bring cx in line with air china service levels
I have a feeling ivan chu is bring cx in line with air china service levels
Jun 7, 2014, 9:34 pm
#157
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Hong Kong
Posts: 2,172
CX is always the premium airline and the best.
We in the USA unfortunately don't have CX. But now CX flyers are going to finally taste the feeling of buying a J class ticket in United when 90% of it's J class ticket's were simply Complimentary premier upgrades.
This new system implemented by Air China is being really annoying also.
Seems like all airlines should adapt. If anything UA should do that instead of offering CPU's
We in the USA unfortunately don't have CX. But now CX flyers are going to finally taste the feeling of buying a J class ticket in United when 90% of it's J class ticket's were simply Complimentary premier upgrades.
This new system implemented by Air China is being really annoying also.
Seems like all airlines should adapt. If anything UA should do that instead of offering CPU's
Jun 7, 2014, 9:36 pm
#158
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: IAH
Programs: Marriott Plat, Hyatt Globalist, DL Plat, UA Silver
Posts: 4,043
Jun 7, 2014, 9:52 pm
#159
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 70
Damage limitation
Whoever Agency Guy is, this is purely and simply an exercise in damage limitation. This was always going to happen way before AG came onto the board suggesting if CX did this and that, what would our reactions be?
He was sent here to guage the fallout.
Its a shame that AG WOULD/could not come clean and stat facts and it needed the CEO of CX via apple daily to out the fact that this was a done deal.
No credibility in my eyes..
Is 253 the better plane to catch a cheap upgrade vs say 251 or 255.. It will become a game and there will be better flights to catch that will give you more chance to pay less for the same product.
BTW I have been a diamond card for the last 10 years and if it means i can pay less to get the same seat i am now purchasing i most certainly will do that, so the us$108K i spent with the airline last year might become us$75K with the same amount of flights.
Might be a reason to open a bottle of Krug.
He was sent here to guage the fallout.
Its a shame that AG WOULD/could not come clean and stat facts and it needed the CEO of CX via apple daily to out the fact that this was a done deal.
No credibility in my eyes..
Is 253 the better plane to catch a cheap upgrade vs say 251 or 255.. It will become a game and there will be better flights to catch that will give you more chance to pay less for the same product.
BTW I have been a diamond card for the last 10 years and if it means i can pay less to get the same seat i am now purchasing i most certainly will do that, so the us$108K i spent with the airline last year might become us$75K with the same amount of flights.
Might be a reason to open a bottle of Krug.
Jun 8, 2014, 2:19 am
#160
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: San Francisco
Programs: QF Platinum, Former CX Diamond, TG Gold, HH Diamond, IHG Spire Ambassador, Amex Platinum
Posts: 173
Whoever Agency Guy is, this is purely and simply an exercise in damage limitation. This was always going to happen way before AG came onto the board suggesting if CX did this and that, what would our reactions be?
He was sent here to guage the fallout.
Its a shame that AG WOULD/could not come clean and stat facts and it needed the CEO of CX via apple daily to out the fact that this was a done deal.
No credibility in my eyes..
Is 253 the better plane to catch a cheap upgrade vs say 251 or 255.. It will become a game and there will be better flights to catch that will give you more chance to pay less for the same product.
BTW I have been a diamond card for the last 10 years and if it means i can pay less to get the same seat i am now purchasing i most certainly will do that, so the us$108K i spent with the airline last year might become us$75K with the same amount of flights.
Might be a reason to open a bottle of Krug.
He was sent here to guage the fallout.
Its a shame that AG WOULD/could not come clean and stat facts and it needed the CEO of CX via apple daily to out the fact that this was a done deal.
No credibility in my eyes..
Is 253 the better plane to catch a cheap upgrade vs say 251 or 255.. It will become a game and there will be better flights to catch that will give you more chance to pay less for the same product.
BTW I have been a diamond card for the last 10 years and if it means i can pay less to get the same seat i am now purchasing i most certainly will do that, so the us$108K i spent with the airline last year might become us$75K with the same amount of flights.
Might be a reason to open a bottle of Krug.
Jun 8, 2014, 2:07 pm
#161
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: ZOA, SFO, HKG
Programs: UA 1K 0.9MM, Marriott Gold, HHonors Gold, Hertz PC, SBux Gold, TSA Pre✓
Posts: 13,811
No airline actually drops the idea complimentary upgrade after their respective mergers.
It is true that people complain about their upgrade chance. But there is no one complaining about the benefit if they get the upgrade.
Jun 8, 2014, 3:53 pm
#162
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: IAH
Programs: Marriott Plat, Hyatt Globalist, DL Plat, UA Silver
Posts: 4,043
CPU is what helps UA and other U.S. airlines to make profits, as a fact.
No airline actually drops the idea complimentary upgrade after their respective mergers.
It is true that people complain about their upgrade chance. But there is no one complaining about the benefit if they get the upgrade.
Jun 8, 2014, 7:14 pm
#163
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: ZOA, SFO, HKG
Programs: UA 1K 0.9MM, Marriott Gold, HHonors Gold, Hertz PC, SBux Gold, TSA Pre✓
Posts: 13,811
Jun 9, 2014, 8:06 pm
#164
Ambassador, Hong Kong and Macau
Join Date: May 2009
Location: HKG
Programs: Non-top tier Asia Miles member
Posts: 19,800
I wonder is CX IT up to the task though
Will we see a lot of successfully bid but unprocessed upgrades at airport?
Or will the call centres become even busier?
Will we see a lot of successfully bid but unprocessed upgrades at airport?
Or will the call centres become even busier?
