No More Op-Ups???
 

It was mentioned in the Middle Seats Thread that CO No longer does Op-Ups on overbooked Int'l flights. This seems nuts. If there's plats that can be siphoned into the BF cabin so CO doesn't have to rebook the IDBs on other flights/cut vacations short/unnecessarily cause ill-will...why not do it? It's not like a BF seat is going to be sold once that door closes. Most Op-Ups I experienced were in summer (on Transats) when Y was overbooked and BF relatively empty. Many of those IDBed pax will be on perhaps once-in-a-lifetime vacations and the potential for ill-will, negative word of mouth, etc. is huge. I can understand maintaining the integrity of the BF cabin, but at some point, such maintenance becomes ridiculous and counter-productive.

Does any other airline do this?

Even as non-elites, my husband and I have been opped-up a couple of times on BA because they have so many classes of service and so many of the people flying in the summer are larger family groups. I can't imagine why it makes sense from an economic point of view NOT to op-up... our view of the airline has always been very positive when it's happened to us.

We need to take the context into account when we interpret these things.

My most recent experience with this was about a month ago when CO was doing op-ups on a domestic flight to resolve a VDB.

Do we have an example of CO VDBing/IDBing passengers when there are open BF seats? Or is all we have a second-hand statement from a GA who was trying to get rid of a customer who was begging for an upgrade? If you read the other thread in question, we never found out if anyone was bumped off that flight (they were asking for volunteers, but were they needed? Or perhaps were they put into BF?).

Now if CO is literally paying people to get off the plane when there are open seats in BF, well, then that's dumb, and let's continue this discussion. Otherwise, unless we see that this actually happened, I don't think there's an issue here.

I dont think so either. OpUps are not even a published benefit or program, so it is hard to discern the actual policy. I got one going to CDG a year ago and the grey coat specifically indicated that it was due to the oversold situation in coach.

Then again, there may have been a change of policy "to protect the integrity of the program".... :rolleyes:

My mom was last op-uped in June 2005. EWR->HKG

I also don't believe there's a change of policy, or it's something very recent.

as stated quite a number of times on this board, never believe what one CSR says until it is verified.

See this thread, diferent OP than here, supporting proposition of no more op-ups.

FYI that's the same thread as the OP.

No Change
 

There is no change in the procedures that Gate Agents follow when handling an international overbook situation.

Gee, I can't imagine a customer harrassing a GA for an UG. I mean with all the civility we see on the baords and at the airport that seems like quite a stretch .

:D :D :D :D :D

That certainly makes sense. Flying empty seats up front and leaving pax behind because the Y cabin is full makes no economic sense. As noted above, op-up us not advertised or promoted.

Well I am back from a quick semi MR to CDG, and as I posted in another thread, I was told on the phone by a OP agent that they weren't giving out y op-ups anymore. I didn't ask for it, but merely inquired about it when she mentioned to me how full the flight was, and that it would be nice it it occured at the airport. Well, the flight did go out oversold with not a single open seat in coach, but I did see 3 empty seats in BF when I went up to use the lav. On my return today, it was the same oversold situation and again I saw at least 2 open BF seats, so it may not be a new policy--could be just a fluke on these 2 flights.

The flight may start out as oversold and they may ask for volunteers but most of the time they don't need any. Do you know that they actually paid people to not take the flights or is that just speculation based on the fact that they asked for volunteers?

I don't know much about this but couldn't a BF seat or two be pilot rest spots? (FA rests are in Y now, right?) I find it difficult to believe that CO would IDB people ex-Europe as opposed to do a op-up given the EU rules (they apply to CO ex-Europe, correct?)

EU regulations apply to all flights from EU airports, regardless of the nationality of the carrier.