TheStrongOne

Hi All - I'm flying FRA-TLV next week and was offered to "bid" on upgrade from coach to business. Any advice/suggestions on this process or (lowest) amount to bid that might likely be accepted?

Thanks!

Houminer

I usually bid (if I bid) 5$ more than the minimum

TheStrongOne

Are you often successful with this approach?

Houminer

Yes.
Also check up faring- a few times this was cheaper for me

Tlvyyz

How do you up-fare (let's say Y to PE) with El Al? Is it possible to do this online?

Houminer

Not online. It can be done in the airport

CalBear92

Hi all, would appreciate your insight and guidance!
I have my first flight on El Al coming up and have purchased a Premium Economy ticket (flight on a 787). I am considering placing a bid for the Business class upgrade, but one thing in the disclosures has me particularly concerned. It essentially says that if they choose to bump me back down to PE (at their discretion) I will be refunded the bid (fine) but I may not be able to get back my previously reserved seat. Three questions:

1) How likely/common is getting sent back down from a confirmed upgrade? For what reasons would they do this? Would they do this based on whether a higher-priority flyer shows up or someone bids more after I've been assigned a seat? Other reasons?

2) If this happens and PE is now full, would they actually push me all the way down to regular economy?!?!

3) Is this something to be concerned about at all, or just not a real issue, and is in their policies "just in case" something rare and messed up occurs?

And assuming I do bid, does it matter whether I place the bid now vs. right before the 96 hour window closes? Do the minimum bids get higher or lower as one gets close to the flight date?

Thanks!!!
Dan

Tlvyyz

I tried it once - lowest possible bid, unsuccessful (they told me at the gate that if there had been one more place in business, I would have gotten it), and kept my original PE 1ST row window seat.

clubman

Had the same LHR-TLV yesterday afternoon. Upgrade wasn't confirmed prior to check in and the the check agent prompt the question whether I wanted to upgrade to which I replied sure. They then proceeded to make a call and were told they couldn't confirm until boarding (I noticed earlier that morning there were only 2-3 seats left in Biz anyway).

Asked again at the boarding gate and was told it wasn't confirmed, so 17A (front row PE) it was, and it was perfectly ok.

CalBear92

So folks haven't generally been concerned with (or seen/experienced) having a confirmed upgrade later removed - bumping you back down to PE or potentially regular Economy?

Could/would they do that - where they bump you all the way down to regular economy because your PE seat got taken during the period you were upgraded, and just say "sorry" and refund some portion of the original fare? Getting bumped back down, to say a middle seat, or all the way to regular economy is my big worry about doing the update bid given that language in the disclosures about their right to bump you out from a confirmed upgrade for any reason whatsoever...