LY777

Yesterday, I flew from TLV to CDG LY323 (BOEING 777- 4X-ECD).
I booked a seat in Y and once on my seat, I asked a F/A if it was possible to get a seat in the "C" class because the 2nd section of the C class was empty and was used as a Y class... The F/A told me it was OK if I paid 200$. I told her "no!". Then she came back and told me: "Is it OK for 100$?"
I agreed...

Has someone experienced something similar? Is it normal that they charge for a "false" C class whereas I am a matmid member?

As for the flight, I noticed a downgrade in everything (like on the CDG-TLV flight): meals, drinks (water Ein Guedi, the cheapest of the Israeli Spring water...). But what shoked me most was the service: some of the F/As were really rude, others didn't smile AT ALL, others not helpful at all; they were a bit like waiters at a Bet Café X or Y... Really disappointing for LY... On the other hand, the plane was immaculate, and the 777 as powerful as usual ;-)

ebzed

Well, If you were Y you were suppose to get an upgade if there was an
empty seat or row... Did you got any reciept for you "Upgrade"?
Also you were moved to business, not to C class, Difference between S & Y is around 200$, Y & W is another 200$...

As for the food, Yes it was downgraded, Now they serve Arcafe meals...
Sandwitches or Pasta, As for the water, There is sense behind getting
it over Neviot or Mey-Eden as there is a problem on those two, So
EL-AL give whatever else is approved.

With all of you guys talking about rude FAs, can you please let me know
what do you mean? i always get nice ones... I am sure its not because
i am sexy (as i am not) or maybe they are attracted to my (140kg) amazing
body ?

clubman

ah?

clubman

Sacha, first of all I'm glad you got your 777 on the way back at least...

Never seen them charge for an "upgrade" to C seats being used as Y.
In fact, I would have got up and sat there, as it is no different to moving to any other empty Y seat...
By the way, did you pay cash or with a card?

This whole business of LY using part of the C cabin for Y is a bit of a joke...

They seem to allocate these seats very randomly with no logic, and not necessarily to Gold/Platinum’s etc.

Besides the fact that if I were sat in C, and paid for it, only to discover that I could have purchased a cheap Economy ticket, and still get a business class seat I would be pretty angry, especially on a relatively short flight where I could live with downgraded soft product...

ly787

Actually, they have started to charge for "premium" seating in economy. This way only someone who pays in cash or in matmid point can sit there.
GL, PL and TPL dont need to pay for the seats. The seats are allocated at the checkin, based on status if they have not been taken by GL+ and their companions before the flight. I wonder if that has anyting to do with that. Because I know they charge on specific seats.

I also know they have recently restarted upgrading onboard for a fee. I think its around $300 or $400.


BTW - EBZED - I DIDNT UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT.

ebzed

Wrote it too fast..., Now Slower 8-):
1. I was talking class fare, while ly777 was talking seat class, So this is where
the confusion came from...

2. I am not aware of such prices for the on-board upgrade, I am not sure
the FA is aware about class fare differences, Taking 100$, I hope he got
a reciept, other wise it went soemwhere else but elal... 8-)

yosithezet

I was on BKK-TLV in Jan or Feb and was seated in the C seats with Y service. I'm plenty happy with that option. I'm set up this way on my next BKK-TLV flight and also on a bonus ticket during Pesach. The C service is nice but if I can save the points but get the seat I'm not going to complain.

Anyway, during that flight there were 5-6 people who paid $500 each to move into those seats mid-flight.

ly787

I just called EL AL and asked,

1. There is an option for non GL/PL to pay $100 (shorthaul) or $250 (longhaul) onboard or even at the gate to sit in business seats but eceonomy service. They will first offer it to GL/PL for free and then to other Matmid members and non members at a cost.

2. They also now offer last minute upgrade from any Economy class (T, V, K ect) to business at the gate or onboard:
longhaul: 500 points or $800
Short: 200 points or $300

HURRAY , so from now on I will try to book the cheapest fare to NY and upgrade at the airport.

LY777

yes, I receive a receipt, I paid with a credit card.

As for the meal, I didn't see Arcafe meals in neither of the flights...

"Rude" is a bit hard in reality...


Thanks guys for all your answers

traveler18

Anyone knows if there is ever a paid offer from paid Business (Z) to First on Long Haul?

ebzed

Doesnt sound logical to me, but i wish you got true information,
With the situation of business class (half empty on most of my flights)
it means that you might end up flying business in half price!

ly787

more like a third of the price on long haul, minus the 1000 points.

so all u have to do, is book your flight on flights u know u will have a good chance to upgrade yourself.
Like probably the the afternoon NY flights and midweek. (ie tuesday night)

craz

It makes sense to me. CO is doing the same but it takes 30k miles and a copay the $$ depend on the fare basis purchased, the lower the fare the higher the copay, each way; which is $500 for its lowest fare to $100 for its B 1 level below Full coach, Id think most people will fall between $500-400 each way, plus the 30k miles each way

Ive been checking recently on both its flights in both directions and CO is far from selling out its Biz cabin, it used to always do so and with Full fare tkts too. Now its not unusual to see 25 of the 50 seats taken and close to 12 of them as Upgrades.

So I guess LY finally gave in as well and decided whatever extra they can pocket Grab It

ebzed

The main question, What comes first, Last Minute upgrades fo FFs or This new type of upgrade.....

clubman

This is crazy, it sounds like they are doing this on a relatively large number of flights, and on a regular bases as well.
Just to the way p*** off their customers paying for C and then finding out they could have saved $$$$, got the same hard product, without the service.
It’s one thing doing this every once in a while, but that isn't the case here.


By the way, personally, I haven’t stepped foot on an LY aircraft for a while now, but in the days that I did, I came across this a number of times, and even as a Gold was never allocated a seat in the C cabin.
It seemed totally random, and in fact on one flight (which I mentioned here once before) it was a 767 from STN which was occupied mainly by charter passengers, I asked the purser whether I could get a proper glass for my wine from Business class only to be told by him that there was no Business class operating on this flight...
Imagine how annoyed I was when I went up to see the Business class cabin full of people and kids that with all due respect looked like they had never travelled in their lives, while I paid a full Y fare on that flight (booked fairly last minute) and was stuck in the back.

Funnily enough, the only time I remember being sat in C being operated as Y, was on a flight from LCA on a 747 many years ago where a friend and I were allocated Upper deck seats for the 40 minute flight, and I had no status with LY in those days.