Check In or Not
 

I am travelling on the 0250 DXB - LGW early Friday morning. (Message me if you want F lounge access).

I am on a J class ticket and there are no empty seats. If I check in now will it hamper my chances of an upgrade to F? I am a Platinum travelling solo with zero tier mikes. I once heard that if you are not checked in it is easier for them to upgrade you straight away without staff de-booking and re-booking your ticket... But i'm not sure if there was any truth in that.

Can anyone offer any insight?

It's been discussed on here a few times without a definitive answer.

There is the theory you mention, but there is also the thought process that if you're checked in you're more likely a traveller. Not checked in and you could be a no-show.

It's less work overall to upgrade someone who has checked in than have to undo a no show and upgrade someone else.

Saying all that, most upgrades appear to be done in the final hour or so when everyone travelling will likely have checked in anyway.

I have stopped checking in online for a couple of years now. On my most recent trip, I straightaway got a J BP for my DXB-BOS flight when I checked in at the counter at BOM. Not sure if it was cause & effect but its the first time it has happened in my 15 or so years of flying with EK, and with a relatively high op-up frequency. See post #254 here:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/emira...2016-a-17.html

It's not related to booking. It's only seat assignment.

If there are no more seats, then there is a probability of overbooking, thus, upgrades.
BUT, there may be no-shows or missed-connections (ex : flight delays)
BUT, you may not be the lucky winner, particularly if there are more HVC, even if, seemingly, Plats have higher chances.
BUT, there may be lots of paid upgrades (with miles or cash), thus, freeing seats.
BUT, when upper class is full / overbooked, you may get downgraded or offloaded if you did not check-in early (though unlikely as a Plat).

So, do not think about it and cross fingers.

So i fly EK a lot, i don't check in online. I have been upgrade 6 times this year and have also been offloaded twice , but not to worry as the compensation rolls in when you email EK , and threaten to switch to QR or EY ... ( EK gold , platinum by next week monday :) )

You don't need to check in online - it won't affect op-up chances.

However, Flame3601, you got offloaded at Gold?! That is a strange occurrence - I assume revenue tickets not concessionary - and shouldn't happen at all...unless you haven't checked-in at all at T-60!

They once offloaded a friend of mine who is Silver. Not that high, but still, it happens...

He got a free day in DXB and a flight to DUR via JNB the next day.