Guaranteed Seat for Gold
 

hummm.....as far as I noticed, it is possible to buy a Flex+ fare for any day and then ask to change for your preferred day without price variation (flex+ = no Penalty). Nevertheless it is not guaranteed, not at all. One might end up with a ticket on EK to travel on a specific date with need to travel on another date, compatible or not with refund process time.....tricky. As the miles upgrades are tricky as almost never one can find reward seats on the routes were the miles are honestly earned. Lots of tricky things on skyward program, or at least on both major benefits of clocking miles in any airline: upgrades and guaranteed seats (lounge access and extra luggage comes with status not miles quantities). I truly believe the miles Stock was so great on client side, they invented this "spend your miles and reduce the cost of your ticket" to cover the fact that the miles have no value for a frequent traveler that find no practical use for them when really needs.

no change fee but a (sometimes) heavy fare difference as there are different booking classes 'within' flex plus. Nevermind if you take the seat guarantee you have to pay a Y class fare anyway so no fare difference

Flex Plus means you can change for free, paying the fare difference. There's no cost for the process of changing itself, unlike Flex and Saver fares where on top of the difference in fare and taxes you also have to pay a change fee.

Upgrade availability has no link to whether you buy Flex or Flex Plus, Flex Plus just makes upgrading cheaper in terms of miles (and cash usually) cost. It is frustrating not finding availability but if one monitors closely generally something opens up at some point. So far I've always been able to spend my miles on upgrades or award tickets and usually have too few miles for an upgrade as when I have enough I use them. Just getting back into the region of having enough for another upgrade (at 35k now, will hit 42k in 2 weeks)

Done. Booked through TA on outbound in Y and U on inbound. Checked Auto Upgrade option and no avail for now, excepting last inbound flight (dxblis) that is now upgraded.
Anyone have experience in miles upgrade at check in or onboard?
Shall I uncheck auto-upgrade and wait for op-up? Will op-up happen despite the auto check in option?
Appreciate your experienced feedback.

Op-ups take place even when there is no upgrade availability, the one will not affect the other. At check-in or onboard you can upgrade based on space available and do not depend on upgrade availability, so this may be an option if you are unable to upgrade in advance.

If the leg into DXB on the return becomes available you can call EK (or in this case you'd probably need to deal with the TA) do process the upgrade for the difference in miles for the entire segment upgrade vs paying the cost of two one ways (individual upgrades of AAA-DXB + DXB-BBB is higher than AAA-BBB via DXB as a single upgrade, EK call centre can reverse the earlier upgade, hold the inventory and process the entire upgrade for the lower combined cost).

Touched base with call center half an hour before OLCI open and confirmed:
- oversold Y
- 3 seats available in J but not reward
- I'm only GOLD in Y

For now, I can't check in through App. Says I must check in at airport.
Smells like op-up. My questions are:
1 - Having I checked the auto upgrade option in "manage my booking", will they get my miles or no?
2 - Shall I get to airport as early as possible or can I relax and make it efficiently 1,5 to 1 Hr before boarding?

Thanks again...

Once OLCI opens no need for award inventory. You can upgrade based on any seat being available. Op-up is an operational upgrade and complimentary. No miles. If you want to ensure you get an upgrade pay with cash or miles.

As for Gold in Y, it helps but beware that priority is first by fare type (Flex Plus before Flex etc) and within fare type by status. Personally as Gold I've found I can still get upgraded on Flex fares but it depends completely on the route, time of year and pax profile. Some routes (e.g. heavy on business travellers) are likely to have more Flex Plus pax (and more status pax in general).

i used to think this was the case but not if the flight is busy.

I flew back with antdentale from here, I was in F he was in J. 2 seats left in F they wouldn't release them...even in the lounge.

He got the seat at the gate and miles were deducted. Same thing for a friend travelling back from Cpt - only got the upgrade at the gate and miles deducted.

Hm, that sounds like its because they're not sure yet of op-up numbers and thus holding for op-ups, but even then, at the gate or on-board upgrade is possible if space available.

FTFY

The line given on the manchester flight was that they were waiting for last minute revenue passengers...

It seems space available isn't available when it suits.

Any chance to know how many are booked on tonights EK 393 and EK 159 on the 11th tomorrow?

Load check request
 

Hey fellow FTers

wouls request if someone could give me loads for EK235 for 16JAN DXBORD (F J & Y)

would really appreciate if someone could help me with it

thanks in advance!

.....

Theres a new app that could help with all of these requests (also available as a website)

stafftraveler and the website of the same name

Its essentially a load sharing app, you put in your request then someone from that airline replies generally quite quickly. Its based on credits so if you respond to requests, like I do, then I get free credits to ask loads for on other airlines. You can also buy credits for, I think, 5 for EUR5,00.

Sure, you'll have to pretend you work for an airline to sign up for it, but you don't have to respond to the load requests.

Great app. I spend my nightshifts responding to requests :)