Views - J to F upgrade up-front with Skywards points or chance it at the airport?
Jun 3, 2006, 1:41 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2006
Location: North Yorkshire, UK
Programs: BAEC
Posts: 79
Views - J to F upgrade up-front with Skywards points or chance it at the airport?
Hi, I am going from MAN-AKL-MAN in a couple of weeks - MAN-DXB in J (they only offer Business and Economy in the planes used on this route), DXB-MEL in F and MEL-AKL in J. The DXB-MEL-AKL trip will be on a A340-500 both ways.
I phoned Skywards yesterday and was told that an upgrade on the MEL-AKL leg is 12,500 miles one-way. I have some old miles that I can use but wondered whether I should perhaps save my miles and chance an upgrade at the airport instead.
In your experience, how likely would I be to get the MEL-AKL upgrade to F when checking in at Manchester, given that I will be sitting in F for c14hrs on the same plane? If the airline isn't playing ball, is it still possible to use miles to upgrade at the airport check-in as a last-gasp option, or do upgrades have to be done in advance through the Skywards offices?
Probably worth saying that I am only Skywards Blue at the moment but should (I think!) be 'silver' by the time I reach NZ and nearly gold by the time I get back to the UK.
Also, my MAN-DXB flight is on a A330-200 and the DXB-MAN is on a 777-200 - I have checked the latter on Emirates at it only seems to have 6 rows in J, so is it safe to assume that the aircraft will have been refitted, offer ICE and generally feature a decent Business class service?
I phoned Skywards yesterday and was told that an upgrade on the MEL-AKL leg is 12,500 miles one-way. I have some old miles that I can use but wondered whether I should perhaps save my miles and chance an upgrade at the airport instead.
In your experience, how likely would I be to get the MEL-AKL upgrade to F when checking in at Manchester, given that I will be sitting in F for c14hrs on the same plane? If the airline isn't playing ball, is it still possible to use miles to upgrade at the airport check-in as a last-gasp option, or do upgrades have to be done in advance through the Skywards offices?
Probably worth saying that I am only Skywards Blue at the moment but should (I think!) be 'silver' by the time I reach NZ and nearly gold by the time I get back to the UK.
Also, my MAN-DXB flight is on a A330-200 and the DXB-MAN is on a 777-200 - I have checked the latter on Emirates at it only seems to have 6 rows in J, so is it safe to assume that the aircraft will have been refitted, offer ICE and generally feature a decent Business class service?
Jun 3, 2006, 2:00 pm
#2
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Pennsylvania
Programs: AA Platinum Pro, AC *S, Marriott Gold Elite, Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 9,689
Hi,
If you want to sit in F on the MEL-AKL leg, I wouldn't chance it since it is rarely full. When checking in at MAN, it is even less likely, since AFAIK EK only starts upgrading once they are about to run out of seats.
330-200s do not have ICE, but all 777-200s do have ICE and refitted seats. Also watch out for 3 class planes being use on DXB-MAN-DXB flights, it happens often and you will be able to snag an F seat.
Cheers
If you want to sit in F on the MEL-AKL leg, I wouldn't chance it since it is rarely full. When checking in at MAN, it is even less likely, since AFAIK EK only starts upgrading once they are about to run out of seats.
330-200s do not have ICE, but all 777-200s do have ICE and refitted seats. Also watch out for 3 class planes being use on DXB-MAN-DXB flights, it happens often and you will be able to snag an F seat.
Cheers
Jun 3, 2006, 4:42 pm
#3
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Sydney
Posts: 5,769
also are u stopping for a few days in sydney if not then you will not be silver when you fly to akl as it takes about 3 days for the points to get in to the account and the computer to decide if u are silver. its not like UA and AA where it automatically turns as soon as the miles hit.and u start earning the bonuses.
well that was my experience when I flew to DXB and then on to man.
I didnt get the silver bonus dxb to man untill about 10 emails of complaints!
well that was my experience when I flew to DXB and then on to man.
I didnt get the silver bonus dxb to man untill about 10 emails of complaints!
Jun 3, 2006, 5:10 pm
#4
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Pennsylvania
Programs: AA Platinum Pro, AC *S, Marriott Gold Elite, Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 9,689
Originally Posted by tinkybelle
also are u stopping for a few days in sydney if not then you will not be silver when you fly to akl as it takes about 3 days for the points to get in to the account and the computer to decide if u are silver. its not like UA and AA where it automatically turns as soon as the miles hit.and u start earning the bonuses.
well that was my experience when I flew to DXB and then on to man.
I didnt get the silver bonus dxb to man untill about 10 emails of complaints!
well that was my experience when I flew to DXB and then on to man.
I didnt get the silver bonus dxb to man untill about 10 emails of complaints!
Cheers
Jun 4, 2006, 5:30 am
#5
Ambassador: Emirates Airlines
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Manchester, UK
Posts: 18,618
Originally Posted by Lumpster
Also, my MAN-DXB flight is on a A330-200 and the DXB-MAN is on a 777-200 - I have checked the latter on Emirates at it only seems to have 6 rows in J, so is it safe to assume that the aircraft will have been refitted, offer ICE and generally feature a decent Business class service?
Cheers,
Rick