Why is LHR so awful with operational upgrades?
Sep 17, 2018, 6:35 am
#1
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Why is LHR so awful with operational upgrades?
Ex AUH all it takes usually is to ask.
LHR even when there are seats clearly unfilled, they are downright uncooperative.
My experience at other Etihad outststions has generally been reasonable (NRT SIN HKT JNB DEL BKK HKG) but does anyone know why they are just so downright uncooperative in LHR?
And I know for a fact that ex AUH most agents will upgrade a Gold or Platinum just because they asked. Etihad, London is in a different country, sure, but you are the same airline flying the same plane, please sort the consistency.
LHR even when there are seats clearly unfilled, they are downright uncooperative.
My experience at other Etihad outststions has generally been reasonable (NRT SIN HKT JNB DEL BKK HKG) but does anyone know why they are just so downright uncooperative in LHR?
And I know for a fact that ex AUH most agents will upgrade a Gold or Platinum just because they asked. Etihad, London is in a different country, sure, but you are the same airline flying the same plane, please sort the consistency.
Last edited by akalra1187; Sep 17, 2018 at 7:39 am
Sep 17, 2018, 7:00 am
#2
Join Date: Oct 2016
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Posts: 289
Ex AUH all it takes usually is to ask.
LHR even when there are seats clearly unfilled, they are downright uncooperative.
My experience at other Etihad outststions has generally been reasonable (NRT SIN HKT JNB DEL BKK HKG) but does anyone know why they are just so downright uncooperative in LHR?
And I know for a fact that ex AUH most agents will upgrade a Gold or Platinum just because they asked. Etihad London is a different country, sure but you are the same airline flying the same plane, please sort the consistency.
LHR even when there are seats clearly unfilled, they are downright uncooperative.
My experience at other Etihad outststions has generally been reasonable (NRT SIN HKT JNB DEL BKK HKG) but does anyone know why they are just so downright uncooperative in LHR?
And I know for a fact that ex AUH most agents will upgrade a Gold or Platinum just because they asked. Etihad London is a different country, sure but you are the same airline flying the same plane, please sort the consistency.
Sep 17, 2018, 7:03 am
#3
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The purpose of OPUP's is not to fill empty seats with freeloaders, but rather for the operational necessity of the carrier. Generally that exists when a lower cabin is overbooked and at risk of oversale or when a seat goes INOP or somesuch. Better to upgrade a passenger into an empty premium cabin seat than to deny boarding.
If handing out freebies becomes rampant, you will find yourself wishing for US domestic flights where UA & DL provide unlimited freebie UG's to all elites and AA does so for its top level elites. The cheaper and easier an UG is, the fewer people will pay for it. Why should they?
If handing out freebies becomes rampant, you will find yourself wishing for US domestic flights where UA & DL provide unlimited freebie UG's to all elites and AA does so for its top level elites. The cheaper and easier an UG is, the fewer people will pay for it. Why should they?
Sep 17, 2018, 7:37 am
#4
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The purpose of OPUP's is not to fill empty seats with freeloaders, but rather for the operational necessity of the carrier. Generally that exists when a lower cabin is overbooked and at risk of oversale or when a seat goes INOP or somesuch. Better to upgrade a passenger into an empty premium cabin seat than to deny boarding.
If handing out freebies becomes rampant, you will find yourself wishing for US domestic flights where UA & DL provide unlimited freebie UG's to all elites and AA does so for its top level elites. The cheaper and easier an UG is, the fewer people will pay for it. Why should they?
If handing out freebies becomes rampant, you will find yourself wishing for US domestic flights where UA & DL provide unlimited freebie UG's to all elites and AA does so for its top level elites. The cheaper and easier an UG is, the fewer people will pay for it. Why should they?
Although this is how many airlines work, this is not how Etihad work, and I know from plenty of experience.
Sep 17, 2018, 7:55 am
#6
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Better not to be sceptical unless you’ve tried.
Sep 17, 2018, 7:56 am
#7
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Sep 18, 2018, 12:31 am
#9
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Just to add to previous comments , Etihad work on a load factor . They sell tickets even if the flight is full because of the hope of no-shows .Several flights ( non EU ) are heaverly overbooked , so upgrades are quite frequent , especially during busy times of the year ( as said by me before ). Etihad cut the service to BKK during Ramadan ( because Muslims don't fly ) , I am almost certain I get an upgrade and usually early in the year , January , February as well ......However , regarding exiting the EU certain rules apply where airlines are not allowed to over sell seats , so upgrades existing the EU are very rare ( I've had 2 in 9 years ) the last one being 2014 .....So I don't think the staff at LHR are to blame for this ......in fact , before this stupid charging for seats came into effect , they were most helpful blocking seats next to me , so generally I had at least 3 seats to myself in Y , all the way through to BKK , unfortunately with all the cutbacks , this is no longer an option
Sep 18, 2018, 1:58 am
#11
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Just to add to previous comments , Etihad work on a load factor . They sell tickets even if the flight is full because of the hope of no-shows .Several flights ( non EU ) are heaverly overbooked , so upgrades are quite frequent , especially during busy times of the year ( as said by me before ). Etihad cut the service to BKK during Ramadan ( because Muslims don't fly ) , I am almost certain I get an upgrade and usually early in the year , January , February as well ......However , regarding exiting the EU certain rules apply where airlines are not allowed to over sell seats , so upgrades existing the EU are very rare ( I've had 2 in 9 years ) the last one being 2014 .....So I don't think the staff at LHR are to blame for this ......in fact , before this stupid charging for seats came into effect , they were most helpful blocking seats next to me , so generally I had at least 3 seats to myself in Y , all the way through to BKK , unfortunately with all the cutbacks , this is no longer an option
Being booked in J on a AUH-LHR flight, I had a check in the J cabin after being upgraded to F, the J cabin was 60% empty. The same thing happened on a NRT-AUH flight (around 40% empty) and again on a AUH-SIN flight (this time nearly 80% empty, around 6 seats looked occupied maximum).
Your reply is logicial, but like a lot of replies in this thread, is based on the fact that Etihad operates like most other airlines. Etihad is the airline that doesn’t post frequent flier miles 9 times out of ten, in the hope that customers won’t realise. Etihad is the airline where cuts start in First class and Economy is enhanced. Etihad simply doesn’t work like most airlines.
Experince of Etihad itself is far more prudent than trying to apply other airlines policies to EY.
Sep 19, 2018, 6:56 pm
#13
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Here's my two cents on this. From AUH to BKK my family (Gold) frequently get's upgraded from Y to J but only the 2nd morning flight to BKK but never on the first one. Maybe because this flight has so many passengers from the flight that left 2 hours earlier having missed their connections coming in late from Europe.
When they had the 3 class service using the Jet Airways Aircraft I got upgraded from J to F both from BKK to AUH and return nearly every time. Of course now with a 2 class aircraft I'm already in J with lots of of op ups as economy is oversold.
LHR to AUH I've been upgraded to F from J a few times but only on the morning and afternoon flights but never the evening flight.
I always ask at check in and in the lounge. "Any chance of an upgrade today"? They always say they will let me know in both LHR and AUH and to be honest I'm not sure if it's because of an op up or because I"m Platinum and know the agents. But like the OP, I believe it doesn't hurt to ask. But in LHR I guess I've been lucky.
When they had the 3 class service using the Jet Airways Aircraft I got upgraded from J to F both from BKK to AUH and return nearly every time. Of course now with a 2 class aircraft I'm already in J with lots of of op ups as economy is oversold.
LHR to AUH I've been upgraded to F from J a few times but only on the morning and afternoon flights but never the evening flight.
I always ask at check in and in the lounge. "Any chance of an upgrade today"? They always say they will let me know in both LHR and AUH and to be honest I'm not sure if it's because of an op up or because I"m Platinum and know the agents. But like the OP, I believe it doesn't hurt to ask. But in LHR I guess I've been lucky.
Sep 20, 2018, 6:35 am
#14
Join Date: Jan 2013
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Here's my two cents on this. From AUH to BKK my family (Gold) frequently get's upgraded from Y to J but only the 2nd morning flight to BKK but never on the first one. Maybe because this flight has so many passengers from the flight that left 2 hours earlier having missed their connections coming in late from Europe.
When they had the 3 class service using the Jet Airways Aircraft I got upgraded from J to F both from BKK to AUH and return nearly every time. Of course now with a 2 class aircraft I'm already in J with lots of of op ups as economy is oversold.
LHR to AUH I've been upgraded to F from J a few times but only on the morning and afternoon flights but never the evening flight.
I always ask at check in and in the lounge. "Any chance of an upgrade today"? They always say they will let me know in both LHR and AUH and to be honest I'm not sure if it's because of an op up or because I"m Platinum and know the agents. But like the OP, I believe it doesn't hurt to ask. But in LHR I guess I've been lucky.
When they had the 3 class service using the Jet Airways Aircraft I got upgraded from J to F both from BKK to AUH and return nearly every time. Of course now with a 2 class aircraft I'm already in J with lots of of op ups as economy is oversold.
LHR to AUH I've been upgraded to F from J a few times but only on the morning and afternoon flights but never the evening flight.
I always ask at check in and in the lounge. "Any chance of an upgrade today"? They always say they will let me know in both LHR and AUH and to be honest I'm not sure if it's because of an op up or because I"m Platinum and know the agents. But like the OP, I believe it doesn't hurt to ask. But in LHR I guess I've been lucky.
Sep 21, 2018, 12:16 pm
#15
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Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 14,352
" And I know for a fact that ex AUH most agents will upgrade a Gold or Platinum just because they asked."
"It doesn’t work with every agent, but try it, it does work when you get the ‘right’ agent"
"Oh and it’s usually a yes from J-F, Y-J not so much."
So . . . which of the above is correct? All agents? The right agents? Just because you ask? Or not so much?
Johan
"It doesn’t work with every agent, but try it, it does work when you get the ‘right’ agent"
"Oh and it’s usually a yes from J-F, Y-J not so much."
So . . . which of the above is correct? All agents? The right agents? Just because you ask? Or not so much?
Johan