asiadxer

Dec 4, I bought a B-class EVA ticket CGK-LAX for late Feb 2014. Tried upgrading using United miles, upgrade was not available. Ticket cancelled and refunded (24-hour rule).

Dec 5, I bought a Y-class EVA ticket. Tried upgrading using United miles, was successful, 30000 miles each way.

asiadxer

1) Route and date of travel:
BR 16 TPE-LAX 18 Dec 2013
BR 1 LAX-TPE 30 Dec 2013
2) Date of request and how made:
22 Oct 2013, EVA Jakarta Ticketing Office
3) Class of original booking class (for upgrade):
Elite M Class to Royal Laurel Z-class
both using upgrade certificates
4) IML Club status:
Gold
5) Outcome:
BR 16 confirmed 1 Nov 2013
BR 1 confirmed 18 Dec 2013

JackTripper

Thanks for sharing your experience. I'm not clear on your purchase ticket. Was it Y or M? Also, I wonder how much harder it is if you aren't IML Gold. Does EVA handle upgrades using United miles?

asiadxer

Dec 2013 trip was M class ticket, upgraded using EVA Diamond upgrade certificates. When I was Diamond, the upgrades normally approved within 24 hours. This time as Gold I was waitlisted for 1 week outbound, almost 2 months for inbound.

For Feb 2014 trip I purchased Y ticket, M is not eligible for Mileageplus upgrade, only Y, B and K. And the difference between Elite K and Y was only $80, so I chose Y class (higher priority). The upgrade for Y-fare was available online immediately on united website.

I do not think IML status affects upgrade chances using Mileageplus as long as upgrade space is available, since its United that has to pay EVA for the upgrade. UA status might help, I have no status currently with UA. As noted above my B-ticket upgrade request was denied, while Y-class upgrade was approved, presumably because less cost for UA.

JackTripper

Thanks. What is the 24 hour rule you used to get a full refund of the B fare ticket? EVA website says changes or cancellations are $100 so checking for upgrades could get pricey.

Do you recommend trying a B before a Y? Also, do you know how to search EVA's site for Y tickets if they don't show on the flight select grid? The flight select grid only shows M, B then T for my April flight dates. I can't believe Y would be sold out!

Also if we get the upgrade, any issues with bringing an infant on a non reserved seat?

asiadxer

When you book and ticket a reservation through the EVA AIR website or EVA reservation/ ticketing office for EVA flights to/from USA one week or more prior to a flight’s departure date, EVA will allow you to cancel the ticketed reservation without penalty and receive a full refund provided that you cancel the reservation within 24 hours of purchase.

Allowing Reservations to be Canceled Without Penalty Within 24 Hours of Purchase

For some reason, ECO Flex Y-fare would not appear on the flight search grid in April, I do not know how to get the Y-fare. My CC was credited with full refund of my cancelled ticket within 7 days.

I have no idea since every airlines have different rules for infant. I suggest you call EVA SFO office. Currently there is no bassinet in RL class.

JackTripper

Thank you asiadxer. I guess the best way is to try the B first, check for an upgrade from United, then cancel within 24 hours and get a Y. It looks like we would have to call EVA's office if Y doesn't show on the website.

JackTripper

According to Seatguru, SFO-TPE has only PL class, which has bassinets on the seat map. Is your experience different?

asiadxer

The EVA Timetable shows all SFO-TPE flights using 77N with RL configuration. There are bassinet holder on some aircrafts on seat 8K, however the purser told me that EVA was not going to use them because there was microwave oven on the other side of the partition wall. They are going to move the bassinet position, most probably 8A. May be the new 77A configuration has proper bassinet location.

JackTripper

You're right, it looks like these flights are 77N. The EVA reservations person told me the bassinet is at 8K but had no knowledge of the microwave location. You bring up a legitimate concern for an infant bassinet. Any ideas on whom I can talk to about the bassinet being relocated away from the microwave or potential alternatives? Or is this something you anticipate they'll figure out on their own?

Also, I paid for coach tickets but used miles to upgrade. Still, I was told the infant fare is based on the full price RL class ticket. Ouch. I was told it was not possible to use miles to upgrade an infant fare. Are any strategies or discounts available on this?

asiadxer

I assumed somebody just looked at the seating chart in deciding where to put the bassinet in RL, without being physically in the aircraft to assess the position of the bassinet. Its clearly visible that there is microwave oven on the other side of the partition. Since bassinet have to be properly secured to the wall, I think it will be sometime before EVA management/maintenance would relocate it to safer location.

You may read the following threads for traveling with infant on EVA :

EVA Air and babies?
EVA+Babies+Car seat

JackTripper

Those are helpful threads, thank you. They are starting actual RL bassinet service later this month and I would hope by April, they would have figured this out. Someone at EVA told you they are going to move it to 8A? I assume there's no microwave on that side?

asiadxer

Seat 8A was a comment by Chief Purser on one of my recent flight. There is self-help refreshment bar (cookies/snacks/drinks) on the other side of the wall of 8A. Putting bassinet in forward cabin (1A/K) might create complain from the RL passengers who want peace and quite.

JackTripper

It's my first time flying anything but coach, or EVA for that matter. Anything else I should know? Did you preorder your meals on their website?

TravelGuy_2007

Noted a change to my reservation this morning and called EVA at Los Angeles. They confirmed the upgrade to RL class and deducted the miles. Yeah EVA!! So that would be about 10 days before departure which is very nice as I can now make the meal order process. Thank you EVA!!

TG