Yeah, no problems with upgrades happening, if they were upgrading elites and not just totally random pax - while keeping the service level constant.

Agreed, it is on certain routes and/or certain seasons.
In theory, this is why they have configured their aircraft with different sized Y cabins, so they can match capacity to demand.
In practice, it doesn't work. The limited sized fleet makes it difficult to match and they refuse to adjust price of J cabin to meet low demand. Current doctrine states they rather oversell Y at low prices than sell existing J-capacity at low prices.


I always thought gate agents chose op-ups - based on how strange they chose who to upgrade. But on one onversold CKG flight, I overheard conversion between a couple and gate agent. AY had split the couple by op-up-ing only one of them and the couple didn't want to accept the upgrade. In despair agent kept repeating "the computer chooses, we can't do anything about it" and "it is a better seat".
(Actually, they split 2 couples on that flight, that's how bizarre it gets.)


In theory I agree, but in reality there are some issues even if they do op-up by a strict order. If they keep overselling massively on certain routes and/or seasons, op-up will be a safe bet and elites will just stop buying J tickets.

Yesterday, the gate agent at Arlanda specifically said "you have been upgraded to business", not "we have upgraded you to business". And it would be odd for non-Finnair ground staff to deal with this, Admittedly, I could just be overinterpreting.

However, I was once upgraded at HKG. The transfer desk agent could not believe it when I said "oh I got upgraded", and checked three times that my passport, customer number and ticket matched. So it definitely was not his doing!

Yeah, I think it's normally done by AY, not gate staff. I guess their upgrade algorithm is under-implemented.

I doubt that. Most passengers who can afford to buy J, will continue to do so (unlike people on FlyerTalk). And for passengers with economy travel policies, then higher chances of upgrades is actually making the loyalty program work.

That said, it would seem to me that elites do get upgrades before status-less. It just so happens that on some routes, there are not enough elites to upgrade.

Last month on HEL-CDG flight a gate agent congratulated me that I have been upgraded to J. This was very strange because I had upgraded myself earlier already with points. I told this to the agent who just replied: "Oh, really?" On the same flight, one couple was split because of the op-up.

Yes, same thing with the split couple I referred to some posts ago.
The girl told me they tried to refuse the single upgrade, but agent just replied: Sorry, there is nothing I can do about it, if you want to sit together you have to wait til the next departure.

I'll gladly exchange seats, should someone need to sit in Y next to kin.

Incidentally, in my dark, non-frequent flyer days, I did turn down a l/h opup for this exact reason. #NeverAgain.

My flight is showing 10 rows in business - Will that stick or will the equipment change? I booked into the main cabin but there are seats reserved in the mini cabin.

032 - yyz-hel 10/07/15

I and better half are flying HEL-JFK (late Jul) and YYZ-HEL (early Aug) in Y on AA el cheapo ticket. Is there any chance for op-up on AA ticket assuming Y is oversold?

I'd say and hope no. But, AY is known for inconsistency with their opups.

My YYZ - HEL bounce was on LTN.

Yes. They changed 297 seats configuration to XIY on 10th and today.

Last May I discussed with an AY FA on a HEL-JFK flight about catering in J. I told about some disapointments on the long HEL-MIA flight in J during the winter. She had also served on one of these flights and told how embarrassed she was as the catering in J for the HEL-MIA-HEL flight was less than on a shorther HEL-JFK-HEL flight. On the return flight they were even out of champagne, as the inbound flight had cleared the outbound stocks.