The ultimate thread on buy-ups at OLCI
May 29, 2013, 9:35 am
#796
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This "bidding for upgrades" has been under discussion over in this thread:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/klm-f...e-control.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/klm-f...e-control.html
May 29, 2013, 11:21 am
#798
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Originally Posted by KLflyerRalph
Could this affect (upgrade) award space closer to departure?
Its my opinion this indeed will have a negative impact on OLCI upgrades available for purchase and award inventory.
Last edited by HaikoW; May 29, 2013 at 11:28 am
May 30, 2013, 4:21 am
#799
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Looks like the chance to get an OLCI buy-up wil get slimmer after June 1st.
http://zakenreis.nl/luchtvaart/klm-veilt-upgrades/ (in Dutch)
- Service is called "upgrade yourself" and is access via "my trip on klm.com"
- Select number of flights now, will be expended during the year
- Service is designed for flights where Economy is often oversold
http://zakenreis.nl/luchtvaart/klm-veilt-upgrades/ (in Dutch)
- Service is called "upgrade yourself" and is access via "my trip on klm.com"
- Select number of flights now, will be expended during the year
- Service is designed for flights where Economy is often oversold
May 30, 2013, 4:53 am
#801
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There are two separate processes going on here.
Up until now, there has been this "upgrade at OLCI" option, the subject of this very thread. This "option" appears only 30/24 hours before departure. As seen in this thread, when the loads are low, the amount suggested by KLM can (but not always!) be relatively low.
This new "bidding for upgrade" is a new process, which will be on offer, and completed, before the old "upgrade at OLCI" offer can be made.
As such, seats that previously might have been subject to the "upgrade at OLCI" offer might disappear already at the "bid for upgrade" stage, meaning that the stock of seats availbale for OLCI upgrades is diminished.
Given that there's a minimum amount, which presumably corresponds with what the OLCI upgrade offer would have been/will be, of course this will depend on the number of people who bid an amount equal to, or greater, that amount -and many people might not bid enough. And given that it appears that the "bid for upgrades" might be targetted more at flights that are oversold in economy, then the two programmes may actually not really "compete" in the manner suggested above.
Or stated another way, those who would have had to wait until OLCI before seeing if there was an offer, may be able to get the upgrade earlier by bidding, using the historical information provided here as a guide.
May 30, 2013, 6:47 am
#802
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Won't this piss off paid J flyers?
If they have a full cabin with people who only paid +/- 300 more than their Economy ticket, it does not makes sense to pay full fare for J. (from a very blunt perspective)
If they have a full cabin with people who only paid +/- 300 more than their Economy ticket, it does not makes sense to pay full fare for J. (from a very blunt perspective)
May 30, 2013, 7:03 am
#803
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Well, you're never guaranteed to get the OLCI offer, or to be given the chance to bid, so it's a risky strategy for someone who wants to fly J to book Y and try and buy up.
The OLCI offer has been going for over 2 years now and I wonder if KLM has received any complaints from J flyers. I guess not. Many people flying in J have probably had their ticket paid by someone else (employer) or, if they fly on their own dime, probably want the certainty of having a J seat rather than hoping they get the offer later on.
The OLCI offer has been going for over 2 years now and I wonder if KLM has received any complaints from J flyers. I guess not. Many people flying in J have probably had their ticket paid by someone else (employer) or, if they fly on their own dime, probably want the certainty of having a J seat rather than hoping they get the offer later on.
May 30, 2013, 10:00 am
#804
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AMS-VIE (this morning, on E190). Offered upgrade at OLCI for 159 Euro. At that time, only two seats in J were taken (out of 8). Of course, I didn't take it. The same seats were the only ones occupied on this early morning flight.
Somewhat off-topic, no Economy Comfort (apart from exit seats) was offered...
Somewhat off-topic, no Economy Comfort (apart from exit seats) was offered...
May 30, 2013, 2:14 pm
#805
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Guess who are going to be really pissed off by this!
Still 1 Simple Answer...
May 30, 2013, 2:30 pm
#807
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May 31, 2013, 4:23 am
#809
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Thanks for the clarification, irishguy28. I guess they are copying the AF model of offering UGs ahead of time for some apparently random amount. Offering this in advance also allows them to target the offer to specific pax (e.g. pax on higher fares, give a pax who frequently fly Y a sample of C hoping that in the future they'd be interested in flying C <NW did that discreetly at some point>, etc.) I understand the reasoning behind it; tho I'm note sure I like it. 
That's the kind of DL speak that doesn't fly here.
That's the kind of DL speak that doesn't fly here.
May 31, 2013, 4:32 am
#810
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I really don't think that the original fare class has anything much to do with it.
I was travelling last week in R class (25%), and got the offer for about as low as it seems to be these days (though perhaps status helps?).
To be honest, I know they say it's offered only to early check-ins (and my sequence number turned out to be in the low teens), but I imagine they offer it to everyone until such time as the number of seats they are prepared to sell in this manner have been sold...so if you check in late the only reason you don't get the offer is that they have sold as many as they had planned...they may not wish to sell every single seat in the J cabin just in case someone wants to buy a ticket for immediate departure at the airport!
I was travelling last week in R class (25%), and got the offer for about as low as it seems to be these days (though perhaps status helps?).
To be honest, I know they say it's offered only to early check-ins (and my sequence number turned out to be in the low teens), but I imagine they offer it to everyone until such time as the number of seats they are prepared to sell in this manner have been sold...so if you check in late the only reason you don't get the offer is that they have sold as many as they had planned...they may not wish to sell every single seat in the J cabin just in case someone wants to buy a ticket for immediate departure at the airport!