KLM and upgrading
 

I always wondering why 'collegues' always tell stories about being upgraded from economy to WBC and me who also fly's a lot never get upgraded

I fly a lot and most day sectors I fly economy as I do not really mind as I normally have a decent chair anyways. If fly economy I normally fly the cheapest fare available so can that be a reason that I never get upgraded even if the flight is full. (I am platinum elite)

I actually have never ever seen somebody been upgraded after boarding..

So what are your experiences and what are tips to do? Do you need to ask?

I am always polite and never really complain as I think air travel in economy is the most unconfortable way of traveling anyway

Date a KL steward(ess).

Yeah ... you put your hand on her knee and she says "I'm sorry, that is not possible" ;)

I think it just depends on the number of frequent flyers on board and the booking class you have. If you travel between Europe and USA with lots of Skyteam Elites onboard (e.g. Worldperks, Skymiles, FB) chances for luck are smaller.

I was upgraded to WBC several times between Bangkok and Taipei. Plane is usually full of Asian tourists, who are less likely to be frequent flyers.
Once I was even upgraded on the flight from Amsterdam to Manila, even though I was only FB Silver in that time! Plane was full of Philippinos, I felt like I was more or less the only white guy onboard!

Sometimes I just ask it at check-in. "Is the plane full today?" If so, I tell the lady: "Well, if you need to upgrade someone..." A nice smile might help! :p
Booking class is also important. Once I flew on KLM's V-class and the lady at check-in said she couldn't upgrade me because of this cheap booking class.

I have quite regularly, including myself on a number of occasions.

Very variable. I'm also a LTPE, but don't travel on V fares. Usually, I'm booked in L, Q or T.

Back in the good old Flying Dutchman days, there was a year where I was upgraded on every single longhaul flight. 100%. Really!

Most OpUps have been the result of overbooking in M class, but there have been exceptions. JNB used to sometimes upgrade PE's on flights with very light WBC loads, irrespective of the load in M, but I can't imagine they do so any longer. Another time a Crown Lounge agent took pity on my then girlfriend, whose fear of flying was very obvious, and upgraded us both.

I don't, but when flying from AMS I check the loads in the lounge to assess my chances. Sometimes the agent will even tell me how many PEs are traveling in economy, and their fare classes.

On occasion I've asked to upgrade with miles, and been advised not to do so because I stood a good chance of an OpUp. However, I suspect that they usually are more than happy to say nothing and take the miles instead of giving away a WBC seat. I therefore always check what the actual loads are before requesting an award upgarde.

Johan

Dressing smart does not seem to decrease chances... I won't go as far as to claim it increases them :p

Another example of the KLM-way
 

Just read this trip report AMS-IST on airliners.net:http://www.airliners.net/aviation-fo...d.main/126452/

Great to see they keep up their standards in choosing the passenger with the lowest fare and no status! But they could have done better, shouldn't they have picked one without a ffp? :p

Me too. I seem to remember two golden years. Those were the days when one would give all your business to KLM no matter what, tell everyone what a great company they were and generally act as a brand ambassador.

I have a feeling the best way to get upgraded now is to be the last person at the gate on a full flight before the doors close. Oh, no more Y seats, let's put this sweaty, panting backpacker that just arrived at the gate into Biz; after all, it will be too difficult to extract one of the Plats from their middle seat in the back.

Ahh...yes ; two years on the trot my partner and I got upgraded on every KLM flight to and from SE Asia....sigh...

Although I also experienced a lot more upgrades in the past, and I did enjoy them, I still do not get this discussion. It seems that an upgrade is considered a product feature. I always buy my stuff at the same super market. Never received free product upgrades there. Ladies and gentlemen: I think its pretty normal that you get what you pay for.
If upgrades would be standard issue for frequent flyers, they'd sell a LOT less business class tickets. I reckon that they rather have one paying business class passanger than 4 cheap eco fare frequent flyers being upgraded. I don't blame them for managing that a bit more proportionally nowadays.

:D:D:D

Sad but true... :mad:


Just an advice here. Read "Klm is Dead - Long Live KLM" post one more time, and I think you'll see the "cause of complaint". No?

Cheers,
Joe

Of course. I used to be treated to lots upgrades in the past. Even to the point that I started to expect them. Guess thats when KLM changed course on that, when they found out that people started to expect upgrades.

Yes I see thte cause of complain and I used to do that as well when KLM started to change their upgrade policy. KLM created upgrade expectations at the time. And of course it is very disapointing when such expectations aren't fulfilled anymore. Certainly KLM's fault to have created such expectations. Not ours. But...is it fair to blame them for not giving us the upgrades anymore? Should we still get upgrades forever just because they made that commercial mistake at the time?

And the second part of KLM is Dead's etc... post. I consider that his excellent sarcasm ^ Add noisy non-revs with their children to the sweaty backpackers! Don't have much hopes that that will change.

I have had 17 return long-haul trips over the last 2 1/2 years, and have experienced an upgrade on 1 segment only. This happened from GRU going to AMS. The plane was full. On the day I was very late arriving at the airport (last one to check in - normally I arrive with plenty of time to spare), and I had not checked in on the internet (which I normally do).

What are other people's experiences here? Anyone else think that checking in online reduces upgrade chances? What about arriving late for check in?

When I bought Economy tickets some years ago, my upgrade ratio on long haul was over 50%. Their had been on board upgrades, too, but not very often.

Flying Eco I never did OLCI. However, when I checked loads in the morning and I saw everything zeroed out, I knew I'll fly WBC and I did :D

Was done every time by the system in advance.

However since some years I'm enjoying the very low Z fares ( sometimes I, but never higher ) and pay for my WBC seat.

What Mennix said: Z fares mean I don't sweat the upgrade anymore. (Actually, to be honest, LX J fares ex-BCN mean I don't sweat WBC anymore).

If I understand correctly the general complaint isn't that KL aren't upgrading people anymore, it's that they're just upgrading random people as opposed to plats. Valid gripe, I guess.

I was talking to an IB staff member the other day about this exact same situation and she said they're very pragmatic about upgrades: if there's time, and they know ahead of time, then they upgrade their elites automatically. If not, and it's close, flight is closing, etc., the last people in line get stuck up front. Remember the gate agent doesn't care if you sit up front or not; they're interested in getting the plane off on time.

I always thought that some kind of software decided the upgrades based on a couple of parameters, frequent flyer status being wighted heaviest. If its is software I don't understand the problems regarding time constraints.

If it is a mabnual decicion making process...then...eh? :confused:

Although...it could explain the seeminly random upgrades.

And oh. In 'the good old days' I was also upgraded being a smelly backpacker who just returnd from a trekking in the Indian Himalayas...smelly backpackers can be plats just as well :D At that time I didn't dare to take of my shoes tho...

I actually got upgraded yesterday. After 5 years of plat, I think this is the second time.

The GA's were talking during the boarding process and I heard my name. The one on the machine goes to grab an upgrade BP laying there, and says my name to the second girl. This elicits a flurry of Dutch and and an English "sorry, too late" to me.

After boarding, a girl shows up with a BP for 9F. I show here my 9F and promptly ring for the FA. This girl then decides she will just squat 9B. The FA takes our BP's and goes to the purser. Returns to me with 3C written on my BP, so I collect my stuff and move. In the meantime, the FA is trying to explain to the girl in 9B why she needs to move to her seat :)

Shortly after getting re-settled, the GA runs on the plane and heads for 9F. She then comes to 3C and hands me the BP stub for 3C, "I had an upgrade for you sir, but I see you already got it" and then scampers off the plane.

All-in-all, I was happy, but what a circus. Must be an annoying process for the GA's to boot.

Well. Its not the software after all then. That explains the random upgrades, probably triggered by sheer lazyness. It seems that you were lucky they made the effort to find a plat this time :)

Anyway. I think that we will never get our finger on this anyway. And find the 'trick' that does it. Because if we would, we would all persue the same 'trick' to get upgraded. A paradox :D

I've actually seen them follow procedure one time (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showp...0&postcount=59):

Sometimes they do go to the trouble. On a number of occasions, both short and long haul, (one of) the last pax to board showed up with a stub for my seat, upon which I got upgraded.

Johan

The problem with KLM, now operating in 2-class configuration only, is that 1) you dont stand a chance of upgrade from business to first class as the latter does not exist in KLM; 2) the heavy Y conifiguration (see B77W) entails less chance of upgrade to business as there are plenty of Y seats to fill.

Because AF operates in 3-class config. for many routes, it means that usually half the plane is devoted to high-yielding business and first class seats, which increases the likelihood an upgrade from Y to C or from C to F is certainly more realistic than when flying KLM.

Rgs,

I've only ever received op-ups on 737 flights intra-Europe. It seems the process is different everywhere. Was upgraded once or twice ex-MAN during checkin, and a couple of time ex-AMS at gate.

I've been in a few l/h situations where the back was 0'd out and there were a few WBC seats left. Always opted to use miles for UGs rather than leave it to chance or the discretion of KL GAs. It ain't AA we're dealing with.

Manual Upgrading
 

Saw a funny take on upgrading flying from AMS to BGO a couple of weeks back. I was seated in C together with 4 others. After boarding was completed, an elderly man rushed from just behind (in Y) to a seat up front! It all happened really fast while the FAs werent looking. I couldnt believe my eyes, but he pulled it off!

The first thing he ordered was champagne.

In these days of OLCI, and internet banking etc. etc. where us customers are expected to do everything ourselves, why not also the fine art of upgrading...:D

My wife and I got an op-up (I am ST E+, she is ST E) on CAI to AMS. Total shock to both of us (we were on an el-cheapo, doesn't even earn miles fare sale ticket) and were just patiently waiting in the chaotic gate area when I heard what I thought were our names being announced. We were already fighting with a lot of rude people trying to gain position to board the buses to the plane when I approached the agent and louder than anyone's ever shouted before he said "you have been upgraded to business class." It was a really nice feeling and I was shocked that we both got it. For those of you that have never taken that flight, it leaves at 4:00 AM, so its a nice one to be upfront for.

Been upgraded last week CDG-MAD from 2F last week.

Process followed :

Bought N fare (99€ return ticket MAD-CDG)

OLCI for me (FB Gold) and gf (FB Ivory)

Baggage drop at Espace Affaire (nice new perk : 2 dedicated Affaire security lines in 2F)

AF Lounge emptier than ever (No business passenger on Dec 28th...) with for once a decent selection of magazines (not much choice when I go through on late flights).

Among the last to board

Gate Agent scans barcode and machines shows "classe incoherente" message. GA then prints out a new BP in 2A.

I then indicates that I travel with my gf on same reservation. GA replies that he'll see if her BP will be UG too. Not. Tells me to ask on-board.

On-board pursuer muffles :td: about all the bad Op-Ups done at the gate, splitting couples and families.
No way to UG my gf or for me to seat next to her in Y:rolleyes:... (Tempo & Tempo challenge were full, ony 3 seats left in C).

Little bit OT but I had an different upgrade experience flying AM JFK-MEX in Y in september.
After boarding completed, after push back and while we where taxiing out for take off I got a very late upgrade to C. My neighbour couldn´t belive his eyes.
I could, and I enjoyed it very much....

So you must either be 1) family/friends of the crew 2) airline staff right?
:D

Well, ten years ago I used to date a SK stewardess. That must have been the reason......
But on the return leg I was really punished for that luck. At the gate I was promised an upgrade but ended up in the last row in the dreaded middle with no recline, stuck in between two big guys. Where did it all go wrong?:confused:
PE= Punishment Elite?

:D^

Definitely a good enough reason. :D
Why did they promise you an upgrade for the return journey?
A surprise upgrade is nice, being promised one and then denied it AND put in a middle seat... must have been a cruel gate agent.
Or one that has read all the Demon chapters in the manual ;)

Ha ha ha.
Maybe she was a sister/relative to the SK stewardess......
I think someone very important turned up. From aisle in midcabin, to c, and then back to the hellhole in couple of minutes.
Demon or relative? I don´t know.