Is There a Standard Procedure for International Op-Ups?
 

I flew on NW28 from NRT-SFO on 7-27 and while boarding, I noticed 5 boarding passes at the ticket scan. I took a quick glance while walking through and saw two Silver Elites in the group of BPs for WBC. I am Gold Elite and never expect to get an Op Upgrade, but it seems kind of strange that two silvers would be upgraded in front of me. Does fare basis play a more important role than status (I was flying on an M fare)? BTW, this flight was jam packed and I had to endure a fussy, kicking baby directly behind me.

I received an op-up once as a silver. I was on a B fare (my return was already upgraded and booked into I class) and had a seat assignment in row 10 on the DC-10.

The GA paged me, said she needed my seat, and put me into WBC. I would hope fare paid plays a role, but where you're seated on the plane may play a role if they have to find seats for a couple or a family.

They may just look at the seating plan and see that a person in a specific seat is easiest to op-up to get other pax seated together (when the op-ups are done last minute).

When they're processed at check-in, I would think they go by status, fare paid, and how a person is dressed could even be a factor. I always seem to get more op-up's during the check-in process when I'm nicely dressed (i.e. nice collared, ironed, button down shirt and slacks vs travelling in a t-shirt and jeans).

SDF_Traveler

Last year on a return flight from PEK, our daughter(GE) was upgraded at boarding from PEK to NRT. My husband and I(Both PE)were not upgraded.
She is an attractive young woman, but I'm sure that was not a factor, as I don't think they had any way to connect the name to a face. As she boarded, they had a new boarding pass in Business Class already printed.
She also was upgraded on the outbound flight from SFO to NRT. Our other daughter was on the same flights-- same status and she was not upgraded.
We were all puzzled, as we thought the PE would be upgraded before GE. All of us had the same coach fare class that was not upgradeable.

There were a few empty seats in BC.

For a February flight, we purchased B class tickets for DTW to CDG and were upgraded at the time of purchase. When we boarded in DTW, I asked the gate agent if there were seats available if they would upgrade B class tickets at the gate and he said, "Absolutely not!!! We want to sell those tickets."

I don't know if there were any Bs wanting to be upgraded, but there were a few empty seats and at least 2 flight attendants seated in Business.

Do you think Gate Agents give priority to employees?

Usually, they don't. But if the employees happen to be crew reporting immediately to work on a connecting, then the GAs may block the WBC seats.

OBTW, my chances of int'l op-ups seem to take into account that I travel solo. When travelling with companion(s) on same PNR, upgrades have been zero. But when solo, seems like my chances are best. When friends accopany me on the same flight with different PNR, I was bumped up but not them Been upgraded with Q, B and M fares in the past. My best op-up route is NRT-HNL (3 for 3 since Oct '05).

On a Shanghai-Narita flight earlier this year, Mrs. Yogimax and I were both upgraded. The boarding passes were already printed and waiting at the counter so it had nothing to do with appearance. I'm actually quite glad because I certainly do not appear to be a platinum elite in the way I dress. Just as an aside, though, I have noticed priests in clerical collars sitting up front. Who knows, though, if they were upgraded or travelling on a paid ticket.

From the responses so far, as well as personal experience, it looks like the "easiest" international op-ups are the feeder flights into Narita

I have taken many feeder flights into NRT and have never received an op-up (usually to/from MSP and the flights are usually packed.) Coworkers on the same flights have been op-uped, though (same class and status.) I normally travel in my jeans and golf shirt. My company has a policy of purchasing the cheapest fares so the only time I have a prayer of upgrading is on a last minute purchase.

If it were based on appearance, I'd be loaded in the hold! :)

Together with the cattles? :D *giggles* (love your respond!)

Don't give them any ideas!! ;)

Gotta love NRT-HNL...widebodies filled to the brim with consolidator fares and military travelers. Ripe for overbooking.

Ask the ticket counter if you can "volunteer" for WBC if they are oversold in Y
 

I asked the ticket counter at CDG (knowing in advance that they were oversold in Y) if they needed any "volunteers" to move to WBC due to the oversold condition in Y.

The agent thanked me for my concern, and upgraded both my wife and I into WBC.

The important point to remember is to ask.

RC

I did the same thing from AMS to DTW. They were more than happen to do it.

Whom did you ask? The KLM agent when you were checking in?

I'm flying AMS-SEA on Monday on a full fare coach ticket. I'm Silver Elite, but don't know if I even have a prayer of getting an upgrade.

I'd even use miles, but I always get the same song n dance. "Sorry it's too late to use your miles too upgrade!" Huh?

My experience is that NW has been pretty generous with the op-ups for me (a CO Plat). One time, though, I wound up getting an op-up to the upper deck of a 747 flying NRT-JFK (remember that route?). The passenger next to me was a very friendly woman who was totally astounded that she had also been upgraded - from speaking with her, it seemed that she had hardly ever flown before.

My experience is that status often helps, but other times it is pretty much random.