Bought Economy(Q) Fare, No Upgrade Option in Manage Booking
Nov 26, 2022, 10:40 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2020
Location: USA
Programs: Qatar Airways Platinum Tier
Posts: 83
Bought Economy(Q) Fare, No Upgrade Option in Manage Booking
I bought some economy tickets for family members and Im not seeing any options on the Qatar app or site in manage booking to try and upgrade them (using cash). The flight is in 2 days and usually they send an email out to upgrade by now. Is Qatar not doing paid upgrades anymore? Highly doubt it... Do I have to call them or get the upgrade at checkin for them?
Thanks!
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Thanks!
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Nov 27, 2022, 3:34 pm
#4
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: MEL
Programs: DL, QF, QR Gold, MR Lifetime Gold
Posts: 7,002
It very much depends on the route. Demand for J ex-US is ridiculously high right now (hence the stories about people with awards tix being booted out of J)
The OP seems to assume that cash upgrades are guaranteed; that is NOT the case. Calling to demand for something that you are not entitled to is unlikely to help. You can always upgrade if there are seats and meals available, but you have to pay to change your ticket and pay for the difference. It almost always ends up more expensive than having booked J in the first place.
The OP seems to assume that cash upgrades are guaranteed; that is NOT the case. Calling to demand for something that you are not entitled to is unlikely to help. You can always upgrade if there are seats and meals available, but you have to pay to change your ticket and pay for the difference. It almost always ends up more expensive than having booked J in the first place.
Nov 27, 2022, 3:48 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2020
Location: USA
Programs: Qatar Airways Platinum Tier
Posts: 83
Thanks all for your answers. Definitely understand that upgrade offers are not guaranteed. I always fly J in QR at least 4 times a year when me and my wife travel but I bought these tix for my sisters to visit us here in the US. this route btw is IAD - DOH - KHI.
Just fyi on how full J cabins are in this route: my wife and I just traveled IAD - DOH - JNB in qsuites when we went to Botswana on Nov 11 and the iad - doh cabin was only about 75% full. Definately space available for any upgrades if someone wanted from economy.
Just fyi on how full J cabins are in this route: my wife and I just traveled IAD - DOH - JNB in qsuites when we went to Botswana on Nov 11 and the iad - doh cabin was only about 75% full. Definately space available for any upgrades if someone wanted from economy.
Nov 27, 2022, 6:23 pm
#6
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: MEL
Programs: DL, QF, QR Gold, MR Lifetime Gold
Posts: 7,002
I think that an underlying assumption here is that if there are seats available in J, then everyone in Y receives an upgrade offer. We don't know that to be the case. We do know that some airlines have some logic (and algorithms) in place limiting these offers. You may deliberately be excluded from the offers, although it is your sisters travelling, not you.
Nov 28, 2022, 3:33 am
#7
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: BRS
Programs: BA Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 4,992
Thanks all for your answers. Definitely understand that upgrade offers are not guaranteed. I always fly J in QR at least 4 times a year when me and my wife travel but I bought these tix for my sisters to visit us here in the US. this route btw is IAD - DOH - KHI.
Just fyi on how full J cabins are in this route: my wife and I just traveled IAD - DOH - JNB in qsuites when we went to Botswana on Nov 11 and the iad - doh cabin was only about 75% full. Definately space available for any upgrades if someone wanted from economy.
Just fyi on how full J cabins are in this route: my wife and I just traveled IAD - DOH - JNB in qsuites when we went to Botswana on Nov 11 and the iad - doh cabin was only about 75% full. Definately space available for any upgrades if someone wanted from economy.
Nov 28, 2022, 7:15 pm
#8
Join Date: Aug 2003
Programs: BAEC GGL, LTG & CCR; IC RA; Hilton D (free from BA)
Posts: 401
QR have always been very very strong on revenue protection and with a lot to recover over the last couple of years that is not going to change. Selfishly I prefer a cabin that is only 75% full as the crew have more time to pamper me haha
I recall in the past that people thought that the BA equivalent-POUG - was selective in its offers to individuals and would identify if relied upon for cheaper premium travel.
I wonder if we will ever return to pre covid hotel and flight prices, maybe not, my hotel of choice in London used to be around Ł400 a night now rarely less than Ł550. Similarity my frequent QR flight used to be Ł2800 and now Ł3500 if I am lucky or Ł4K if not.
definitely a first world problem but …
I recall in the past that people thought that the BA equivalent-POUG - was selective in its offers to individuals and would identify if relied upon for cheaper premium travel.
I wonder if we will ever return to pre covid hotel and flight prices, maybe not, my hotel of choice in London used to be around Ł400 a night now rarely less than Ł550. Similarity my frequent QR flight used to be Ł2800 and now Ł3500 if I am lucky or Ł4K if not.
definitely a first world problem but …
Last edited by IThink; Nov 28, 2022 at 9:09 pm
Nov 29, 2022, 10:01 am
#9
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 223
Qatar only sends out those offers if there is a possibility that they won't sell out the cabin at full cost. With the world cup happening and how absurdly expensive things are in Doha at the moment I'd bet qatar expects many of them being willing to pay full price for business class
Nov 29, 2022, 10:03 am
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2020
Location: USA
Programs: Qatar Airways Platinum Tier
Posts: 83
Qatar only sends out those offers if there is a possibility that they won't sell out the cabin at full cost. With the world cup happening and how absurdly expensive things are in Doha at the moment I'd bet qatar expects many of them being willing to pay full price for business class
Nov 30, 2022, 11:58 am
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2020
Location: USA
Programs: Qatar Airways Platinum Tier
Posts: 83
Just want to update this thread. The flight was last night and I asked at the counter if any paid upgrade were available and why an email was not sent out. They mentioned that they are not offering any on certain routes these days and this was one of them... First Ive ever heard that from the agent. In any case, he said the flight was full and thats why no check-in upgrades were available anyway.
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