Last edit by: oliver2002
Optiontown - Upgrade on SK flights
SAS Scandinavian Airlines offers, via partner Optiontown, all customers the opportunity to purchase an upgrade on SK operated flights, which will be confirmed 72-24 hours prior to departure, pending on seat availability.
SAS Go passengers can purchase an upgrade to SAS Plus on all flights and to SAS Business class on SAS’s intercontinental flights between Scandinavia, the US and Asia, while SAS Plus passengers also can buy an upgrade to SAS Business class on intercontinental flights.
Booking class Europe: A (SAS Plus)
Booking classes Intercontinental: Z (Business) and P (SAS Plus)
Note: All upgrades will be handled by Optiontown.
Contact to Optiontown
Phone: UK +44 (0) 203 371 7854
E-mail: [email protected]
Homepage: www.optiontown.com
Upgrade fees
Intercontinental flights:
Upgrade fees will range between EUR140 and EUR900, depending on availability, destination and service class.
European flights:
Upgrade fees will range between EUR30 and EUR75, depending on availability, destination and service class.
Sign up fee Optiontown
EUR 1 (one) for short haul flights
EUR 5 (five) for long haul flights.
Sign up fee is not refundable.
Note: During the period 10JUN15-31AUG15, no sign up fee will be charged.
Reservation
All upgraded PNRs will be updated with and include OS SK OPTIONTOWN UPGRADE.
Reservation for non 117-documents (only applicable on long haul flights)
Reservations for non 117-documents will be updated by Optiontown with the following information:
OS SK UTO
SR CKIN SK KK. ATTN CHECK-IN. UTO PSGR. PLS UPGRADE TO (CLASS) ACC TO PROC ON SKXXX (DATE), UPG ALREADY PAID BRGDS REV MNGT.
Note: Tickets will not be reissued and upgrade will take place at check-in counter.
Rebooking
If the passenger wants to rebook a flight with confirmed upgrade via Optiontown, always use the original ticket fare, found in TWD, to calculate the fare difference.
Change fee must be collected if applicable for the original ticket.
Refund
After requesting upgrade it is not possible to change or cancel the upgrade request.
Upgrade amount is not refundable.
If the passengers upgrade request is not successful, the upgrade fee will be refunded.
Optiontown must be contacted for refund.
Restrictions
Upgrade of the following passengers cannot be performed:
Travel Pass passengers
Groups (booking class G)
Passengers holding award tickets (booking classes I and X)
ID-passengers (booking classes R and N)
Irregularity
Rebooking procedures for passengers with an upgrade, affected by irregularity:
Rebooking to other SK-flight
If the same booking class as passenger was upgraded to is available - rebook the passenger in the upgraded booking class.
If the same booking class as passenger was upgraded to is not available - rebook the passenger in the same service class as originally booked and refund the upgrade.
Rebooking to other airline
Rebook the passenger in the same service class as originally booked and refund the upgrade.
Note: In case of refund in above cases, the passenger himself must contact Optiontown and request refund.
Benefits
The upgraded passenger is entitled to:
Baggage allowance according to the new class
Star Alliance Priority tag
SAS Business check-in
Fast Track security
SAS Lounge access
EuroBonus points earned according to the new class
Onboard service according to the new class
Passenger process
Passenger makes a reservation on an SAS operated flight. Reservation must be confirmed.
Passenger logs onto www.optiontown.com, creates an account and enters credit card info.
Passenger can register the upgrade request immediately after reservation is made
Sign-up must be made latest 36 hours before departure
Optiontown selects the passengers to be upgraded according to conditions set forth by SAS
If there are seats available and the upgrade request is successful, the upgrade will be confirmed 72-24 hours prior to departure.
Updated 03JUL15 08.57
SAS Scandinavian Airlines offers, via partner Optiontown, all customers the opportunity to purchase an upgrade on SK operated flights, which will be confirmed 72-24 hours prior to departure, pending on seat availability.
SAS Go passengers can purchase an upgrade to SAS Plus on all flights and to SAS Business class on SAS’s intercontinental flights between Scandinavia, the US and Asia, while SAS Plus passengers also can buy an upgrade to SAS Business class on intercontinental flights.
Booking class Europe: A (SAS Plus)
Booking classes Intercontinental: Z (Business) and P (SAS Plus)
Note: All upgrades will be handled by Optiontown.
Contact to Optiontown
Phone: UK +44 (0) 203 371 7854
E-mail: [email protected]
Homepage: www.optiontown.com
Upgrade fees
Intercontinental flights:
Upgrade fees will range between EUR140 and EUR900, depending on availability, destination and service class.
European flights:
Upgrade fees will range between EUR30 and EUR75, depending on availability, destination and service class.
Sign up fee Optiontown
EUR 1 (one) for short haul flights
EUR 5 (five) for long haul flights.
Sign up fee is not refundable.
Note: During the period 10JUN15-31AUG15, no sign up fee will be charged.
Reservation
All upgraded PNRs will be updated with and include OS SK OPTIONTOWN UPGRADE.
Reservation for non 117-documents (only applicable on long haul flights)
Reservations for non 117-documents will be updated by Optiontown with the following information:
OS SK UTO
SR CKIN SK KK. ATTN CHECK-IN. UTO PSGR. PLS UPGRADE TO (CLASS) ACC TO PROC ON SKXXX (DATE), UPG ALREADY PAID BRGDS REV MNGT.
Note: Tickets will not be reissued and upgrade will take place at check-in counter.
Rebooking
If the passenger wants to rebook a flight with confirmed upgrade via Optiontown, always use the original ticket fare, found in TWD, to calculate the fare difference.
Change fee must be collected if applicable for the original ticket.
Refund
After requesting upgrade it is not possible to change or cancel the upgrade request.
Upgrade amount is not refundable.
If the passengers upgrade request is not successful, the upgrade fee will be refunded.
Optiontown must be contacted for refund.
Restrictions
Upgrade of the following passengers cannot be performed:
Travel Pass passengers
Groups (booking class G)
Passengers holding award tickets (booking classes I and X)
ID-passengers (booking classes R and N)
Irregularity
Rebooking procedures for passengers with an upgrade, affected by irregularity:
Rebooking to other SK-flight
If the same booking class as passenger was upgraded to is available - rebook the passenger in the upgraded booking class.
If the same booking class as passenger was upgraded to is not available - rebook the passenger in the same service class as originally booked and refund the upgrade.
Rebooking to other airline
Rebook the passenger in the same service class as originally booked and refund the upgrade.
Note: In case of refund in above cases, the passenger himself must contact Optiontown and request refund.
Benefits
The upgraded passenger is entitled to:
Baggage allowance according to the new class
Star Alliance Priority tag
SAS Business check-in
Fast Track security
SAS Lounge access
EuroBonus points earned according to the new class
Onboard service according to the new class
Passenger process
Passenger makes a reservation on an SAS operated flight. Reservation must be confirmed.
Passenger logs onto www.optiontown.com, creates an account and enters credit card info.
Passenger can register the upgrade request immediately after reservation is made
Sign-up must be made latest 36 hours before departure
Optiontown selects the passengers to be upgraded according to conditions set forth by SAS
If there are seats available and the upgrade request is successful, the upgrade will be confirmed 72-24 hours prior to departure.
Updated 03JUL15 08.57
Optiontown.com paid upgrades on SAS
#16
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Linköping, Sweden
Programs: EBS
Posts: 91
upgrade did not clear.
An hypothesis based on the other posted experiences would then be that upgrades only occur if SK thinks there will be an operational reason, like over booking). Another would be that there is a random factor involved to encourage purchase of the higher fare directly rather than the cheaper upgrade. That would kind of explain the logic behind allowing points upgrade as that would allow frequent flyers to "taste" higher classes sometimes and create a demand but not be able to cheaply upgrade using points on each flight.
I might hesitate to sign up for OptionTown for future flights if I expect (based on availability and seat map) that the flight will not have a need for operational upgrades.
#17
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Finland
Programs: AY Platinum,Marriott Gold,HH Diamond,Sixt Platinum,Hertz PC,AMEX Platinum
Posts: 1,946
I have always understood it like that. It is just a nice way for SAS to solve the overbooking problem already before people start arriving to the airports.
#18
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Göteborg Sweden
Programs: SPG GOLD / BA GOLD/Club Carlson Gold/AMEX Plat.
Posts: 1,043
Well now it is tomorrow and I received notification from OptionTown that the
upgrade did not clear.
An hypothesis based on the other posted experiences would then be that upgrades only occur if SK thinks there will be an operational reason, like over booking). Another would be that there is a random factor involved to encourage purchase of the higher fare directly rather than the cheaper upgrade. That would kind of explain the logic behind allowing points upgrade as that would allow frequent flyers to "taste" higher classes sometimes and create a demand but not be able to cheaply upgrade using points on each flight.
I might hesitate to sign up for OptionTown for future flights if I expect (based on availability and seat map) that the flight will not have a need for operational upgrades.
upgrade did not clear.
An hypothesis based on the other posted experiences would then be that upgrades only occur if SK thinks there will be an operational reason, like over booking). Another would be that there is a random factor involved to encourage purchase of the higher fare directly rather than the cheaper upgrade. That would kind of explain the logic behind allowing points upgrade as that would allow frequent flyers to "taste" higher classes sometimes and create a demand but not be able to cheaply upgrade using points on each flight.
I might hesitate to sign up for OptionTown for future flights if I expect (based on availability and seat map) that the flight will not have a need for operational upgrades.
#20
Join Date: Jan 2009
Programs: Flying Blue, Eurobonus
Posts: 186
I think that's true. So basically, for an EBG it might make more sense to just ignore it and hope for an op-up instead. I have a feeling I would have been upgraded anyway that one time my Optiontown upgrade cleared. Of course, we don't know how EBG and Optiontowners rank in the overall scheme of things, they probably upgrade the paying ones first?
#21
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: LLA
Programs: EB*G
Posts: 137
I've never got the upgrade to clear right at the check-in, but rather at the gate? In that case, I don't get my new BP until at the gate (shortly before departure).
#22
Join Date: Jan 2009
Programs: Flying Blue, Eurobonus
Posts: 186
At Narita I've done points upgrades several times at check-in and got my business class boarding card immediately. I assume it should be enough to get me into the lounge, although I've also got my gold card.
#23
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: ARN/STO
Programs: SK EBS, BAEC blue, SPG
Posts: 586
I also had a points upgrade denied once at BKK. There were only two seats left in C so i was put on a waitlist. At the gate i was told that there were no seats available for upgrades as the flight was fully booked.
#24
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Vantaa, Finland
Programs: AY Lumo, FB Gold
Posts: 1,667
Optiontown is now offering upgrades for airBaltic flights as well. HEL-RIX seems to have a going price of 160 EUR which is way too much (although still cheaper than buying business in the first place!). LGW-RIX is 220 EUR which is a bit more value for money but still way expensive considering that all it gets you is a hot meal, blocked middle seat and free booze (oh and lounge access as well, I guess). Apart from the middle seat one can buy all of the others separately for less money.
#25
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: London UK
Programs: BA, Virgin, SAS, ANA, JAL, Asiana but sadly no longer Daimond Club
Posts: 8
Maybe not surprisingly the option town upgrade didn't work outbound to Narita. I found out about 12 hours before the flight (about 2am UK time).. I'd say premium and business was around 60% full. On the flip side I was in row 14 and no one at the window seat so I had loads of room.
Got bumped to C on the way back which was great (I didn't try the optiontown offer on the way back). Looked like all the seats in economy plus and business were taken though. It mentions the more often you try Optiontown, the more likely the upgrade is. I wonder how affective this is (or not). It looked like Kingfisher were more frequent with the upgrades. Saying that, looking at some recent posts maybe they are cutting back as well....
Got bumped to C on the way back which was great (I didn't try the optiontown offer on the way back). Looked like all the seats in economy plus and business were taken though. It mentions the more often you try Optiontown, the more likely the upgrade is. I wonder how affective this is (or not). It looked like Kingfisher were more frequent with the upgrades. Saying that, looking at some recent posts maybe they are cutting back as well....
#26
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: ARN/STO
Programs: SK EBS, BAEC blue, SPG
Posts: 586
I was involved in a recent optiontown thread in the airlines of india forum, where it seems that Kingfisher is using the upgrades differently (often accepting them even if there is no o/b situation) than SAS. I guess it is up to the airline to decide how to use it.
Edit: For Kingfisher, it also seems that the fare class comes into play. I have no idea if this is the case for SAS too.
#27
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Tampere
Programs: BA EC Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 3,232
Another data point, for whoever's interested. Last October I booked the cheapest possible return ARN-EWR-ARN for mid-late Feb (i.e., later this week). I immediately bought the Optiontown Y upgrade. Six days before the outbound I got a phone call from Optiontown. Nice lady asked if I wanted to upgrade my upgrade from Y to C -- 'the price has really come down', she said. In fact, it didn't sound much less than it was back in October, so I said 'no, thanks'. The next morning (i.e., five days before flying) I got an e-mail that my Y upgrade was confirmed (on the outbound). The return is early next week; still 'upgrade decision pending' on that one.
cheers,
Henry
cheers,
Henry
#29
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: here and there
Programs: EB*G, UA ex1K
Posts: 570
The odd thing was that I was able to upgrade M->Y for points at CI. I would rather have paid the 175 EUR and earned the points!
#30
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: ARN
Posts: 2,321
If optiontown is even calling up people trying to convince them to upgrade, that raises the question of how much they cut in between?
SAS should use the money to make it work like the new AF/KL check in where you can do upgrades yourself in the OLCI interface.
The optiontown thing really feels like FR way of doing business.
SAS should use the money to make it work like the new AF/KL check in where you can do upgrades yourself in the OLCI interface.
The optiontown thing really feels like FR way of doing business.