Take the Uto 333€ Upgrade to C and be done with it. I would not think twice especially since it will give the Z fare mileage.

I'm trying! I already requested and paid for UTO for both E+ and C two days ago, most hoping for C to come through.

My concern is that the flight loads look too open in economy, so not sure it will come through.

Totally agree that the 333€ is reasonable, considering I'd get mileage, fast track, lounge access, etc.

Please, Optiontown, please!

I'm still anxiously monitoring my UTO request at Optiontown for CPH-IAD on Monday (have registered for both E+ and C), which hasn't yet cleared.

EF shows:
A0 C9 D9 J0 Z0 R0 Y9 S0 B0 E9 M9 H0 Q0 V0 W0 U0 K0 L0 T0 G9 N0

which I didn't think looked hopeful, but when I go to the SK website to try to book a ticket and request 'lowest price' it is only offering to sell me E+ or C.

Is this promising?

(I'm trying to decide whether to buy miles in advance to have on my account to request a standby upgrade at the gate, but don't want to do it if OT looks likely as the price would be considerably higher).

Susan

I would say you have a good chance of either getting a biz or a Y+ OT upgrade, based on the lower classes being zeroed-out.

However, I'm basing this on the experiences posted here, as I have never done an Optiontown upgrade.

In past experience (at least 4-5 years ago), such a scenario would automatically mean that a *G would be op-upped.

As understand, now SK's upgrade procedure has changed apparently and Optiontown upgrades would go first, then mileage upgrades, after which they would probably op-up SK elites and *A elites.

Good luck on your upgrade and hopefully you will get one!

Edited to Add: Not sure why SK is blocking seatmaps, but cannot view any COS seatmaps for some reason...

Yeah, that's driving me crazy, too. The seat map has been blocked since last night, also on EF.

Earlier yesterday there were only middle seats left in E+, and a few open seats in C, with Y- appearing to be fairly open, which is why I didn't think it looked good for the OT upgrade. But based on what they're offering for sale today, it looks otherwise.

Thanks for your reply!

No probs.

However, seatmaps are also a key issue - so based on what you saw, I wouldn't be too sure about an upgrade.

You may get one of those Y+ middle seats :eek: , but I hope you get upgraded all the way!

Try to OLCI when allowed for a better idea (will not be allowed to if upgraded without Optiontown - at least that's how it used to work, I think), but you may already be notified by Optiontown by then...

Optiontown cautions not to OLCI if you haven't yet been notified about your upgrade decision. They claim you can be upgraded up to 4 hours before the flight, but if you OLCI before that, it could adversely affect the upgrade. Not sure how true this is.

Oh wow - interesting!

However, couldn't you just input the information, look at options, but do not go through with the process? Something to study - if anyone has these options...I will not, as I tend to boycott SK in any case.

I got an upgrade last year after I did OLCI. I checked in the night before, and during breakfast I got an e-mail saying I was upgraded. I would say it was like 10 hr before the flight

This is agonizing - just over 4 hours to flight time and no OT upgrade yet. There are only 7 unclaimed seats in Economy, but I cannot see the E+ and C cabins to determine whether an upgrade even has a chance.

So you're suggesting that if OT does not go through, there would never be a standby mileage upgrade at the gate? I'm trying to decide whether to buy enough miles just in case that could be an option. I have enough for a mileage upgrade to E+ but not C, so I'd have to buy about 18,000 miles (currently 40% off - but still more than an OT upgrade) to have enough for a mileage upgrade to C.

I wouldn't have put myself through this if I'd had any control over the booking, but the company made the booking and I was given very few options since it was last minute.

No, there are several posts around here about upgrades by points after unsuccessful optiontown tries. And you probably wouldn't get the points fast enough anyway. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you!

Thanks for the input! Points bought and safely in account (points purchases are instantaneous).

On my way to Kastrup shortly. :)

UTO Fail - Points Upgrade Success
 

I was glad I purchased extra EB points this morning. My OT upgrade did not come through. At check-in, I was put on the list for standby points upgrades and told that C looked better than Y+ for upgrades, so I was glad that I had enough points for either one.

In the lounge, before heading to the gate, I asked if they could again check to see of OT came through or if my points upgrade looked favourable, or if a cash upgrade was an option. She could only tell me that there were currently 10 requests for points upgrades and 10 seats available in C, but I'd have to head to the gate for the final decision. She also said they sometimes will do cash upgrades, but also only at the gate.

I was the fourth in the queue at the gate. #1 asked about E+ and was sent away empty handed (presumably didn't have points available). #2 asked about E+ and was told there were 2 seats left, both middle seats. She paid 10,000 points for one of them. #3 was a very tall guy who asked for an exit row or aisle seat in economy. They could not accommodate him, but asked him to leave his BP in case something came up.

I was #4 and stated that I had prepaid for OT which had not cleared before I left home if they could check on it, and that alternately I had been put on the list at check-in for upgrade with points. She stated that the flight was not oversold in M which is the reason OT did not clear.

I took the C upgrade for 30,000 rather than giving 10,000 for the last middle seat in Y+. I asked about cash upgrade and she said that, again, this is only offered when M is oversold.

I'm happy to be in C, happy that there was a 40% off 'sale' on points, but of course, disappointed to not get the OT upgrade which was cheaper and would have given mileage for business class.

Just wanted to report back on the data points for future searchers, that it was stated by a GA that OT will not clear unless there is an oversold situation. BTW, she knew what OT was, but the original check-in agent didn't have a clue what I was talking about when I asked her to check on my OT upgrade.

Susan

Is the above true? Has anybody received an OT upgrade without M class being full? (Please don't use Y class for economy since that's Eco Extra in SAS parlance. Amadeus based airlines like SAS and LH generally use M class for eco.)

BTW, SAS does not need your card for lounge entrance. It should recognize the number as *G and scan your BP at the entrance.

Thank you very much for that!