Since the seats in C, Y and M are the same it is easier for them to move the cabin-divider, rather than op-uping people. I think that op-ups from M to Y are more common as they fix the division between these cabin when check-in opens, so any M class overbooking spill over into Y.

Well... I kind of doubt this. It can't be that hard to change the headrests (sp?) for a few rows when needed.

They don't always bother. I have been seated in the first row of M with a headrest cover that said "Economy Flex", but they still didn't give us any food. It seems they keep an internal list of where Y stops and M starts, which doesn't have to agree with the headrest covers (on recent flights I've noticed a little "Economy Flex stops here" sign put on the last seat in "real" Y, that would be even easier to move).

Actually, one guy on the flight above had 9A, the last row of "real" Y, but he accidentally took 10A when boarding. When the woman who had 10A appeared, she offered to switch seats with him and he agreed. He didn't look too happy later on, when he realized he had given away his Y meal and drinks as well. The woman seemed to enjoy it though.

I've seen it a few times. What often happens is that their seat-preassign engine assignes Y pax the seats in the last rows of Y. And then they forget to change the seating plan when M is overbooked, and suddenly Y gets filled with random op-ups.

Naturally, op-ups from M to Y isn't very costly for them, so I guess they rather do that than to reseat the entire Y cabin. I am sure that revenue management is more picky about the C/Y divider.

I've also seen the "we don't care to change the headrests" phenomenon. Once I was interrogated by some grumpy FA because I had a seat in 7A or something, which had a Y headrest but I was in P-class. After disappearing with my boarding pass for 5 minutes she handed it back and said nothing more. Naturally there was no food given to me.

I think they use the metal plates/sign (that fits between the seat and the headrest cover) to divide C/Y/P on all Scandinavian Airlines Sweden operated flights. Have not seen it on Denmark operated flights. I have put a picture of it on www.flystaralliance.com for all you geeks....

Well, look at the situation in EWR. They deny that they are overbooked and let people use points to upgrade. Ok from a business point, I guess. Then, approaching closing time they board the flight. Fine. Then they realise that they have connecting passengers that may just make it and they hold the plane and fill every hole on the plane regardless of status or booking class.

This has happened twice this year on EWR-ARN. The second time it almost led to a fight onboard when a (I pressume *G) passenger in Economy saw what happened and the Cabin Director told him to sit down or leave the aircraft.

Edited to add (the last paragraphs were lost):

Everybody can't get everything for free. From a commercial standpoint I think it is smart that they first try to get people to use points. I see it as a way to guarantee a upgrade instead of playing the op-up game.

But, what I don't like is that staff (especially outside Scandinavia) does not follow the picking order when it comes to forced op-ups. In stead they panic and upgrade whoever.

In US the picking orders are very clear. I have seen more than once that they move around passengers even after boarding to business or first class due to different status. SAS (and many other Europeean carriers) needs to be better at this, thus preserving the value of frequent flyer status tiers.

I have found this to the opposite. Around 80% of all my intra European flights I have been upgraded. Maybe this is a OSL thing, but I have found that they easy do it there. Very nice of them.

This summer, my second trip during the busy summer months I was on my may back to ORF via IAD. When I did the checkin in Oslo I asked if the could put me on the waitlist for economy extra. The very nice checkin lady told me I was already on the list for a upgrade due to over booking and asked me if I liked window or idle. I said idle and I got 3 A on both the OSL-CPH and CPH-IAD. That is how SAS are supposed to handle over bookings.

80% is very high. How many flights is this percentage for?

I couldn't agree more!

Oh, and welcome to FT and, more importantly, the SK forum!^

Since when is 3A an aisle?

What??? Which routes do you fly? Which airline? I fly intra-EU every week and got op-uped a total of 2 times in the last two years, once on LH and once on SK (and that was after an "illegal strike at CPH" disaster, when all flights were overbooked to 110%).

CPH-IAD is intercontinental (much more likely to be upgraded, almost guaranteed during the summer) and OSL-CPH is one class only so upgrade is meaningless there. By intra-European we normally mean flights between Scandinavia-"Europe outside Scandinavia", have you really got op-uped on 80% of SAS intra-EU flights?

Hello,

For the first time in a few month, I will fly SK to ORD.

Here is the load on Oct 27th

SK945ARN10:15ORD12:20333 0 C9 D9 J9 Y1 S1 B0 M0 H0 Q0 V0 W0 U0 K0 L0

Smells like an op-up! ^ ^

Depends if you have been a good boy, and if you have been saying/writing the P-word lately.

No P-class CPH/ARN-ORD. You DO get free booze and food! ;-)

Hehe, THAT I know... the context is that Tommy-the-spineless begged/prayed himself to an SK upgrade back in July by promising that he would not say P-class for the rest of the year if he got it...

Now, judgement days is once more here... 48E is waiting Tommy...

I do remember that! And I also remember his wrangling when he tried to retract it: claiming ut was OK using the term P-class instead of punishment class, and being caught out. You'd think he'd be either a politician or a lawyer!