I'm flying from Paris to ORD via CPH next week. The flight is zeroed out in all classes (probably because of the cancellation of the ARN-ORD flight) and I'm hoping for an operational upgrade.

Since I've always used points to upgrade I'm wondering if there is anything I can do to maximise my chances of saving the 30,000 points for a change. If I have to I will use points but if they are going to move people forward anyway, I want them to move me.

Seems like Tommy is not around, as I guess he is the prime op-up-to-ORD guru...

The key must be how much thime you have in CPH as I would be very surprised if the CDG staff have any saying in this. Maybe ask them not to check you through to ORD, so that you have a "legal" reason to go to the gate and ask for a boarding pass, and then ask of they have an upgrade?

One trick I used in BKK which worked to some degree was to answer the question "do you want to upgrade for points" with "I want to upgrade for free". They couldn't offer me C for free, but Y they could offer. After some negotiation I got my upgrade for 20K instead of 30K points.

Since they've cancelled ARN-ORD, resulting in them having to transfer everyone to the CPH-ORD flight, I would not be surprised if they'd already done some of the upgrades in the system before you even arrive in CDG. If so, the check-in agent might just get a message from the system to upgrade you. I have been told that this happens from time to time. The question is, of course, whether or not you will be one of the lucky ones, but as an EBG you have the highest priority, barring any EBPs, that is...

Just what I have seen happening:
- Staff in my origin isn't able to check me in - they call to SAS operations and clear my new seat in Y/C
- Staff in my origin isn't able to check me in - nothing can be done, try again in the next station (ARN or CPH) - gate usually has new boarding pass already waiting
- In the origin I ask to buy an upgrade for Y or C - they put a note in my PNR and there is a new boarding pass already waiting when I get to the next gate, they ALWAYS seem to prefer to take someone's points rather than upgrade some Gold (actually very good business behavior)

I don't ask for upgrade, I do not have such speech skills. If I do not get an op-up I just punish myself in Economy or then use points. Last February did something totally stupid (shows my passion for SK C), in SEA I asked for an upgrade with points, after couple of hours they informed me that I have been upgraded to Extra as an op-up but I could still get into C if I want ... with full points. I took the C and lost the 30k points. Oh man, I am hooked for the espresso machine and C meal service (and way better service in C).

So, my advice. If you really want your upgrade, then you need to guarantee it with points. If you do not want to lose your points, then it is adviced in many threads that CPH staff at the gate are a little bit odd - they do not always look for Golds and upgrade randomly. I haven't seen that in action because I usually take ARN route. ARN is always very good with upgrades but it seems that Extra is not selling very good and there is usually enough upgrade space in Extra and you do not get into C. Or then I am just unlucky nowadays.

In my experience the only way to do it is with points - I have a CPH-ORD/SEA/IAD run around once a month and have had it for quite some time. I have NEVER been op-up'ed. A reason could be that I prefer to sit in the lounge foe quite some time / or arrive in the last minute - rather than linger around the rather chaotic scenes at the CPH US gates. With points it is another matter

Thanks for all the replies.

Here's what happened. Like Miikka the thought of sitting in a fully booked economy cabin freaked me out so I asked one of the ladies in the CPH lounge to put a note in my reservation that I was willing to use 30,000 points to upgrade.

I got to the gate about an hour before departure and got in line at the desk. When it was my turn a very nice woman told me that she had already upgraded me to Business class and printed out my new boarding pass. She also said that she had done it without deducting any points from my acccount since she had needed my economy seat for a family that wanted to sit together.

I was very grateful but also surprised that they hadn't just taken the points out of my account since I had clearly let them know that they could.

Nice! I'm happy it worked out like it should. This is excactly the way SAS should handle operational upgrades!

Some GA at CPH are upgrading on points when Y is oversold and at the end, when they don't have anyone left who wants to upgrade on points and still need more room in Y, they upgrade EBGs for free....

This is a very unfair way to upgrade, some will pay points, some will not.

This is a CPH thing, only happens there and I am happy to say, it doesn't happen too often.

What would be a fair way to upgrade? I can kind of understand that they would like to get as much revenue (cash or points) as possible for a flight...

One option would be to give everyone free upgrades if anyone gets a free upgrade. But that kind of makes it a bit too easy to get free upgrades, and would undermine the paid C class.

yes, if SK are to keep flying they need all the C-money they can get their hands on. I'm all for a strict upgrade policy, if you don't pay up front: you don't sit up front

this off course applies to everybody but me

It's not a big problem at all, most situations like this goes smoothly on SK.

The process is quite hard for a GA, I know that. But to upgrade an EBG on points and give an EBB a free op-up, I have witnessed that a couple of times, is an even worse move.
That sends out a bad signal and to make good customers happy, it's easy and cheap to give them a free C seat as a perk when Y is much oversold, God knows we don't have many upgrade perks on SK.

We know: It's easy to get op-ups during summer, Christmas and Easter. The rest of the year, op-ups are rare. And most of us can not afford to pay 6000 USD to sit up front on long haul flights.

That's why the GA should upgrade EBGs for free if Y is heavily oversold so they avoid situations like that.

I disagree this will cheapen the C product

I asked a GA in ARN handling the ARN-ORD flight if there is any accounting about what op-ups they give. She said the aim is to get the flight out on time, and if there is a oversold situation they op-up by some rules. Each op-up has to be approved by the GA supervisor. They have a little talk when the 2-3 GAs meet to open the gate. They try to pick EBS,EBG,*G and *S, but when things get hectic, especially when some one is sitting in a bulkhead they need for pax with children and status ax have already boarded, the rather op-up whoever is in the seat they need, rather than go back into the plane and find the EBG.

I have been op-uped 2 times after boarding a UA 777. The GA has walked on-board and gave me a new BP.

This also happened to me once on LH, one of the best moments of my flying history: I was in middle seat, 100 �. in the back of a 340 going ORD-FRA right after christmas. Flight superpacked, very cramped..

After I heard "boarding completed" I saw the FA coming back with another pax. "Mr. Danielsen, this woman is taking your seat, you are in 4H!! What a lifesaver!! ^

I don't have a problem with SK op-uping EBGs after boarding. It's better than upgrading EBB/S

Hey, they upgraded me quite a few times just because of LH*S, so screw the EBG who board too fast.

UA is famous for inseat upgrades after boarding is complete.

What about upgrades for intra-European flights for Star Golds, is this only on an op-up basis, or do they regularly upgrade?

Only on op-up basis, and it is very rare. Do not expect it...