gakke

Just returned from ORD yesterday on flight that was fully booked in economy class. I was traveling with my teenage two daughters and one of their friends. My daughters were on bonus tickets, and were the only ones that had seats (27AB). I asked at check-in if we could get at least the 2 remaining seats together. The person that checked us in was new, and the supervisor who was helping her said that she would try to get us some seats together. At the gate she told me that she had upgraded all four of us to Y+. (15DE & 16DE)

Very nice start for the new staff at ORD.

We had the same situation on the flight from CPH, but didn't get upgraded.

Fredrik74

Travelled from TXL to ARN yesterday and the flight must have been full in M because I was upgraded to Y+. Got the exit row seat without a seat in front on the way down so I'm happy.

VirreVapp

Oct 28th: CPH-FCO from T-class to Y+
Nov 2nd: FCO-CPH from L-class to C

BizflyerNorway

Because of a full flight or because of Pandion? Do they upgrade Pandions even if the class booked is not full?

BFN

aleverona

hello to everyone

do you know if airlines publish a sort of upgrade rules with the type of customers given priority?
In general, you ever more chances to be upgraded from eco to bus if you have paid a high eco fare or if you are a top-tier member of the airline / alliance?

Thanks!

naitkris

Never upgraded on SK, but upgraded a good number of times on other *A partners, particularly on LH, TK, UA, etc.

Last 2 upgrades were last week from TK going IST to MAD and then MAD to IST a few days later, upgraded both times from Economy to Business. The Economy fare with TK was only E class which is a discounted fare, but still a little flexible (cancellation and change for a fee) but it was clear at the gate they were only upgrading *A Gold's due to operational reasons of Economy being overbooked.

VirreVapp

Nov 2nd. From Economy to Business. Rome to Copenhagen
Nov 3rd. From eco extra to Business. Copenhagen to London

Tom-GMC

I have used Sky Team for years, as i got enough of arrogance from Sk 7-8 years ago. But for a year now i have tested Star Alliance again (became EGB last year), and on a trip in May this year from NRT to CPH i got upgraded at the gate from Y+ to C - nice.

Robbiedeluxe

Just out of curiosity; how were you dressed the last time you received a complimentary upgrade?

Cupart

I think that's an old wives' tale to be honest. How you are dressed makes no difference these days... Upgrades are most of the time pre-decided by whatever factors the airline takes into consideration (i.e. ticket type, number of flights you take every year, FF status etc)...

I have also read somewhere that your PNR can hold info on if you have been complaining etc, but how the airlines handle these are a different story (upgrade or not).

I guess to have the biggest chance the following should be considered:

1. Take a flight that's very popular time wise (= over booked possibility)
2. Choose a day of the week where not many business people travel (= opens up for seats in C).
3. Hold the next highest status in the alliance of which you're flying. The highest status PAX will most likely still be up front, not always so with the tier just below.
4. Believe it or not, travel two together (lots of Y PAX travel in couples)

These were the conditions when I got upgraded on a different Alliance flight other than *A to Korea 4 weeks ago

Gnopps

Believe it or not fellow Flyertalker Outbound was flying LH South America -> Germany and was about to receive an opup Y to C. Before this the gate agent asked to see his wife though and said that unless she changes to something else than jeans the opup will not happen. One quick visit to the overpriced neighbouring clothes store later the couple sat in C.

Robbiedeluxe

Funny, when I received an op-up from GRU to FRA (on LH as well) two years ago, I was told I was wearing "muy elegante" clothing. I was just a lousy EBG at the time (no LH status whatsoever), so I assume clothing is important at least in some parts of the world.

jefi99

I have been op-up'ped as SEN with LH from GRU wearing very casual clothes, including Havaianas...

Cupart

I was wearing nothing special other than what I wear daily (jeans and a T-Shirt) all clean and no BO - The carrier was KE and looking around the other PAX no one were dressed up at all...

Would I have been turned away with a fully bought C ticket in hand if I was not wearing the correct clothing? Highly doubt it...

The whole "must wear special clothing" for getting bumped up is such an 80's thing IMHO

rumble

I've been bumped from Economy or Economy Extra to Business on 3 out of 4 longhaul trips this year. It has nothing to do with clothes and everything to do with status - I had no upgrades last year as EBS.