Upgrade Coupons with no refund.
Jul 23, 2001, 12:55 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Denmark, SAS Gold, Lufthansa Senator (GOLD ), KLM Platinium
Posts: 1,408
Upgrade Coupons with no refund.
Has anyone tried to use this non refundable SAS upgrade coupons ?
What are chance's to be upgraded on a CPH-SIN flight ?? or will I end up with a pile of coupons which can not be used after 1 year.
I think SAS should do like most other airlines and confirm upgrade and take points directly from account if possible. Any idea why they don't ?????
What are chance's to be upgraded on a CPH-SIN flight ?? or will I end up with a pile of coupons which can not be used after 1 year.
I think SAS should do like most other airlines and confirm upgrade and take points directly from account if possible. Any idea why they don't ?????
Jul 23, 2001, 8:53 am
#2
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Sweden
Posts: 5,645
Remember that your upgrade coupons could be used on any SAS International flight. That means if you get voucher for 30K CPH-SIN and biz is full you could use 20K of them to upgrade to the US and another 10K for a Europe trip.
If you get upgraded on your flight to SIN depends could be hard to tell in advance. A few days before the departure its easier to make a statement but you are not guaranteed until check in or even later at the gate.
If you get upgraded on your flight to SIN depends could be hard to tell in advance. A few days before the departure its easier to make a statement but you are not guaranteed until check in or even later at the gate.
Jul 23, 2001, 4:37 pm
#3
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Copenhagen
Programs: British Airways Gold (oneWorld Emerald), Starwood Preferred Guest Platinum
Posts: 1,713
I've used them several times upgrading to US. Worked fine for me every time.
I think one should be happy with the fact that it is possible to upgrade. BA e.g. offers NO upgrade option in their Nordic FF program.
I think one should be happy with the fact that it is possible to upgrade. BA e.g. offers NO upgrade option in their Nordic FF program.
Jul 24, 2001, 12:20 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Denmark, SAS Gold, Lufthansa Senator (GOLD ), KLM Platinium
Posts: 1,408
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by kempis:
Remember that your upgrade coupons could be used on any SAS International flight. That means if you get voucher for 30K CPH-SIN and biz is full you could use 20K of them to upgrade to the US and another 10K for a Europe trip.
If you get upgraded on your flight to SIN depends could be hard to tell in advance. A few days before the departure its easier to make a statement but you are not guaranteed until check in or even later at the gate.</font>
Remember that your upgrade coupons could be used on any SAS International flight. That means if you get voucher for 30K CPH-SIN and biz is full you could use 20K of them to upgrade to the US and another 10K for a Europe trip.
If you get upgraded on your flight to SIN depends could be hard to tell in advance. A few days before the departure its easier to make a statement but you are not guaranteed until check in or even later at the gate.</font>
Jul 24, 2001, 12:23 am
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Denmark, SAS Gold, Lufthansa Senator (GOLD ), KLM Platinium
Posts: 1,408
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by kempis:
Remember that your upgrade coupons could be used on any SAS International flight. That means if you get voucher for 30K CPH-SIN and biz is full you could use 20K of them to upgrade to the US and another 10K for a Europe trip.
.</font>
Remember that your upgrade coupons could be used on any SAS International flight. That means if you get voucher for 30K CPH-SIN and biz is full you could use 20K of them to upgrade to the US and another 10K for a Europe trip.
.</font>
Jul 24, 2001, 11:05 am
#6
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Sweden
Posts: 5,645
My suggestion would be to check in early. I dont think you could get upgraded if you telephone check in.
I havent heard anything regarding upgrade to economy extra using voucher. Will be back in the issue as soon as I hear something.
I havent heard anything regarding upgrade to economy extra using voucher. Will be back in the issue as soon as I hear something.
Jul 24, 2001, 11:14 am
#7
Join Date: May 2001
Programs: AA PLT 2MM, LH SEN *, HH Gold
Posts: 3,075
Jul 24, 2001, 2:48 pm
#8
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Copenhagen
Programs: British Airways Gold (oneWorld Emerald), Starwood Preferred Guest Platinum
Posts: 1,713
To improve chances:
1) Call reservations and make them make a note that you will be upgrading with coupons (at gate of course).
2) Ask at check-in that the check-in agent make a note that you will upgrade at gate. The way it is supposed to work is that the gate gets a list of people who told at check-in that they have certificates.
3) With regards to "2" I guess if you check-in early you get higher on the list? Maybe also affected by status.
1) Call reservations and make them make a note that you will be upgrading with coupons (at gate of course).
2) Ask at check-in that the check-in agent make a note that you will upgrade at gate. The way it is supposed to work is that the gate gets a list of people who told at check-in that they have certificates.
3) With regards to "2" I guess if you check-in early you get higher on the list? Maybe also affected by status.
Jul 25, 2001, 12:41 am
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Denmark, SAS Gold, Lufthansa Senator (GOLD ), KLM Platinium
Posts: 1,408
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Goldlust:
To improve chances:
1) Call reservations and make them make a note that you will be upgrading with coupons (at gate of course).
2) Ask at check-in that the check-in agent make a note that you will upgrade at gate. The way it is supposed to work is that the gate gets a list of people who told at check-in that they have certificates.
3) With regards to "2" I guess if you check-in early you get higher on the list? Maybe also affected by status.
</font>
To improve chances:
1) Call reservations and make them make a note that you will be upgrading with coupons (at gate of course).
2) Ask at check-in that the check-in agent make a note that you will upgrade at gate. The way it is supposed to work is that the gate gets a list of people who told at check-in that they have certificates.
3) With regards to "2" I guess if you check-in early you get higher on the list? Maybe also affected by status.
</font>
Re.
"The way it is supposed to work is that the gate gets a list of people who told at check-in that they have certificates."
So this means that you will not recieve a business class boarding card in check in ?
Jul 25, 2001, 1:20 am
#10
Join Date: Mar 1999
Location: Melbourne
Programs: Qantas, Hilton, IHG
Posts: 1,762
No business class boarding pass is supposed to be given at check-in. But that's not 100% enforced. I believe that sometimes they might give you a boarding pass and take your coupons at check-in.
Without the boarding pass, if you are NOT Star Gold, you will not have access to SAS's lounges. That's a big negative with gate upgrades. And it makes upgrading virtually useless for Star Gold members on European flights. Why would they do it? You already have business class check-in and access to the lounges. On MD80s, the seat is the same size. Only the meal service is slightly better... Well there are a couple of reasons to do upgrade and one is that you might try using some expired certificates. Another is to be able to sit with someone who has a business class ticket.
It would be a lot nicer to get confirmed upgrades before the flight, the way the US airlines do. I think SAS leave it to the gate because that's where they can decide if there is space and meals available in business class.
I used some recently expired coupons to upgrade my flight Stockholm-Paris the other day. It was a 737 and at least I'd get a 'wider' seat and 'better' meal. At check-in I said that I'd like to use 2 x 5000 point certificates. They had expired just a few days ago and I was hoping they would not notice. The check-in agent noted my request to the gate. But her colleague asked me 'are you going to use certificates or have it directly deducted from your account?'. I didn't know the latter was even possible, but it might be the way of the future, at least in some airports where they have access to your EuroBonus account.
At boarding time, I went to the gate agent and said I had requested an upgrade. She knew this, asked for my certificates and then with her pen, wrote the new seat on my existing boarding pass.
Without the boarding pass, if you are NOT Star Gold, you will not have access to SAS's lounges. That's a big negative with gate upgrades. And it makes upgrading virtually useless for Star Gold members on European flights. Why would they do it? You already have business class check-in and access to the lounges. On MD80s, the seat is the same size. Only the meal service is slightly better... Well there are a couple of reasons to do upgrade and one is that you might try using some expired certificates. Another is to be able to sit with someone who has a business class ticket.
It would be a lot nicer to get confirmed upgrades before the flight, the way the US airlines do. I think SAS leave it to the gate because that's where they can decide if there is space and meals available in business class.
I used some recently expired coupons to upgrade my flight Stockholm-Paris the other day. It was a 737 and at least I'd get a 'wider' seat and 'better' meal. At check-in I said that I'd like to use 2 x 5000 point certificates. They had expired just a few days ago and I was hoping they would not notice. The check-in agent noted my request to the gate. But her colleague asked me 'are you going to use certificates or have it directly deducted from your account?'. I didn't know the latter was even possible, but it might be the way of the future, at least in some airports where they have access to your EuroBonus account.
At boarding time, I went to the gate agent and said I had requested an upgrade. She knew this, asked for my certificates and then with her pen, wrote the new seat on my existing boarding pass.
Jul 25, 2001, 2:23 am
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Denmark, SAS Gold, Lufthansa Senator (GOLD ), KLM Platinium
Posts: 1,408
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Austman:
No business class boarding pass is supposed to be given at check-in. But that's not 100% enforced. I believe that sometimes they might give you a boarding pass and take your coupons at check-in.
Without the boarding pass, if you are NOT Star Gold, you will not have access to SAS's lounges. That's a big negative with gate upgrades. And it makes upgrading virtually useless for Star Gold members on European flights. Why would they do it? You already have business class check-in and access to the lounges. On MD80s, the seat is the same size. Only the meal service is slightly better... Well there are a couple of reasons to do upgrade and one is that you might try using some expired certificates. Another is to be able to sit with someone who has a business class ticket.
It would be a lot nicer to get confirmed upgrades before the flight, the way the US airlines do. I think SAS leave it to the gate because that's where they can decide if there is space and meals available in business class.
I used some recently expired coupons to upgrade my flight Stockholm-Paris the other day. It was a 737 and at least I'd get a 'wider' seat and 'better' meal. At check-in I said that I'd like to use 2 x 5000 point certificates. They had expired just a few days ago and I was hoping they would not notice. The check-in agent noted my request to the gate. But her colleague asked me 'are you going to use certificates or have it directly deducted from your account?'. I didn't know the latter was even possible, but it might be the way of the future, at least in some airports where they have access to your EuroBonus account.
At boarding time, I went to the gate agent and said I had requested an upgrade. She knew this, asked for my certificates and then with her pen, wrote the new seat on my existing boarding pass.
</font>
No business class boarding pass is supposed to be given at check-in. But that's not 100% enforced. I believe that sometimes they might give you a boarding pass and take your coupons at check-in.
Without the boarding pass, if you are NOT Star Gold, you will not have access to SAS's lounges. That's a big negative with gate upgrades. And it makes upgrading virtually useless for Star Gold members on European flights. Why would they do it? You already have business class check-in and access to the lounges. On MD80s, the seat is the same size. Only the meal service is slightly better... Well there are a couple of reasons to do upgrade and one is that you might try using some expired certificates. Another is to be able to sit with someone who has a business class ticket.
It would be a lot nicer to get confirmed upgrades before the flight, the way the US airlines do. I think SAS leave it to the gate because that's where they can decide if there is space and meals available in business class.
I used some recently expired coupons to upgrade my flight Stockholm-Paris the other day. It was a 737 and at least I'd get a 'wider' seat and 'better' meal. At check-in I said that I'd like to use 2 x 5000 point certificates. They had expired just a few days ago and I was hoping they would not notice. The check-in agent noted my request to the gate. But her colleague asked me 'are you going to use certificates or have it directly deducted from your account?'. I didn't know the latter was even possible, but it might be the way of the future, at least in some airports where they have access to your EuroBonus account.
At boarding time, I went to the gate agent and said I had requested an upgrade. She knew this, asked for my certificates and then with her pen, wrote the new seat on my existing boarding pass.
</font>
I am going to use it for a CPH-SIN flight 15 hours flight-time so it is definately worth it. You are right it is not a good system, if you are not a goldcard holder (i am) you can't use lounges, and if you are there's not many reasons to get upgraded i europe-flights. I think SAS is avoiding to give the option to prebook upgrade in order to sell more business-class seats, but I hope they have to do it soon. Other European airlines like Lufthansa are doing it.
Jul 26, 2001, 10:30 am
#12
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Copenhagen
Programs: British Airways Gold (oneWorld Emerald), Starwood Preferred Guest Platinum
Posts: 1,713
As Austman writes it all happens at the gate, and not. You will find that the rules are only 100% enforced at CPH, ARN and OSL since these are "home." At EWR e.g. I have received boarding pass at check-in (which was nice since I was not Star Alliance Gold at the time).