If it is not majorly oversold, i.e. left t the gate then it is whoever is there early, dressed nicely and smiling - and usually a gold card.

Unlike other airlines there is no automated upgrade processing, but they can pull up a list of gold members (EBG and *G), but the effort to try and call and find them, esp. when they may have boarded or still in the lounge at t-30mins is not easy.

Gate agents are just way too busy (at least in CPH with the cut backs) to worry about bits of plastic they want the flight off and gone.

Remember upgrades are a nice surprise but not a benefit of a *G card. ;)

Mark

No, the order as I've heard is:

1. EBP and EBG
3. *A Gold
4. EBS
5. *A Silver

Anyone who can confirm this to be correct?

I've had the same experience at CPH for SEA, with a transfer time that short you're smoked. And as someone else wrote the TAs at CPH are so busy to they seem to upgrade whoever to get the plane ready for take-off. I don't understand why they don't use the same procedure as at ARN where they take as many status holders they need, upgrade them and print a new boarding card in advance. They try to call some or all of the upgrades on the PA system but not all show up to pick up their new BC and that's not a problem. They will, if not earlier, get it when they try to board with their original BC and the boarding card chewer denies boarding because of a changed seat.

The ARN system worked very well when we recently travelled to ORD. We had requested upgrades for points to Y+, and it was noted in our PNRs. When we checked in in KSU, we weren't issued with boarding passes ARN-ORD, and when we arrived at the gate at ARN, new (free op-up) boarding passes to C were waiting for us. This makes a good argument for travelling through ARN as opposed to CPH!

I've got both *A Gold and EBS and I practically have to beg to get into Y+ even when they are oversold and have to op-up a lot of people. I've never been op-up'd to C.

At ORD I was specifically told that my *A Gold was meaningless by the SK gate agent as it was on another airline (US Air). She said she would have op-up'd me to Y+ as EBS if there had still been seats available (the agent at check-in had not noted it in my PNR as I requested), but refused to do it to C even though they were shuffling people like crazy. She said I had to use points if I wanted to sit in C.

Same at IAD last month. They were oversold and shuffling people like mad, but said I could only upgrade with points, which I did because I wanted a comfortable flight home. I flashed my EBS card and *A G card to no avail.

In CPH, I've been op-up'd to Y+ a few times on a full flight after asking and waiting in suspense at the gate.

One thing I've always wondered, if they are looking for people to op-up based on status, am I better off having my *A Gold number or EBS number on the PNR? I've always taken the points on EBS as that's who I fly most. I tell the GA that I'm *A Gold when asking for an upgrade, but is there a better way to be selected in advance?

Also, is it better to take one's chances and not offer to use points to upgrade? It seems that whenever I say I'm willing to use points if necessary, they always take the points and never give me the free op-up.

Susan

Sounds about right, but an EBP will of course get priority for an op-up before an EBG. On the other hand as EBP is based on revenues I suppose most EBPs fly C-class most of the time anyway.

Otherwise a good amount of luck is essential as well as being at the right place and saying the right things and of course to be properly dressed.
I received op-ups even when I was only EBB...

I have both EBG and UA1K. I make it a point to put the frequent flyer card of the actual airline I’m traveling with.

My general impression of the different SK stations are:

CPH: The worst place to get an op up. They would rather delay the plane to get people to use points instead of pre-upgrade EBGs. (Like the story I told earlier in this thread)

ARN: The best place to get an op-up. Have an 80% success here. I just hand the GA my BP, dont even say anything and automatically get C. They have only said "Im sorry, we are just upgrading on points today" 3 times.

ORD: Professional staff, they only have 2 flights a day so they have time to prepare the check in procedure. 50% chance to get an Op-Up. Haven’t traveled a lot from ORD the last 8 months, I usually take UA through LHR.

EWR: I think I have a 100% success getting upgraded at EWR, either to E Flex or C. Great staff!

ORD is about the same procedure as ARN, I would say. They typically have prepared new BPs waitning for you at the CI desk even if you have not requested anything in hte PNR system. They could communicate better with the lounge though (compare to Air Canada in the London lounge for instance - they keep track of all passengers inside and call you by name when you should leave for the gate).

Good point that I forgot to make in my previous post. I never travel to the US thru CPH anymore, wherever I'm headed. I always do ARN-ORD (preferrably) or ARN-EWR with connections for three reasons:

* The routes are at most times sold out creating good opportunities for upgrades. Of 10 flights (all on Y-tix) in the recent 18 months I haven't seen anything but the C-cabin except for 1 on which I was sent to Y+.
* The op-up procedures at CPH don't seem to prioritize based on status.
* I want the routes to be kept at ARN (and accompanied by more intercontinental ones as well) so I'm making my contribution to the passenger numbers.

I have only tried to UG on points on the one r/t I mentioned: ARN-ORD-ARN. We were two persons on one PNR holding enough vouchers for Y+ r/t for both (i.e. 40.000) and our request for points upgrade to Y+ was noted in the PNR and at check-in. We still got the free op-up as EBS and they didn't take any points at all. ORD had me on the UG list, not my partner, but I managed to talk us both into C at SK check-in. Y was oversold and there were free seats in C, though!

I was on SK 945 ARN-ORD on July 16 booked in C. My GF (also LH*S) was travelling on a Q fare ticket in normal economy. I approached the gate agent and asked nicely to be seated together. She just asked her senior whispering 'business class with a LH*S in economy' and the senior nodded immediately. We even got seated in row 1! SK noramlly keeps the op-ups in the back rows. The fligt was C2D2and 0 in all other classes and departed with only 2 C seats empty (in row 1).

My GF flew back on July 27 and the flight was C9D9...Y2... with 9 in other classes. She was the last one to check in due to severely late incoming US flight. No upgrade, gate staff had already closed the flight M booked out, Y one seat empty, C 4 seats empty.

I have never received an op-up to back rows. Most of the time it is either row 1 or row 6 :)

Do you mean back-rows of front cabin, or the second C-cabin?

I think you can pretty much pick the seat you want if you get op-uped.

I have only been op uped to the small C cabin twice, both times I was checking in late and the flight was packed.

I don’t like it and I ask to be seated elsewhere.

On the flight I am on now, the check in agent asked me what I preferred. I said isle seat in the middle and not the rear C cabin. I got what I asked for.

Today, the rear cabin has only 7 passengers; an SK employee with an infant is seated there. I’m glad I’m not seated in that section. :p

Has anybody had any luck with op ups from NRT? (or other Asian airports)