Operational upgrades
 

I just got back from another trip to Sweden from the US on SAS. During the last two years I have managed to score upgrades to C based on my UA 1K status 75% of the time and managed to do so this time again with no effort at all. So far all my upgrades have been US - Scandinavia and during Christmas or summer time. The only trip when I was denied was during Feb on EWR - OSL.

For next year we are planning to do a RTW (in Y) as part of our wedding and honeymoon and since I have had such good luck with upgrades on SAS I might try to do as much of it as possible on SAS. A couple of questions

- Are you as likely to score an upgrade from south east asia as you are across the Atlantic?

- Does the season matter? Is summer better than other parts of the year due to vacation travellers?

- Has anyone managed to get an upgrade on a Y award ticket?

Thanks!

I have said it before and I will say it again. SAS is the best airline in * regarding OP upgrades.

I have been on 8 segments SAS longhauls this year and I have recieved OP upgrades on 4 of them. Thats 50%! I can also confirm that I had the cheapest ticket onboard for all those flights.

I was upgrading on BJS-CPH in June so OP upgrades ex Asia works as well.

I would guess summer is better since almost everything is full then(except business class).

BKK/SIN/BJS in Asia is almost 100% full all year.

Not sure if anyone has got an Y award OP upgrade but I dont think they look at the ticket, just on your status.

So, being a UA PremEx what are my odds of getting an upgrade? Or is it that only SAS status counts? Also, if already ticketed in biz on an Asian flight then can one hope to be upgraded to the front row 'sleeper seats'?

You can never expect to be upgraded to a sleeper seat. Sleeper seats are used as normal business seat unless booked in advance. The booking of a sleeper seat results in the seat row behind the sleeper seat being blocked and unavailable to use. The only possibility to get upgraded to a sleeper seat would be if the other seat in the seat pair had been prebooked as a sleeper seat by the person seated there.

So, is there a way to find out whether anyone has booked the sleeper seat or not? And if so then can anyone who is booked in "J" have a front row sleeper seat pre-allocated providing that someone has booked already a sleeper seat?

I think sleepers are booked in A, so check for that.

I have had good OP upgrade success (as well as work colleagues) on the CPH-BKK route. But I'm EuroBonus Gold.

Sometimes however, I have NOT got the OP upgrade when it's been clear that OP upgrading was done. So, it's never a 100% guarantee that it will happen.

Seasonally, the months of July, August and Christmas time seem to be best. That's when there are fewer Scandinavian business travellers but a lot of leisure travellers.

This is consistent with my experiences as well. So far I have not had any indication that *G is worth less in these scenarios than EBG which is kind of strange. Quite often I have been chatting with the check-in staff an hour - 45 minutes before check in when they are not that busy and told them that United has two *G levels and I have the highest which they seem to buy (or upgrade me despite this).

I am just a basic member, but have been member since 1996, and have a lot of EBP, maybe they are looking at that too?. In May I was upgraded from Economy to Economy+ BKK-CPH, asking nice and smiling. What a difference in seatcomfort http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif And I was travelling on a very cheap campain ticket. I think I had the last seat in Y+. the flight was full, at least in Y+ and Y.

[This message has been edited by bjerregaard (edited 08-24-2002).]

My family and I were upgraded to C class on our route from CPH to EWR in mid July. Because of heavily overbooked Y class.

We were only Basic EB members with not that many points.

I wonder, is it possible to go directly and ask to be upgraded, or is this only for the EBG/EBS members?
You guys say that you have been upgraded quite often...do they charge EB points for that, or do they just seat you in C because you want to?

Thanks in advance.

Crille

I would say that 99% of the OP upgrades happens since economy is overbooked.

I dont think that the check in/gate staff can access your account and actually see how many points you have.

Even if you have millions of points it doesnt necessary means that you fly SAS alot. You could buy everything on your Diners Club card and get points that way.

but I guess they would choose an EBB(actually EBP is EuroBonus Pandion http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif ) over a non FF customer when it comes to OP upgrades.

I am quite sure that SAS will have upgrades for points avaliable at the airport soon and then they will offer upgrades for points before upgrading for free so the possibility to be upg for free will be less.

Regarding the matter of having an awardticket or not I think the policy is to upgrade awardtravellers first.

Regarding upgrades, I am travelling as EBG to EWR in middle of july, good campaign fare, however especially outward flight CPH-EWR, did not have many seats left in Y to choose from, actually I have never been upgraded, so I really wonder a bot how it works, should I mention/ask for upgrade, I am flying GOT-CPH-EWR, or maybe ask in Scandinavian lounge, or is it just to be patient and wait until gate??. Is it any god asking , or will they maybe just offer you upgrade to E+ or C ??.

I had four flights accross the pond last summer and I was upgraded on 3 of them (on the 4th I got an exit row at the front of Y).

I also got bumped once.