Paid upgrade to biz at the airport?
Oct 22, 2017, 8:52 pm
#1
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Join Date: Dec 2009
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Paid upgrade to biz at the airport?
I have an MRU-JNB flight coming up. I am in Y but already selected an exit row seat. It's not a terribly long flight, so if there's no way to upgrade, it's not a big deal. Just wondering if anyone familiar with ex-MRU flights knows if it's possible/how to go about upgrading at check-in. My only experience doing this was ex-DAR and it seemed the check-in agent made up an arbitrary (but reasonable) #, since I don't recall her checking anything in the computer. I was told I had to pay cash and she printed me a new pass.
Oct 23, 2017, 11:54 am
#2
Join Date: Jun 2015
Posts: 3
You can do a quick pit-stop at the ticketing counter before or after checkin. If you do it after checkin you will obviously need them to print a new boarding pass. Grabbed a few deals this way.
With that said, its a wager, but on overbooked flights I sometimes scored complimentary upgrades when holding off the urge to check (and pay) for upgrades before checkin.
With that said, its a wager, but on overbooked flights I sometimes scored complimentary upgrades when holding off the urge to check (and pay) for upgrades before checkin.
Oct 23, 2017, 12:21 pm
#3
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,077
Oct 23, 2017, 12:22 pm
#4
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Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2009
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Posts: 6,798
You can do a quick pit-stop at the ticketing counter before or after checkin. If you do it after checkin you will obviously need them to print a new boarding pass. Grabbed a few deals this way.
With that said, its a wager, but on overbooked flights I sometimes scored complimentary upgrades when holding off the urge to check (and pay) for upgrades before checkin.
With that said, its a wager, but on overbooked flights I sometimes scored complimentary upgrades when holding off the urge to check (and pay) for upgrades before checkin.
Nov 13, 2017, 11:00 am
#5
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: LIM and DCA
Programs: Delta DM, Lufthansa Miles & More
Posts: 237
Might I hijack this thread with a similar query - I am stuck on a SAA Accra-Jo'burg night flight in Y and looking to see whether and if I can upgrade to J. Is this something I can do online or should I wait to get to the airport in Accra and roll the dice? Sorry, almost exclusively a DL flyer so no real experience with SAA...
Nov 13, 2017, 12:43 pm
#6
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: N/A
Programs: UA 1K, BA Gold, LH/SN/LX Senator
Posts: 449
Might I hijack this thread with a similar query - I am stuck on a SAA Accra-Jo'burg night flight in Y and looking to see whether and if I can upgrade to J. Is this something I can do online or should I wait to get to the airport in Accra and roll the dice? Sorry, almost exclusively a DL flyer so no real experience with SAA...
Nov 13, 2017, 2:07 pm
#7
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: LIM and DCA
Programs: Delta DM, Lufthansa Miles & More
Posts: 237
I'll update the thread as things develop...
Nov 13, 2017, 3:01 pm
#8
Join Date: Dec 2010
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Programs: UA 1K, BA Gold, LH/SN/LX Senator
Posts: 449
I suspect that SA57 is easier to get an upgrade on than SA210. SA57 originates in Abidjan and I once struggled to get a mileage upgrade on ABJ-JNB even though there was inventory in I class on the ACC-JNB leg. Not sure if that helps.
Nov 14, 2017, 6:33 am
#9
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: LIM and DCA
Programs: Delta DM, Lufthansa Miles & More
Posts: 237
Thanks - no idea - let's see what happens. Any thoughts on where to start on the bidding? Going on the SAA website a business one-way is listed at ~1.2 million XOF, so around $2K.
Nov 14, 2017, 7:26 am
#10
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: N/A
Programs: UA 1K, BA Gold, LH/SN/LX Senator
Posts: 449
Nov 15, 2017, 7:25 am
#12
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: CPT
Programs: BA BD SA
Posts: 4,467
Purely in the interests of research, I bid on a domestic flight, JNB-CPT. I submitted the minimum bid allowed - and received an email 24 hours before departure to say it had been accepted.
If it is unlikely that the price at the airport will be less than the minimum bid, then presumably the best strategy is to make the minimum bid and, if unsuccessful, have another go at the airport?
If it is unlikely that the price at the airport will be less than the minimum bid, then presumably the best strategy is to make the minimum bid and, if unsuccessful, have another go at the airport?
Nov 15, 2017, 1:15 pm
#13
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 1,077
Given that the at-the-airport amount seems to be entirely negotiated on the fly and in cash, it seems to be a bit of a gamble. With an online bid that's accepted, you at least have a "guarantee" of the upgrade and the "system" would automatically spit out your new BP for the upgraded seat. At the gate seems to be just a random convergence of offer, willingness to accept and acceptance without the "system" backing up the whole transaction.
Dec 11, 2017, 6:55 am
#14
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: LIM and DCA
Programs: Delta DM, Lufthansa Miles & More
Posts: 237
Thanks again to all who provided advice. I was unable to log into the SAA website for days on end (dodgy African internet? don't know) and ended up asking about the upgrade at the airport in Abidjan. Was quoted $750 and the agent would not budge. I decided that was a bit much and had a not-too-bad trip in the back of the bus. Maybe next time!