pay for upgrade at JFK?
Aug 25, 2003 | 6:00 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: DC Metro Area
Posts: 408
pay for upgrade at JFK?
AAAAAAAAAAACK! I really messed up - bought my mom a coach ticket JFK-GVA leaving in a couple of weeks and PROMISED to use my miles to upgrade the overnight from JFK. Of course, one thing led to another, and when I finally got to calling the STC line for the upgrade for miles, the last one had just gone. My husband, who is a Gold level, also tried in person at GVA, and they were very nice but couldn't do anything. The agent there said, though, that unofficially, it's possible to purchase an upgrade for a few hundred dollars at check in at JFK. Anyone have any experience with this and/or other suggestions on how to get the upgrade for miles or cash? I'm dreading breaking the bad news to my mom...
Aug 25, 2003 | 6:19 am
#2
Join Date: Apr 2001
Posts: 232
swiss traveler
kooks
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum...ML/000003.html
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I was hoping for an operational upgrade on last saturday's JFK-GVA, but the plane wasn't full at all. But when asking at the check in, the woman told me that she could upgrade me for $333 from Y to C. Since it was a very cheap ticket I got, and was feeling very tired of Y, I decided to buy it, even though the flight is not so long. It was the first time I ve been told I could upgrade for $300, which I think can be a very good deal, especially if flying from ORD or LAX or other long-haul destination. Has anyone other experience with this ? Is JFK the only place where they do it ? Thanks in advance.</font>
I was hoping for an operational upgrade on last saturday's JFK-GVA, but the plane wasn't full at all. But when asking at the check in, the woman told me that she could upgrade me for $333 from Y to C. Since it was a very cheap ticket I got, and was feeling very tired of Y, I decided to buy it, even though the flight is not so long. It was the first time I ve been told I could upgrade for $300, which I think can be a very good deal, especially if flying from ORD or LAX or other long-haul destination. Has anyone other experience with this ? Is JFK the only place where they do it ? Thanks in advance.</font>
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333.-$ is the right price I think for an upgrade from Y to C.
...</font>
333.-$ is the right price I think for an upgrade from Y to C.
...</font>
Aug 25, 2003 | 6:50 am
#3
Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: NY metro,
Programs: AA EXP, LX travelclub
Posts: 525
If your mother is travelling with you it has been my experience with Swissair that if you ask nicely at the gate they might well op up your mother. I managed this a couple of times. I have never been able to purchase an upgrade either at checkin or at the gate but I used to frequently purchase upgrades on board. You have to talk to the head purser. On several occasions my willingness to pay seemed enough and I was never charged. If I remember correctly the charge back then was 1,000 Swiss francs.
Aug 25, 2003 | 9:09 am
#4
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Lausanne, Switzerland
Posts: 149
Tartegnin, I think they offer the "pay for upgrades" only when the plane is not full, of course. When I arrived at JFK Term 4, they had a poster at entrance of checkin lines saying "we're happy to offer you upgrades to business for $333, $666, $999". When I first asked about it the woman said $999, but then I showed my TC Sliv card and asked gently if it made a difference, and got the $333. I did not wanted to ask to much but it seemed that smiling and being nice when asking made even a biger difference.
I would ask first if the plane seems busy or not, and check it soon before departure date.
And can't they put you on a waiting list ? They might have some cancellation. I came back yesterday from ATH on a award ticket in C. I booked it in April and they said no more place in Y for the flight I wanted, but waiting list. I picked another flight, and just before leaving they confrimed the flight I wanted, and the Y was only half full.
Let us know who it worked when done ! Thanks
I would ask first if the plane seems busy or not, and check it soon before departure date.
And can't they put you on a waiting list ? They might have some cancellation. I came back yesterday from ATH on a award ticket in C. I booked it in April and they said no more place in Y for the flight I wanted, but waiting list. I picked another flight, and just before leaving they confrimed the flight I wanted, and the Y was only half full.
Let us know who it worked when done ! Thanks
Aug 26, 2003 | 1:18 am
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: DC Metro Area
Posts: 408
Thanks for the advice to date. Even $999 would be worth it (just not the $6000 that the r/t business cost!) I will certainly check again before the departure on Saturday, as currently, Swiss is still showing a lot of availability in C, so can't imagine why they wouldn't rather I use my miles up ...
Will certainly let you know what, if anything, works. Fingers crossed.
Will certainly let you know what, if anything, works. Fingers crossed.
Aug 26, 2003 | 5:51 am
#6
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Montreux CH
Programs: FB Platinum, M&M FTL, BA Blue
Posts: 11,932
Well, I really think it's a question of luck, and who you land on, as well as load factor. I went through this earlier this year Being smiling and nice seemed to make no difference, though they were civil enough.
Initially quoted USD999, they came down to USD666 on production of the Travelclub Silver card. I stayed put in economy, and did well to do so, as the plane was pretty empty. So I got a middle row to myself. However, food service was very poor. Why? Air France flights leaving JFK have very good food service in Y.
It has to be said I have never ever received anything remotely resembling an op up on flights in or leaving the United States. Is there any technique to it?
Initially quoted USD999, they came down to USD666 on production of the Travelclub Silver card. I stayed put in economy, and did well to do so, as the plane was pretty empty. So I got a middle row to myself. However, food service was very poor. Why? Air France flights leaving JFK have very good food service in Y.
It has to be said I have never ever received anything remotely resembling an op up on flights in or leaving the United States. Is there any technique to it?
Aug 27, 2003 | 1:05 am
#7
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 178
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Tartegnin:
before the departure on Saturday</font>
before the departure on Saturday</font>
I expect you know you can check availability yourself beforehand either under:
http://www.aeroplan.de/ap_rb_galileo.htm
or under "book with miles - check availability" on the Swiss TC website.
Forewarned is forearmed, as they say!
Hope it works out
Marvin
Sep 1, 2003 | 3:26 am
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: DC Metro Area
Posts: 408
Thanks to all for the helpful suggestions etc. Following up on one of them, I tried the TC phone line again a couple of days ago, and HURRAY - more upgrade seats allocated, so I was able to get my mom the one way upgrade. My future is looking rosier.