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Complimentary Upgrade Stories

Complimentary Upgrade Stories

Old Nov 20, 2016, 5:35 pm
  #46  
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I've had a few. A couple on Y to J on United JFK - LAX. Also a few on upgraded J to F on that route.

I also had upgraded with an SWU on United from Y to J on NRT - JFK and had an aisle upstairs on a 747. When I got to NRT they had moved me to a middle seat in J downstairs. I politely told the woman in the Red Carpet Club that this was a bad thing to do to someone who flew as much as I did, I was a 1K at the time. She said they would try to get me a better seat. I did some duty free shopping and checking back into the RCC another person at the desk told me they had moved me from the middle to an aisle downstairs and were still looking for an upstairs aisle. When it came time to board the original woman was the gate agent. She recognized me and said, she would check upstairs again, nothing unfortunately she said. Then she said wait, typed a few things and handed me a first class boarding pass and thanked me for flying United.

I had another on United following an equipment change. I was flying LGA-DEN and they downgraded the aircraft and I lost my seat. I went to the special services line to rebook and the grown man in front of me who was on my same flight was having a total tantrum, yelling at the agent. I came up next and politely asked what he could do for me. He said he would put me in first to ORD and wouldn't pull the upgrade cert and first on a three class flight ORD-DEN. He also gave me a $300 voucher. Being nice pays.

I have also had some on BA for being an AA executive platinum. The two best were premium economy to J on LHR-BOM and premium economy to J on PVG-LHR.
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Old Nov 21, 2016, 10:51 am
  #47  
 
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Originally Posted by Qwkynuf
I was ticketed on a Delta flight last year, traveling from CAE-ATL-PDX. When I arrived at the airport to check my bag, the agent told me that they were looking for volunteers to switch to a different flight because my Atlanta flight was oversold. She said that if they needed my seat, they would switch me to a CAE-CLT-DTW-PDX routing, but even with an extra stop I would only get home 7 minutes later than scheduled.

I figured that would work - extra miles, extra segments.. With me as a lowly Silver Medallion, anything helps!

After thinking for a second though, I asked her what kind of seats I was likely to get? I had confirmed aisle seats already. I started losing interest in the deal when she told me that all she had was middle seats at the back.

Her supervisor overheard and came over to help. He first suggested that they just proactively move me to the new flights so that they could choose from what was currently available, rather than what was left at flight time. Then he noticed that the flight from CAE to CLT was already full, so I said that I would just stick with my original flight.

And then he says.... "How about this? How about if I put you in a taxi and drive you to Charlotte? And I know that is an inconvenience, so I will rebook you into 1st class for the CLT-DTW and DTW-PDX legs. And you still get home just 7 minutes later. And here, have some free drink coupons - they won't be useful for this trip, but maybe in the future...."

So, a free 90 minute taxi ride, first class coast to coast, and a handful of drink tickets. Not a bad haul for a Friday afternoon. As a side note, that taxi ride was one of the scariest car rides I have ever experienced. The driver was very friendly. He shared with me that he had arrived here from Ghana just 5 days before. Apparently they do things differently there....
Nice story, thanks for sharing!
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Old Nov 22, 2016, 11:48 am
  #48  
 
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Isn't the first time the best? It was 1990, I had just taken a job requiring frequent travel. I was booked on TWA from PIT -> STL. Early morning flight, desk agent said something about being told to clear out some main cabin space and voila I was in 'First Class'.

It was amazing. Tablecloths, real china and silverware. A hot cheese omelette. I thought to myself this flying thing was alright.
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Old Nov 22, 2016, 11:59 am
  #49  
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Originally Posted by LittleBoyBrew
Isn't the first time the best? It was 1990, I had just taken a job requiring frequent travel. I was booked on TWA from PIT -> STL. Early morning flight, desk agent said something about being told to clear out some main cabin space and voila I was in 'First Class'.

It was amazing. Tablecloths, real china and silverware. A hot cheese omelette. I thought to myself this flying thing was alright.
Yes! So true - if you have never flown in first and never dreamed you would, the first time is particularly special. Even more special if, like me, it's on a TATL!

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Old Nov 22, 2016, 12:21 pm
  #50  
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Once not including domestic, status upgrades.

2002 on Continental from EWR to MAD. I had silver metal status and CO overbooked in the back. Apparently there was nobody higher than I with metal status to move up front so they asked me, a lowly silver.

Last edited by Analise; Nov 22, 2016 at 2:28 pm
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Old Nov 22, 2016, 2:26 pm
  #51  
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The only non-status complimentary upgrade I can recall offhand - and in any event my most memorable upgrade ever - was my very first international flight for work, way back in 1987, from San Francisco to Seoul (en route to Manila, where I was moving to live and work) on UA. I was booked in business class and had absolutely no status on UA. Since I didn't have a window seat, I went up to the gate agent and asked whether one was available. He said, "How about this?" and handed me a boarding pass for 1A, in first class. I have no idea why I was so lucky, but thanked my lucky stars.
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Old Nov 22, 2016, 2:57 pm
  #52  
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Late 90's, flying US with my mother from LGW to CLT. Separate PNR's...me on a paid ticket, her on an award using my miles. Flying Y, in exit row because I was Gold.

I dropped her off at the terminal before I went to dump the rental car. I told her if there isn't a long queue, go ahead and check yourself in to get rid of your bag. If it's a zoo, wait for me and we'll use the elite queue.

I come back to the airport a half hour later, and she's sitting there with her J BP. I ask how the heck that happened, and it turns out I had been systematically upgraded due to an oversell in Y. (She must have asked to confirm I was still in the seat next to hers.) So she talked her way into the seat in J next to mine!!

No status, rather infrequent flier in general, on the basic (low) Y award!!! I have *never* been able to pull that off myself.
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Old Nov 22, 2016, 9:26 pm
  #53  
 
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I received an unexpected upgrade on Sabena, 1999, flying from Brussels to ATL. I was in the military and heading to a 6 week school so of course I had my ratty Walmart golf clubs. The agent felt so bad charging extra for the carpy clubs he upgraded me to biz.
I got another upgrade, Doha to Houston on Qatar Airlines just asking if one was available. The agent handed me the biz upgrade and no charge. First and best flight ever on Qatar.
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Old Nov 29, 2016, 7:21 pm
  #54  
 
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My first op-up was back in February 1999 on a China Airlines flight, which was operated by a Mandarin Airlines aircraft, from Amsterdam to Bangkok. I had booked a Y-C upgrade using a voucher earned after accumulating a certain number of miles, then was further upgraded to F at the gate. The aircraft, MD11 B150, crash landed at Hong Kong six months later.

My second was a bit of a strange one, as I was upgraded many hours before the flight concerned. Itinerary BKK-DXB-LGW with Emirates in July 2004, and I was just a lowly Skywards Blue. On checking in at Bangkok my seat allocation for the DXB-LGW sector was in row 8, a low number for what was a three class 332. A quick check of the seat plan in the EK timetable showed row 8 to be business, and thats what I got. I always travel smartly dressed, am sure the agent inputted me as suitable for upgrade, and the system told her to do just that.

Who says appearance doesnt matter? It did with these. In July 2005 I switched to Qatar. I was about 10m from the gate for my flight to Bangkok when the lady who was staffing the lane I was approaching prodded her male colleague. He, who must have been the senior of the two, looked up, nodded and the rest is history. Just three months later I was on the same flight, this time I had passed through the gate and was standing near to it when a member of Qatars staff, who by appearance was of supervisory status, asked to see my boarding pass. On seeing it he told me to wait there as he would put me in business class. On both occasions I was again smartly dressed, and was picked out for upgrade for that alone.

Since then I have had a bucket load of op-ups with Qatar. Some on overbooked flights at peak periods such as Christmas and New Year, but others were accommodating passengers who had missed connections at Doha, resulting an what was an under-booked flight becoming oversubscribed in Y to cater for them.
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Old Nov 29, 2016, 9:57 pm
  #55  
 
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I've posted this story elsewhere for different reasons. In 2010 I was flying from Portland, OR to Amsterdam on Delta, then on to Finland. In Portland I was called up to the podium, told my seat was unavailable, but they found me a different seat -- in J. OK, this trip is starting off really well.

Well into the flight, after dinner, at which point I had turned down the hot fudge sundae, hoping to have it later, I noticed that we were flying low over Greenland, and heading east!. I discretely called over the flight attendant and asked what was going on? Pressurization problems and they were "hoping" to make it to Newfoundland because fuel was really low. Not a particularly reassuring way to say it.

Long story short, we spent 2 days in Happy Valley/Goose Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador. Boring time, but we were put up in retired air force barracks and fed bad food. The locals did what they could to make us comfortable.

Delta flew in a new plane, which broke too, but by then the mechanic brought in had fixed the original plane and the crew had enough rest they could take us on. No catering, so the pilot went to the local stores and brought out all the packaged sandwiches and candy he could find. My J class dinner was two cellophane-wrapped egg salad sandwiches. As the flight attendant handed my dessert of a Twix bar she said, "bet you wish you had taken the sundae."

Best part was on the way home. I wasn't upgraded but the same purser had my flight as on the flight that was disrupted. There were open rows in J, so after we took off, she brought me up for the entire flight, only sending me back to Y just before landing.

I had other complimentary upgrades TPAC, but this was my only one going to Europe. And it has the best story.
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Old Dec 2, 2016, 6:06 pm
  #56  
 
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Thumbs up

Last month our friends husband had to wait for transplant in a hospital, so I booked few nights for her at Hilton downtown hotel next to medical center where he was. I called ahead and told hostess that I booked hotel under my name but someone else was staying and how she is traveling with two little kids, stressed out due to her husbands surgery and needed 10am check in.
She stayed one night and next day GM came with some balloons for kids and told her she was welcome to stay as long as she needs because it was't sold out and he totally understands what she is going through. Upgraded her to suite on a top floor. She ended up staying there for 3 weeks for free. Now the drum roll. Hilton - Dallas Medical Center. I keep forgetting to write about it to corporate office. Will do tomorrow.
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Old Dec 5, 2016, 7:49 pm
  #57  
 
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I feel quite jealous reading some of these stories.
I usually (read almost always) fly economy class and I fly on 20 to 25 flights a year, but I have never been upgraded - not even once.

I thought it was going to happen once. I was flying Cathay to Singapore, and I was (as usual) in the economy queue. People were going through and quickly I was next in line. The attendant scanned by BP to a loud beep and a red flashing light. 'This is it', I thought. She went away and started furiously typing on the computer. Two minutes later she handed me back the same BP.

I suppose I did once get an upgrade. I was flying on easyjet on New Year's Day (yay to working in a foreign country at 7am and January 2nd!), to somewhere in Europe. The flight (as you can imagine) was half empty and nobody had booked and paid for the emergency exit rows. Four of us lucky passengers were moved to those rows with 2 or 3 inches more leg room. The best part actually was having a row to myself.

I shouldn't complain though. I've always got the service I've paid for, and I have had some pretty sweet upgrades at hotels.
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Old Dec 6, 2016, 4:57 pm
  #58  
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Originally Posted by Qwkynuf
I was ticketed on a Delta flight last year, traveling from CAE-ATL-PDX. When I arrived at the airport to check my bag, the agent told me that they were looking for volunteers to switch to a different flight because my Atlanta flight was oversold. She said that if they needed my seat, they would switch me to a CAE-CLT-DTW-PDX routing, but even with an extra stop I would only get home 7 minutes later than scheduled.

I figured that would work - extra miles, extra segments.. With me as a lowly Silver Medallion, anything helps!

After thinking for a second though, I asked her what kind of seats I was likely to get? I had confirmed aisle seats already. I started losing interest in the deal when she told me that all she had was middle seats at the back.

Her supervisor overheard and came over to help. He first suggested that they just proactively move me to the new flights so that they could choose from what was currently available, rather than what was left at flight time. Then he noticed that the flight from CAE to CLT was already full, so I said that I would just stick with my original flight.

And then he says.... "How about this? How about if I put you in a taxi and drive you to Charlotte? And I know that is an inconvenience, so I will rebook you into 1st class for the CLT-DTW and DTW-PDX legs. And you still get home just 7 minutes later. And here, have some free drink coupons - they won't be useful for this trip, but maybe in the future...."

So, a free 90 minute taxi ride, first class coast to coast, and a handful of drink tickets. Not a bad haul for a Friday afternoon. As a side note, that taxi ride was one of the scariest car rides I have ever experienced. The driver was very friendly. He shared with me that he had arrived here from Ghana just 5 days before. Apparently they do things differently there....
Ha, I had one of those taxi experiences also. I was doing an NYC-IAH-SJC-IAH-NYC same day turn on UA as a mileage run for UA Plat. This was a few years ago, but I believe UA called me in the middle of the night to say that due to delays, I was going to misconnect and not be able to get back. I asked them if they could put me in J on an SFO-EWR nonstop on the int'l 752 with flatbeds (I was booked i n Y) if I got myself from SJC to SFO. They sorted it out. I landed in SJC, took a cab, hopped onto the 752 and slept all the way to NYC. Got original routing credit and made Platinum as well. Perhaps I should have asked UA to cover the cab also!
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Old Dec 7, 2016, 10:46 pm
  #59  
 
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Never received an op-up on an any international flight (but I've seen it happen), but I have had several upgrades happen as a result of just being nice to the GA's, like after asking if I could change to a different flight at ATL after flying in on standby a day early.

Most memorable was actually an upgrade for my wife, a few days after I became Gold Medallion on Delta. We were flying SMF-SEA-ANC on Friday and I had been upgraded to first at the window for all flights (holiday weekend). Gave wife my seat for SMF-SEA and sat in the back. At SEA I figured what the heck, I'm just going to ask the GA (who was trying to get the flight out on time) to see what was possible. Lined up at the podium and in front of me were several people yelling at the GA how they had to have seats together otherwise it would be awful and their kids (in their teens) would misbehave and bla bla bla. She sent them on their way but others in the same group were right behind me. I got up to the podium as she was trying to get seat assignments for everybody and just said "hold on". I waited for about 5 minutes before even saying anything. As she finished up she asked what she could help with and I politely asked if there was any chance for my wife to be upgraded as well so we could sit together. Couple of keystrokes later and a "usually it's never possible but you held back the line for me" and we were both in F.

Those flights were my wife's first experience ever flying any kind of premium and I'm afraid she will refuse to fly in the back from now on, so this weekend trip to Alaska might turn out very expensive. Oh well. Anything to keep the wife happy (flying in J to LHR next week).

Dennis
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Old Dec 8, 2016, 7:25 pm
  #60  
 
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Talking

Boarding Delta LAX-SYD. Flight is running late. Get to gate after boarding began and navigated via the Zone 3 people hoarding the gate. Hand my ticket to gate agent. "You have received a better seat." I'm skeptical. What could be better than seat 29A? I look down at my new seat. 10B! 10B? 10B!!! It took a few seconds for me to realize that I had been upgraded to Busienss on a 14 hour flight! I did a happy dance and kept saying 'I'm in 10B!' The gate agent told my spouse, who was behind me in line (and also fortunately got an upgrade too!) that 'sir, you need to calm your wife down' as everyone was watching me! The champagne did as I watched many people walk past me to the 'back of the plane.' Best upgrade ever!! But I still woke up with 8 flying hours to go! Lol!
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