diormum

I have a ticket on Turkish metal, but booked with Aeroplan miles. Would such ticket be eligible for last minute upgrade using cash? Route is IST- NBO if that matters.

FlyingTurk1

Update on my recent flight IST - IAH.

At the counter they offered "promotional rate" $1300 to upgrade. I asked again at the gate, 2 seats open, and the dude said $1400 lmfao.

I asked him in native language and as friendly as possible if they would lower it at all or would they just fly with 2 empty seats, and he was like they will never lower it and will fly as is. Apparently a directive above.

I'm kind of curious about the business mechanics of it though, why wouldn't they just sell it to me for like $800 or something, it's not like they will taek a loss right? Or are they going to move someone with status up there? It didn't sound like they were planning on moving ppl with status up. Even on the flight from Detroit to IST I took, ther were atleast 7 open business class seats. They should offer bids to atleast make some kind of money back, isn't it basically the cost of the food at that point or am I missing something hmm

MitjaPod

US routes are most of the time soled as paid upgrades in the last minute for crazy prices. That’s why they try their luch until the last moment. I agreee that the upgrade process could be more transperent for us passangers - even with OP upgrades we could have na upgrade score board like Delta has it, but I guess is also for manipulation reasons since I have experienced for a few times that people with lower loyalty were upgraded OP over me

smartytravel

On the other hand, US Airlines are at the bottom among worldwide airlines. Their service and quality are quite poor.

​​​​​​Most reputable airlines want to protect the value of business class. If a passenger wants it, the passenger should purchase it upfront.

No need to accustom people to discounted business class.

sfvoyage

Exactly. Many world-class airlines (e.g. SQ) fiercely protect the exclusivity, value proposition, brand image, and price integrity of their F & J cabins and do not typically offer close-in or last minute sale, auction, and/or upgrade. They would rather fly with empty seats than give them away at a discount. Otherwise, some passengers will not pay the premium to secure those seats in advance and instead just try their luck hoping for last minute specials.

FlyingTurk1

Tbh I don't think it's such a big deal if there's 2 seats left thst they sell it for a few hundred dollars less lmao. No one is going to know a difference.

Doesn't impact exclusivity at all. Business class is like 32 seats already that ain't exclusive imo. Plus business class seats are also secured by credit card points, aka another avenue of skirting "exclusivity"

sfvoyage

Of course customers will know the difference. If this practice is wide-spread and institutionalized, everyone will know. Have you heard of social media?

Airlines know how to maximize their revenue over time. Some airlines play the game of auctioning seats and offering last minute sales, while others don't. The F cabins on airlines such as AF and SQ are exclusive. AF doesn't even allow mileage redemption for their F seats using miles from many of their partner airlines.

FlyingTurk1

I beg to differ. I'm talking about a very specific situation. Plane is about to take off, there's a few seats available, no one has asked about them. A passenger comes and asks, gets told 1300, passenger says I'm willing to pay 800 or even 1k. You think this has to do with exclusivity?

You can barely find ppl talking about last minute auctioned seats online apart from this forum, much less on social media. And plus no one is going to just sit around and wait to ask the desk hey can I poach your last seat as strategy lmao.

Sure F class is different story and that's how they are offering it. Doesn't have to do with my comment.

And to your maximizing revenue comment. You think maximizing revenue is flying empty seats vs offering the final price at a 20% off? Lol last time checked when number is greater then 0 it is positive revenue.

When u find a social media post telling me to wait until thr last minute to poach a business flight let me know becawue they don't exist, it's not a strategy

MitjaPod

Selling in the last minute is already a desperate move. Delta, for example, does not sell at check-in or at the gate. And they don’t upgrade for loyalty or OP on all trans-atlantic routes. That ups the exclusivity.

f0zzyNUE

Well in the moment they start to sell every business class seat to make extra revenue customers will realize and wouldn't buy J seats first hand but speculate and buy them for cheaper right before the flight.
AF and KL for example sell discounted last minute upgrades to lure passengers into front cabins so they get spoiled and book premium seats next time. on the other hand side loyal AF/KL customers flying business class on a regular base or having had a discounted upgrade within the last months are not offered cheap upgrades but rather hefty prices (they don't need to be lured to the "luxury in the front")

thefilipinotraveler

I asked the check-in agent today in HKG about the cash upgrade. I was told they have a promotion, a fixed price of 1499 USD for the HKG-IST flight.

MitjaPod

They always say promotion even if the price does not translate to promotion.

hfly

Wow, what outdated thoughts? Saying that US carriers are "poor" and only giving SQ as an example? The big 3 US carriers Biz products are for the most part superior to the Big 3 European carriers in every shape way and form SQ? Yes of their 5 current Biz products 3 are superior to US carriers, what good does that do you to fly between Europe and the United States, other than one singular route to FRA? Also, just to be clear that every carrier in the World is happy to sell you an upgrade before flying, what you are after is a knock down last minute upgrade deal, which is something that US carriers do not engage in, for that matter even with miles, many have restrictions of 24 hours or whatever. SF there are PLENTY of markets where SQ is the most consolidated carrier available and undercuts just about everyone else, it is bassed on competition, and nothing else.

Honestly when I am flying on a $6k ticket, and the last empty seat is next to me, I would prefer if some guy on a $600 RT does not sit next to me for another $500 upgrade. Also as noted above, keeping up standards, inasmuch as no regular Biz pax will spend big money every time if they always know that they can upgrade and do it for significantly less than the RT Biz price.

Some carriers have experimented with auctions, however they never work the way that they are intended.

sfvoyage

OK then, why don't you write to your favorite airlines to offer your advice? Or perhaps get a job in their revenue management department?

hfly

A data point for some of you. For a decade, at both the old LHR T2 and the new LHR T2, the TK ticket desk had a printed sign that offered last minute paid upgrades for 200, and later 250GBP. Besides the fact that it got confusing for pax as they would offer only on certain flights (sometimes, generally those that were operated with A321's), do you know why they took the signs down sometime during Covid? Because of sites like FT and far worse, that basically told people NEVER to buy Biz, because it was "always" available for a small "buy up". Because unfortunately the same sites that have been saying "TK is the cheapest mile program, etc", and who have led to the current devaluation.

I know of certain routes at certain times of year where I as a long time Elite Plus have IMHE a 95% chance of a free upgrade, because Y is ALWAYS oversold and C is not. Have you seen me ever post these on FT? No because, if I did, within a month or two these would no longer be the case.

Similarly many of us have obliquely referred to the ample Upgrade space on the return segments from BOG and PTY. Now that there have been several articles out there in the wild about how these flights are the "Biden Express" we have felt more comfortable stating why this is the case.