Consolidated "Lufthansa Upgrade With UA SWU Questions/Experiences" Thread [2010/11]
Jan 22, 2012, 9:35 am
#676
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: SJC, SFO, YYC
Programs: AA-EXP, AA-0.41MM, UA-Gold, Ex UA-1K (2006 thru 2015), PMUA-0.95MM, COUA-1.5MM-lite, AF-Silver
Posts: 13,437
Present your certificate at least three hours before departure at the airport where the departing flight is. If you can be there before the LH check in counter opens then do that. Why mess around and let some other 1k or HON beat you on the upgrade list? IME early check in often results in confirmed upgrade at check in versus sweating it out at the gate.
LH used to load F meals in batches of 4, at least in the days before they downsized their 747 F cabins. I tried (successfully, as it turned out) to u/g FRA-LAX a few years ago and the gate agent said he had to check to make sure they had enough meals loaded and they would not load an extra batch for an upgrade. He didn't budge when I said I would take a C meal. In the end, it worked out. 
As for not loading an extra batch of meals for an upgrade, that has never been my experience. However, I have always processed C to F upgrades at xheckin when at an out station, or when connecting at FRA, at the Sen lounge (once, and in that case, I didn't get the new BP until I got to the gate) and the FCL (where I always get the BP). At out stations, some times there is an issue with meals. At BLR I was once told the captain authorized a business meal for F, but once upgraded there was more than enough F meal. For my one and so far only upgrade failure, I was told explicitly that I would have been upgraded had there been more time to load meals.
Last edited by mre5765; Jan 22, 2012 at 9:51 am
Jan 22, 2012, 10:18 am
#677
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: 1P, AA EXP, SPG Gold
Posts: 1,491
Jan 22, 2012, 10:36 am
#678
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Cape Cod MA
Programs: GS, 3 MM, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 752
Jan 22, 2012, 10:02 pm
#680
Join Date: May 2005
Location: SJC
Programs: UA MM, AA EXP, VS (silver-for-life revoked), DL, WN, AS, Hilton diamond, Marriott gold
Posts: 388
For a more conventional datapoint, I checked in at the airport 3 hours before departure, and was told UG were on waitlist to be processed at gate. At 25 before scheduled departure (20 before newly-announced delayed boarding) they paged about six names, and the first three of us were all using paper SWU to UG.
I'm now 3/3, twice on LH454 and once on LH459, all within 3 hours of departure.
Jan 22, 2012, 10:27 pm
#681
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: SFO
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 4,449
It turned out I was unable to try this.
For a more conventional datapoint, I checked in at the airport 3 hours before departure, and was told UG were on waitlist to be processed at gate. At 25 before scheduled departure (20 before newly-announced delayed boarding) they paged about six names, and the first three of us were all using paper SWU to UG.
I'm now 3/3, twice on LH454 and once on LH459, all within 3 hours of departure.
For a more conventional datapoint, I checked in at the airport 3 hours before departure, and was told UG were on waitlist to be processed at gate. At 25 before scheduled departure (20 before newly-announced delayed boarding) they paged about six names, and the first three of us were all using paper SWU to UG.
I'm now 3/3, twice on LH454 and once on LH459, all within 3 hours of departure.
Jan 23, 2012, 6:02 am
#682
Used to be 'sido21'
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: AMS
Programs: SkyTeam Elite Plus & Stargold
Posts: 122
just to complete my story
I arrived at the gate early yesterday. Lady scanned my boardingpass to let met into the gate. The machine beeped, new boardingpass was issued: 11K
So going to sin and back - no problem using my swu's in K class
I had a great weekend
I arrived at the gate early yesterday. Lady scanned my boardingpass to let met into the gate. The machine beeped, new boardingpass was issued: 11K
So going to sin and back - no problem using my swu's in K class
I had a great weekend
Jan 23, 2012, 12:15 pm
#683
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: SJC, SFO, YYC
Programs: AA-EXP, AA-0.41MM, UA-Gold, Ex UA-1K (2006 thru 2015), PMUA-0.95MM, COUA-1.5MM-lite, AF-Silver
Posts: 13,437
Jan 23, 2012, 3:00 pm
#684
Join Date: May 2005
Location: SJC
Programs: UA MM, AA EXP, VS (silver-for-life revoked), DL, WN, AS, Hilton diamond, Marriott gold
Posts: 388
Jan 25, 2012, 10:05 am
#685
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: About
Programs: Some good, some bad
Posts: 811
FWIW, I ordered and received some paper SWUs this month and none of them list Z as not upgradeable. And these SWUs have the globe, not the tulip logo, as well as the new M+ font in yellow and blue.
The excluded fare classes on my SWUs are: L, X, I, R, N, E, S, W, ID, AD, and IP. In addition for intra-Europe, T is not valid.
Also, the SWUs all say they are transferable and valid on code shares (i.e. LH metal but marketed by other airlines). [Nothing new either].
When I get the expiration dates of my 6 2012 SWUs reset to a December 2012 expiration, I'm going to print some more for LH in the hope that Z continues to be omitted from the excluded fare class.
The excluded fare classes on my SWUs are: L, X, I, R, N, E, S, W, ID, AD, and IP. In addition for intra-Europe, T is not valid.
Also, the SWUs all say they are transferable and valid on code shares (i.e. LH metal but marketed by other airlines). [Nothing new either].
When I get the expiration dates of my 6 2012 SWUs reset to a December 2012 expiration, I'm going to print some more for LH in the hope that Z continues to be omitted from the excluded fare class.
The two SWUs which were to expire on 31 January 2012 and which were printed this month (January 2012), excluded Z fares.
Jan 25, 2012, 12:50 pm
#687
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: About
Programs: Some good, some bad
Posts: 811
Jan 25, 2012, 12:57 pm
#688
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Cape Cod MA
Programs: GS, 3 MM, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 752
Another Z fare cleared
On my way back today my Z->F cleared with a SWU that would have expired Jan 31, 2012. Really nice flight - great crew again.
Jan 25, 2012, 2:16 pm
#689
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: San Francisco
Posts: 2,355
I just realized that must be because your SWUs expire on 31 Jan 12, so the LH paper SWU vouchers are set to expire on the same date.
Last edited by sfvoyage; Jan 25, 2012 at 2:26 pm
Jan 25, 2012, 6:29 pm
#690
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: About
Programs: Some good, some bad
Posts: 811