How to get a flight upgrade - according to the BBC

Discussion in 'UK Motorcycles' started by Paul Corfield, Feb 10, 2006.

  1. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4665194.stm

    "Wearing a fake beard and pretending to be Richard Branson's brother -
    people will try anything to get a free upgrade on flights. So what's the
    secret?

    The lure of leg room and free champagne can make passengers go to great
    lengths to get a free upgrade on their flight. Attempts include baking
    check-in staff a cake and wearing a plaster cast to fake a broken leg,
    according to one travel survey. "



    Can't quite see any of TOG's suggested methods in the list.
     
    Paul Corfield, Feb 10, 2006
    #1
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  2. Paul Corfield wrote
    Personally, starboard out port home steerage class cabin and no air
    conditioning as an alternative to any sort flying is a lure in my book.

    But don't worry about it. The media have finally got the bollocks from
    somewhere to start commenting during prime time upon the possibility of
    links between global warming and aircraft emissions, it won't be long
    before it changes completely. Even the merkins are talking openly about
    it.
     
    steve auvache, Feb 10, 2006
    #2
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  3. Simple,

    Level of Airmiles, type of card held and type of ticket purchased.

    If you're buying flexible expensive tickets, hold a gold card, and fly once
    a month long haul, then you are more likely to be upgraded.

    You're spending a lot of money with the airline, and airlines like to keep
    their revenue customers happy.

    It doesn't bother me on eurohops what class you're stuffed into, but on long
    haul it makes a world of difference imo.
     
    Biffa Bacon \(mobile\), Feb 10, 2006
    #3
  4. Paul Corfield

    Molly Guest



    In my experience, first class upgrades are possible but they have become
    quite rare over the past few years and I have only managed it one in four
    times recently. However, other goodies are fairly easy to get.



    Whenever I check in I always go straight to the First Class check in and ask
    the assistant if they got a note for an ASU [1]. They usually ask me why I
    think I have an upgrade, my standard answer is "I use your airline for
    freight and I've been promised an upgrade by the agent". They cannot check
    this but they usually tell me they don't have any note. Of course, they don't,
    I then look very disappointed and complain about missing my place in the
    standard queue. The very least I get is to check in at the first class desk
    but very often I get a pass to the first class lounge. I also get my name on
    the upgrade list should a space become available. This really works. Try it.



    [1] Available selected upgrade
     
    Molly, Feb 10, 2006
    #4
  5. Paul Corfield

    BGN Guest

    The usual way of getting a flight upgrade is to pay for it.
     
    BGN, Feb 10, 2006
    #5
  6. Paul Corfield

    BGN Guest

    Or one can pay for a first class seat. This works every time.
     
    BGN, Feb 10, 2006
    #6
  7. Well yes but I've been upgraded to First twice from Business on Cathay
    Pacific and both times were a complete surprise. Don't think I've been
    upgraded from economy to business though.
     
    Paul Corfield, Feb 10, 2006
    #7
  8. Paul Corfield

    Gyp Guest

    I was upgraded from business to first last year flying from Washington
    to London. I arrived early. I wore shorts, sandals, T-shirt and fleece.
    And my luggage was in a rucksack.

    I certainly wasn't expecting an upgrade, and suggest that I was breaking
    every rule of "how to get an upgrade".

    Didn't get the in-flight "massage" though :-(
     
    Gyp, Feb 10, 2006
    #8
  9. Surely these days all you need to do is select a counter with a
    male operator and bat your eyelids at 'im?

    I'm LHR->GVA Sunday; have received emails from BA that security
    is enhanced and we should allow extra time. Things like laptops having to
    go separately through the X-ray chamine. Think I'll be visiting the office
    tomorrow night[1] and printing out my own boarding pass (which can only be
    done less than 24 hours in advance, unfortunately).

    [1] Which will take 15 mins each way instead of the usual 10 mins because
    the Uni lock one particular pedestrian gate at nights and weekends...

    --
    Ivan Reid, Electronic & Computer Engineering, ___ CMS Collaboration,
    Brunel University. Ivan.Reid@[brunel.ac.uk|cern.ch] Room 40-1-B12, CERN
    GSX600F, RG250WD "You Porsche. Me pass!" DoD #484 JKLO#003, 005
    WP7# 3000 LC Unit #2368 (tinlc) UKMC#00009 BOTAFOT#16 UKRMMA#7 (Hon)
    KotPT -- "for stupidity above and beyond the call of duty".
     
    Dr Ivan D. Reid, Feb 10, 2006
    #9
  10. Cathay upgraded me from cattle-class to Business once from ZRH to
    HKG, probably because I had a 14-hour layover before my flight to BNE!
    Gave me two meal vouchers for the HKG airport, too. I'm rather familiar
    with all the places one can sleep in that airport.

    --
    Ivan Reid, Electronic & Computer Engineering, ___ CMS Collaboration,
    Brunel University. Ivan.Reid@[brunel.ac.uk|cern.ch] Room 40-1-B12, CERN
    GSX600F, RG250WD "You Porsche. Me pass!" DoD #484 JKLO#003, 005
    WP7# 3000 LC Unit #2368 (tinlc) UKMC#00009 BOTAFOT#16 UKRMMA#7 (Hon)
    KotPT -- "for stupidity above and beyond the call of duty".
     
    Dr Ivan D. Reid, Feb 10, 2006
    #10
  11. Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, Paul Corfield
    LOL!

    I care naught for your idle fripperies and upgrades.

    I've just booked a return flight LHR-JNB for three weeks time with SAA
    and scored an upstairs window seat (cattle class) for both flights.

    I am going to get on, get fed, have a beer and a piss, stick the Boses
    on and get nine hours kip.

    Life is good.

    --
    Wicked Uncle Nigel - There are few things in life more sinister than a
    public toilet with the lid closed.

    WS* GHPOTHUF#24 APOSTLE#14 DLC#1 COFF#20 BOTAFOT#150 HYPO#0(KoTL) IbW#41
    SBS#39 OMF#6 Enfield 500 Curry House Racer "The Basmati Rice Burner",
    Honda GL1000K2 (On its hols) Kawasaki ZN1300 Voyager "Oh, Oh, It's so big"
    Suzuki TS250 "The Africa Single" Yamaha GTS1000
     
    Wicked Uncle Nigel, Feb 10, 2006
    #11
  12. Paul Corfield

    ginge Guest

    My travel tip, it's the cables that spook them.

    Loop each and every cable, then stick a twisty wire or zip tie round the
    lot, so they stay looped. Keep them in all in a removable *clear*
    plastic bag.

    Put the bag full of cables in seperately. The idea being the laptop
    isn't obscured so doesn't trigger a "check me" alert.. It's almost
    always time saved.
     
    ginge, Feb 11, 2006
    #12
  13. Paul Corfield

    Timo Geusch Guest

    Wicked Uncle Nigel scribbled on the back of a napkin:
    Well, some of us have slight problems with the leg room in cattle
    class...
     
    Timo Geusch, Feb 11, 2006
    #13
  14. Paul Corfield

    BGN Guest

    I think I need to mention Overbooking here.

    Most people on a flight buy Economy as it's cheaper.
    The other general classes are Deluxe Economy, Business and First
    Class. I'll use the BA Loung Haul plan for this one:

    Economy: World Traveller
    Premium Economy: World Traveller Plus
    Business: Club World
    First: First

    First class hardly ever sells out. If there are first class seats
    available then the checkin desk will normally upgrade Club World
    passengers to First free of charge. They now have a selection of
    desireable Club World seats free which they will offer to the World
    Traveller Plus passengers to PAY FOR. When they've filled the Club
    World seats they have a selection of World Traveller Plus seats left
    to offer to World Traveller passengers to PAY FOR, and so on.

    Giving away a selection of First seats to Club World passengers keeps
    them happy as the client is more likely to travel with BA again and
    it's not much of a loss as they were unlikely to sell the First seats
    anyway. They're going to make more money at re-selling the Club World
    seats and then the Premium Economy seats. This will make room in
    Economy for any stand-by passengers and any last minute late
    connections that they can flog to other airlines.
     
    BGN, Feb 11, 2006
    #14
  15. Paul Corfield

    BGN Guest

    South African airlines is the shittest scheduled airline in the world
    (apart from Cubana, obviously) and their business and first class
    products are a joke. Are you certain that SAA supply Bose earphones
    to economy class pax?

    SAA is so poo that I'd rather travel with Nationwide Airlines (CE) or
    even BA.
     
    BGN, Feb 11, 2006
    #15
  16. Paul Corfield

    TimP Guest

    Naah, Tajik Air is definitely the shittest scheduled airline. And they
    have a monopoly on flights into Tajikistan, so you don't have any
    choice but use them if you have the misfortune to be going there :(
     
    TimP, Feb 11, 2006
    #16
  17. Paul Corfield

    deadmail Guest

    IME BA is better than most. Not as good as Singapore or JAL or some Air
    France flights but much better than Luftwaffe, United or the Italian and
    Spanish national carriers. I think BA is expensive though.
     
    deadmail, Feb 11, 2006
    #17
  18. Paul Corfield

    deadmail Guest

    No choice anymore at LHR; you've got to pull the laptop out.
     
    deadmail, Feb 11, 2006
    #18
  19. Paul Corfield

    Krusty Guest

    Last time I went to Merkinland I asked why they wanted the laptop out
    the bag, & they said it's so they can screen it for explosives residue.
    I presume they've got some sort of 'sniffer' in the x-ray machine that
    does it.

    --
    Krusty.

    http://www.muddystuff.co.uk
    http://www.muddystuff.us
    Off-road classifieds

    '02 MV Senna '96 Tiger '79 Fantic 250
     
    Krusty, Feb 11, 2006
    #19
  20. Paul Corfield

    BGN Guest

    I've never flown SG or JAL. I find that AF are inflexible on their
    ticketing terms and quite expensive on the whole. LH does have the
    benefit of running connecting flights from many UK Regional airports
    (via MUC of FRA) much like KLM does via AMS. I would probably prefer
    to fly KL than LH though, they seem more accommodating to flexibility
    requests.

    I think UA have just emerged from bankruptcy protection, which is nice
    for them.
     
    BGN, Feb 11, 2006
    #20
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