Wither operational upgrades?

Posted on Jan 08, 2009 under xn--zqqs84h3is.com | edit

I seem to have noticed that op ups are a very rare occasion. Has this been your experience also?
It seems to me that with the possibility of instant upgrade on latidude fares, flight coupons and those playing aerolotto, there is almost no room for op ups anymore.
I have flown 30 segments this year- about ten were upgraded with coupons but no operational upgrade. I used to score at least three or four a year.
What has been your experience?

I have been E for nine years.

I was op-up'd three times last year. This year only once up to date. Most of these were done ex YWG and once to my complete surprise in YYZ

In my 10 or so years of E (or P earlier), I have been op-up'd twice.

The first time was a YVR-YYZ flight for the Saturday morning of the Thanksgiving w/e. Y was oversold and I was a lowly P member then.

The second time was truly a nice gesture. It was a flight from YUL-LHR on Christmas eve and, even though J was not full, I was op-up'd to J on an A330. Y was not full.

There was one another when I had a VBD and was rebooked in J. I would not consider this an op-up though.

As a many year SE, never been op-upgraded once.

On UA, have been op-upped from C to F on IAD-LHR.

Simon

I was op-uped on Sunday night, right at boarding time, on the YYZ --> SFO flight (an over-booked 319). The only other time on AC was on a YYC --> YYZ segment over a year ago. I have been op-uped many times on UA on over-booked ORD <--> SFO flights. Given that all they see is that I am *G, and SE doesn't mean a thing to UA, that's not too bad.

I've never been op-up'd.

'Course, I wouldn't even go to the airport unless I was already in a premium cabin.

Got already twice oped-up by AC as a Star alliance Gold, but always with my wife together and she didn't have status, once on a flight from MIA - YYZ on the cheapest tango fare available, and same from Quebec City to YYZ. Interesting, but nice.

For those of us who are the frequent SFO travellers, is AC reducing frequency YYZ-SFO in Sept and specifically the 18:30? Having to drive another 45 mins, the 23:15 arrival is a little too late when one have to fetch rental car before driving since I typically get to the hotel around 1am if I take the last flight. With connecting from YOW, the 15:40 would require for me to leave my house at noon which is far too early..

As has been typical, that summer-only flight ends Labor Day weekend.
Timetable shows YYZ departures thereafter as:
0850, 1300, 1540, and 2055 thru October;
0840, 1715, and 2055 for the winter.
Winter service has been 3 flights/day for years.

I got op'd up on my only AC departure from the US. It was "special circumstances". I had a long layover at YYZ coming from MCO going to LHR right after Katrina. Was having my dinner in a quiet corner and got to talking to a GA who'd just closed an outbound flight. She was delightful and had many questions for me about NOLA etc... after we'd finished chatting she said she'd see me later. When I ended up going to the gate where we were departing from I went up to the counter to see if I could switch to an exit row and lo and behold she was in charge of the flight. I ended up with 1A on a domestically equipped 767 going across to LHR that night.

Quite a way to start my european semester that was "forced" b/c of Katrina.

Only been op'd up once from YYZ to LHR (was holding no status and Y was not full.) However, I have been op'd down from LHR to YYZ, so I'm pretty much even :)

As a many year SE, never been op-upgraded once.

On UA, have been op-upped from C to F on IAD-LHR.

Simon

I think attitude helps determine it. Alot of G/A's just won't OP UP that SE who's on his blackberry all the time and thinks he's more important than the world. Maybe strike up a convo with them next time and see what happens. Just a word of advice.

I've never been op-upped.

If pax are wondering where some chances at op-ups go, I can relate that on a recent LAS-YUL flight I was sitting in the boarding area in LAS and watched as two pretty young ladies (in civillian garb) greeted the flight crew as they made their way to the cockpit. They were obviously friendly on a professional level, please don't get me wrong, but it was obvious they were all working for the same company. Anyway, priority boarding goes ahead, I sit in J, and observe as the Y pax load, including the chatty pair. J has three empty seats, and Y is half full. Lo and behold, just as the door closes, don't the two pilot-friendly ladies jump up to J (it was a good ten minutes from the time they boarded to the time they moved to J) The third vacant J seat remained empty.
I have no issue with friends getting friends or co-workers upgraded, as I've benefitted from such largesse a few times myself, but for those wondering why op-ups seem to be fewer and fewer, my experience might explain some of the scarecity.

Well it's all about who you know my friend, not what you know! That is how the game is played. Accept it and you will prosper.

I've never been upgraded with AC, but I've done a total of 5 flights with United in my entire life and was up graded twice... Once YEG-DEN-SMF and a couple weeks ago SFO-YEG. Was pretty happy both times.. I have 25 Segments this year on AC and not even a sniff of an upgrade :td:

With these op-ups are they typically just surprises by a nice GA, or are most people asking if there are any upgrades available?

I've only been op-uped once, didnt have any status (this year is the first time I've had status) and it was because Y was overbooked. Was a nice surprise though :)

I've been very fortunate with op-ups and last year had quote a few. Once, when I was a P, I was given a "courtesy upgrade". I was sitting in 13A (with two empty seats beside me so I was pretty happy already) and the in-charge came to my seat and said "Mr. YVR72, I'd like to offer you a courtesy upgrade today, would you like to come with me? He even took my carry-on for me! He said they had u/g'd all the other status folks, and wanted to give a Prestige a chance to enjoy executive class.

Other times have been operational, and once because my flight had been cancelled and the rebooked one was late. The same GA dealt with me at both gates and upgraded me.

I must admit that I still have a moment of pure bliss when I hear my name over the P.A. :-)

It depends a lot on the route and how full the planes are, as well as your status. Most of the time I upgrade with certs, but when I was using the "Welcome Aboard" pass earlier this year, which was all T+, I got a number of op ups. And I regularly get bumped up on YHZ flights. For the most part, the GAs follow the rules and go according to status, so the upgrades are processed without you having to ask. That does not always happen when coming from the US with non-AC ground staff, so it's worth asking at the gate. And occasionally the gate staff ignore the rules, but that is less frequent these days.

In 13 years Aeroplan Elite member, only been op-up'd by a *A partner (Lufthansa, with paid business ticket to first class). Never on AC metal.

I have yet to be upgraded by a *A partner and I have been E for four years, P for six years before that.
Lasy year I was getting some op ups on AC at least. I also did at least ten segments with *A partners US Air, United and LH and no upgrades came my way.
This year I have flown two segments with SAA and two with US.

I've never been op-upped.

Never been opped up on an AC metal despite being a SE for many years. Perhaps that's my fate when the bulk majority of my AE status mileages don't come from an AC metal. :p

As a many year SE, never been op-upgraded once.

On UA, have been op-upped from C to F on IAD-LHR.

Simon

Lord, are you folks unlucky...........:D

Several years of status with CP -- half dozen op-ups a year.

AC Elite since the Rape & Pillage of CP -- have never had an op-up.

Re-joined AA as Platinum 4 years ago -- 3 or 4 op-ups a year.

AC DOES give op-ups -- have seen several kids, grannies and tourists standing by for coach moved up on full flights, even with Es and SEs on board (including once when I was standing by with a pending cert UG request that never cleared). IME, AC treats "status" with less status than other airlines.

received an op ug once in ten years of flying.

The 10 AM flight YYZ-YOW was cancelled so they put us all on the 11. that flight was 100% full so they kind of had to move people to the front

AC DOES give op-ups -- have seen several kids, grannies and tourists standing by for coach moved up on full flights, even with Es and SEs on board (including once when I was standing by with a pending cert UG request that never cleared). IME, AC treats "status" with less status than other airlines.

Just flew FRA-YYZ yesterday and there were loads of empty seats up front just a few hours before. When I boarded I noticed the seats start to fill up quickly - and then full. Clearly non-status passengers and tourists. At least 4-5 kids and people who looked really confused. Was a serious op-up fest.

I was op-uped a week and half ago YYZ-SFO on the Sunday 6:30pm flight which was severely oversold. I would likely had an op up if there were 1 more person for the Monday 20:55 YYZ-SFO if the GA followed procedure since the only empty seats are the 3 crew rest seat and 1 J seat and I think I was the only SE present.

For those of us who are the frequent SFO travellers, is AC reducing frequency YYZ-SFO in Sept and specifically the 18:30? Having to drive another 45 mins, the 23:15 arrival is a little too late when one have to fetch rental car before driving since I typically get to the hotel around 1am if I take the last flight. With connecting from YOW, the 15:40 would require for me to leave my house at noon which is far too early..

I received an op-up this past weekend, when the aircraft was downsized from an A321 to A320.

Out of 18 segments with Air Canada this year I've got opt-up once (Saturday morning YYZ-MCO) and made sense since the flight was chalk full of families heading to Disneyworld. It was cool as they were calling my name as I was walking to the to gate in T2. :D

The second was a great lounge attendant at YYC. She went around to all remaining passengers in the lounge and upgraded whomever was in Y. Too bad I didn't get her name, she deserves some recognition for it regardless of how full the back looked. Gave me the opportunity to experience the J seat in a 321. This count as an opt-up?

As an E, once only. I was connecting in YYZ, maybe from ORD, and got the boarding pass substitution as I boarded my final leg YYZ-YOW.:D
--
13F

I haven't received an op-up in the past 3 years...of course it's been 3 years since I was an Elite so that's probably no surprise :P

Prior to I can only remember two op-ups for sure were. One was an upgrade from economy to super comfort (back when it existed) on YYZ-DUB a few years ago...and given the zoo that was the boarding area back in the old T1, I'm very happy it happened as I don't think I was going to get much sleep in the back. The other was a Jetz substitution on ORD-YOW...an extra bonus considering I was expecting a CRJ.

I did have a number of no-cert necessary upgrades on Rapidair routes between Toronto and Ottawa while I was an Elite.

In 13 years Aeroplan Elite member, only been op-up'd by a *A partner (Lufthansa, with paid business ticket to first class). Never on AC metal.

I've never been op-upped on AC metal either. At least not in the true sense of an op-up. I have been op-upped on partners, and I have also had what I call "generosity-ups" with AC. Among them:
1) Lots of drunk people in the back on the way back from a sports event so they upgraded sober me (without asking).
2) A nearly empty A319 shorthaul transborder about 4 years ago for no apparent reason.

Most of the time there is a traditional op-up scenario I always get bypassed for crew upgrades. (and a few times that also happened when I was trying to use a cert at the gate :td:)

I have been op-up'd a few times; YOW-YYZ,YVR-YYZ to name some.
I have even been upgraded on a reward seat booked in Y (LAX-YUL)!

Ah, the 6:30pm flight to SFO is killer for Op-Ups! I have had great luck with this as they are always over sold on this flight. I have had two Ops and several times they did not take my U/G cert as they were oversold.

Never been opped up on an AC metal despite being a SE for many years. Perhaps that's my fate when the bulk majority of my AE status mileages don't come from an AC metal. :p

The experiences seem to vary greatly and status seems not to be a factor. I may be experiencing what some of you have in the past but it does seem that op ups are still around. I would have thought it would have dropped significantly.

I don't want to jinx it, but I get op-upped between a quarter and a third of the time. Sometimes I have nothing to do with it, as when I checked in at Orlando and the very first agent, out at the counters before security, not the gate, said to me "window or aisle?" I replied "I already chose a seat" in a not totally happy tone and she said "I know, I'm just getting you a better one." Oh OK, yes ma'am, window would be great.

I'm not SE. I've flown two roundtrips this year and was upped for the aforementioned Orlando segment (second segment of the year, in June) and outbound to LHR (special circumstances for that one.) Last year I did about 50K status miles, none in paid J, and got more opups than successful cert uses. I've been getting that kind of treatment for about 5 years now. I guess it says "nice person, upgrade whenever possible" on my file. Well, I am a nice person, so I'm ok with that :). And I never fly any other airline if I have anything close to a choice. I even know the sneaky tricks to make my client's travel agent put me on AC when they want to put me on Delta or whatever. :D

#If you have any other info about this subject , Please add it free.#

zqqs84h3is

Wither operational upgrades?

Search

Pages

Categories

Archives

Themes

Links

Subscribe

Meta