Op Ups

I have been pretty lucky since becoming Au some 3 years ago with Op Ups, with about a 75% sucess rate when travelling in PE getting upped to UC. What are the parameters for Op Ups.

Obviously being Au helps, but do they need to be oversold in PE or just have seats available in UC?

Paul

Probably one of the most asked questions! I think its many reasons. Au helps a lot, regular flying too, cost of ticket (W over S over K), oversell in W (or Y forcing oversell in W). They do not tend to upgrade people unless there is a need so they have to be full really to do it.

Of course, you could always see the upgrade guide, where all this is covered....

Cheers

Michael

Does something come up on screen at check-in? (assuming they know of thr oversell at this time), or do you have to ask? I haven't asked on previous occasions, the last twice I got upgraded once was at check in and the was right at the gate, but what I was trying to ascertain is:

Is it a computer decision or a personnel decision

Paul

[preiffer]

Originally posted by p17blo
Is it a computer decision or a personnel decision

The short answer is both. There's usually a pre-determined list of passengers to be upgraded, but they also (sometimes) look for SFU (Suitable For Upgrade) pax on the day if too many still turn up...

At the non-UK Stations, you'll also see a white A4/Letter Sheet with the list of pax (and corporates/VIPs) that will definitely receive an Op-Up on the counter as they're checking you in. That sheet also contains the capacity/seats sold, aircraft name, captain, etc.

Originally posted by preiffer
At the non-UK Stations, you'll also see a white A4/Letter Sheet with the list of pax (and corporates/VIPs) that will definitely receive an Op-Up on the counter as they're checking you in. That sheet also contains the capacity/seats sold, aircraft name, captain, etc.

[y]At BOS they often hang aroud the UC check-in welcoming pax and often from that I've been told I've been upgraded before I even get to check-in! I am not sure why but it seems I get more op-ups from the US than the UK, having said that I had about a 90% success rate when I was Gold before, although a lot less recently since I was silver (I actually started using miles for upgrades!). I seem to do well out of the BOS-LHR route though, maybe because I used to do that route all the time? Not done so well on the IAD route though, but I guess that's because there are a lot more revenue UC pax on the flight and then a lot of Au FC members too with far more TP's than me. I would also say that op-up's seem to be less common overall now, but maybe that's just me.

[HighFlyer]

How many FC Au's here have been op-upped with their travelling party when the rest of the party isnt Au?

Just wondered if/how this affects your chances of being upgraded?

4 of us were opuped PE to UC LHR-BOS-LHR 2 AU cards
2 on the way home (suprise suprise the AUs)

LHR-IAD-LHR 3 of us opuped PE-UC both ways 2 AUs

Never got an upgrade before being Au once the 3 of us got Y-J on ba with no status at all.Also never had an upgrade from Y on VS even when the plane has been oversold.

I dont know of many Y upgrades
If had several W to J's though again all but one I was AU
the first was AG!

Invariably when I get OpUped so does my Wife, as it is only when I travel with my wife do we consider going PE.

Paul

It seems to help if you get to check-in early. When I was red card i got upgraded from W to J twice, both times I was at check-in very early but perhaps these were just coincidences.

Originally posted by sean modi
It seems to help if you get to check-in early. When I was red card i got upgraded from W to J twice, both times I was at check-in very early but perhaps these were just coincidences.

That seems to be my experience too.

Also I have been op-up'd from Y before, but obviously only to W, happed twice when I used to fly on Y tickets.

Op Ups are normally done to accomodate stand bys - rev and non rev.

If there are seats spare in whatever classe 9 times out of 10 they like to take as many as they can - especially rev stand bys as some of them can have been hanging around for days! So to accomodate them they move people up through the cabin - and the Gold card list is one of the first things they look at. Then who has pay full fare, who is travelling alone and just gets lucky and also sometimes silver cards.

It's not done at check in unless you're checking it near the time of flight closure - you'll find that when you go to the gate there will be a seat change when your boarding card goes through the machine.

So for example, an Au holder with a Y class ticket checks in early, then later, when an oversell if known another Au holder with a X class ticket to checks in.

Who would get the Op Up? The one there at the right time, or the one who paid more for the tickets?

Paul

[RichardMannion]

Originally posted by p17blo
So for example, an Au holder with a Y class ticket checks in early, then later, when an oversell if known another Au holder with a X class ticket to checks in.

Who would get the Op Up? The one there at the right time, or the one who paid more for the tickets?

Paul

Whoever is there first if they are both Golds, the white Passenger list indicates how many Golds are on the flight and who can and should be moved if required.

I've had a few Y-W before, W-J (in particular on the MCO route), but to tie it in with your above question, me and my Ag FC member friend were moved from Y to J (and we were both on V class VH tickets) on the way home from BOS a couple of years ago. The flight the day before had been cancelled due to bad weather, and we both offered our seats back to the VS if they needed them to get other people home (more shopping in BOS ) but they moved us up to UC. Compeltely unexpected (and any OpUp shoudl be, they are kept to a minimum), the staff were great and even apologised for the shared lounge being closed but recommended a couple of places nearby to eat.

Thanks,
Richard

It's not done at check in unless you're checking it near the time of flight closure - you'll find that when you go to the gate there will be a seat change when your boarding card goes through the machine.

We have been upgraded as a family at check-in more than once,and I always check-in very early, 4 hours in the UK and when the desks open everywhere else.I have found over the years upgrades are not black and white there are no definitive answers.

Thanks for all the feedback. Just to let you know I am not asking so I can plan for future upgrades. I am a firm believer that if you want to sit up front they should pay and this is why even when flying for personal trips I pay the extra myself. I am very interested in the airline industry and just wondered if there was an 'algorythm' for working out the upgrades or if it was simply a personality thing.

Paul

Originally posted by VS_Lover
It's not done at check in unless you're checking it near the time of flight closure - you'll find that when you go to the gate there will be a seat change when your boarding card goes through the machine.

Weird, I've only been op-up'd at the gate once, always been done at check-in for me and I'm always there early (usually at least 3 hours before the flight). Even got an upgrage with my Silver card recently on the IAD route, but I was on a full W fare ticket which I'm sure had something to do with it

Still its always nice but never expected to be op-up'd, but I prefer it at check-in so I can get the coverted purple boarding card

Originally posted by p17blo
So for example, an Au holder with a Y class ticket checks in early, then later, when an oversell if known another Au holder with a X class ticket to checks in.

Who would get the Op Up? The one there at the right time, or the one who paid more for the tickets?

Paul

You can't talk specifics like that really - this all has to be done very quickly by someone typing away as fast as they can so there wont be any problems at the gate. There's no definate method to the madness.

You can't talk specifics like that really - this all has to be done very quickly by someone typing away as fast as they can so there wont be any problems at the gate. There's no definate method to the madness.

And even then it can be totally cocked-up:D

http://www.v-flyer.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=5210

I have found recently that even as AU, I am being upgraded less frequently at the check-in desk. About two months ago, I was booked in PE to Tokyo and knew that PE was full, but still was not upgraded (I ended up using my miles).

However, during my last two trips I got upgraded at the gate. I am wondering if VS is starting to do that more to avoid having to give upgrades unless they need to.

Originally posted by NY-LON
I have found recently that even as AU, I am being upgraded less frequently at the check-in desk. About two months ago, I was booked in PE to Tokyo and knew that PE was full, but still was not upgraded (I ended up using my miles).

Ths happened on my last IAD flight, I knew W had checked in 100% but was told no there would be no op-up's on the flight when I checked at check-in, however when on board I knew there had been some and there were even more on the flight (splitting up a couple who didn't want to be split so that someone from Y could be upgraded, what was worse is that there were many people travelling alone in PE who could have been upgraded). I was also told no mileage upgrades would be possible which seems weird if they had to op-up, I was told I could upgrade for reduced cost but when I asked how much the check-in agent wouldn't tell me!

Still, op-up's are a privilage and not a right so there were no complaints from me (apart from my seat in PE which would not stay reclined [:(!]

Originally posted by Kryten

Ths happened on my last IAD flight, I knew W had checked in 100% but was told no there would be no op-up's on the flight when I checked at check-in, however when on board I knew there had been some and there were even more on the flight (splitting up a couple who didn't want to be split so that someone from Y could be upgraded, what was worse is that there were many people travelling alone in PE who could have been upgraded). I was also told no mileage upgrades would be possible which seems weird if they had to op-up, I was told I could upgrade for reduced cost but when I asked how much the check-in agent wouldn't tell me!

This has also happened to me before. I was booked into PE coming back from BOS. I knew the plane was full, so asked at check in if there were any upgrades. Was told no, so fair enough and not expecting something for nothing I offered miles. I was told that they wernt accepting mileage upgrades. So I offered to pay, when I was told "hmm, that will be expensive and probably not worth it so you wont want to do that". Despite much pushing for a price so I could be the judge on if I would pay it or not I didnt get one! So I opted to push for a mileage upgrade and she rang her supervisor who said "ok just this once".

The only ever Op-Up i have had was IAD-LHR. The agent checked us in, gave us our boarding cards with economy seats that had been pre-selected online. Then I dont know what made her make the decision, but she picked up the phone and I heard "I have two for upgrade from Econ to PE.. pause.. ok thanks". Then she said "one second" tapped away a bit and then ripped up our boarding cards and handed us new PE one. :D

I must admit I love that when the check-in agent rips up the boarding cards, usually means things are about to look up. Mind you had this once, hoping this meant an Op-Up to find out that the card hard just mis-printed. Still never mind.

TBH, I have never actually asked for an upgrade, it just sounds so tacky in my head. But always, and I mean always nice to get an Op-Up

Paul

In my case I got 'Op Up'd' on the way to Florida last November having booked a really cheap PE flight via lastminute.com !

I think the flight was oversold as they moved alot of people from PE to UC.

The one thing I do know is that it was decided before 'Check In' !