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Upgrading a K class ticket

PostPosted: 13 Mar 2006, 23:00
by phills1
Hi,

I am hoping somebody can answer the following question for I am booked on VS7 to LAX this Sat and VS24 to LHR both in PE a) Is UCS available on on either or both these flights, and any idea of rough costs from a K class ticket to UC does not need to be flexible or anything like that.

Thank you for any insight

--
Phil

PostPosted: 13 Mar 2006, 23:17
by Decker
No date given on the VS24.

The VS7 shows as follows :-

J7 D7 Z7 W5 S3 K3 Y7 B7 L7 M7 Q5 X4 N4

So availability is there. Guess you'd have to go to an S and then the cheapest UC they'd be prepared to allow. I am GUESSING here as I haven't done it but I'd estimate around £500-750 per leg.

PostPosted: 13 Mar 2006, 23:29
by p17blo
You can upgrade from S with Miles, do you have any miles to upgrade with?
Surely a paid upgrade to UC would just be the difference between the fares unless an Airport Special is on offer.

Paul

PostPosted: 13 Mar 2006, 23:38
by phills1
Return is on Fri 24th March, not enough miles yet :-( I am getting there...

--
Phil

PostPosted: 14 Mar 2006, 09:30
by phills1
Also been a newbie here what do these codes mean:

J7 D7 Z7 W5 S3 K3 Y7 B7 L7 M7 Q5 X4 N4

--
Phil

PostPosted: 14 Mar 2006, 10:06
by HighFlyer
Originally posted by phills1
Also been a newbie here what do these codes mean:

J7 D7 Z7 W5 S3 K3 Y7 B7 L7 M7 Q5 X4 N4

--
Phil


Hi Phil

These codes represent the availibility in the fare booking classes:

Upper Class: J, D, Z
Premium Economy: W, S, K, H
Economy: Y, B, L, M, Q, X, V, N

The number next to the letter shows the number of seats available, the highest number shown is 7, but that does not mean exactly 7 seats are availble, just that there are 7 or more seats available. So W7 means there are 7 or more seats available for sale in full fare Premium Economy.

Therefore, your flight is showing W5 S3 K3 in Premium Economy, indicating a fair few free seats. The more fre seats, the more likely you will be able to use cash or miles to upgrade your K ticket.

You could also try calling Flying Club and asking if you can pay to upgrade to an S fare, and then upgrade that to an Upper Class ticket (either using miles or cash) They may say they can't as K is not upgradeable, but there is no harm in trying.

Thanks,
Sarah

PostPosted: 14 Mar 2006, 11:43
by phills1
Is anyone able to tell me the availability on the VS24 on Fri 24 March, also the VS website says the UCS is available on some LAX flights is this normally the VS7/8 or VS23/24

Thanks for any information

PostPosted: 14 Mar 2006, 12:14
by HighFlyer
Hi Phil

Fri 24th March:

VS024: J7 D5 Z4 W5 S0 K0 Y7 B7 L7 M7 Q7 X7 N7

Also showing as A346 for the aircraft, meaning UCS. The earlier flight, VS007 is also A346, so UCS on both flights.

Thanks,
Sarah

PostPosted: 14 Mar 2006, 14:08
by phills1
Sarah,

Thanks for the detailed response bearing in mind I only have approx 14K in miles my current K class PE was 1K what should I allow for UC few hundred like said above.....

PostPosted: 14 Mar 2006, 15:25
by HighFlyer
Hi Phil

To upgrade from Premium to Upper (one way) will cost you 20k miles. As you say you have 14k, i take it that you are not expecting a credit of any more miles soon? If this is the case, your best bet would be a paid upgrade to Upper, in which case you would have to pay to change your K fare to an S/W fare (Difference in fare, usually in addition to a change fee on top) and then purchase the difference between your S/W fare and the next available Upper fare. Doing this at the airport is usually cheaper than doing it in advance, but of course it means there is less chance of available seats.

As for how much it will cost you, there is no definiative answer, but i would be looking around the figures Decker suggested, more than likely at the higher end of the scale, depending on if there are any cheaper Z fares still available.

Best of luck with it!

Thanks,
Sarah

PostPosted: 14 Mar 2006, 15:29
by preiffer
I did a one-way upgrade from a K to a Z at SFO airport very early last year. I've just checked - at the time, it was $1,413. (Not sure how that was calculated, but that's what the credit card charge was)

PostPosted: 14 Mar 2006, 15:56
by phills1
Sarah,

Thank you fingers crossed but at least I dont have to go back to cattle class should it not work out.

PostPosted: 14 Mar 2006, 16:03
by RedVee
Hi

I'm surprised Z fares are showing availability that close to departure, IIRC they were 42 day APEX fares. Has this changed - as Paul says he managed to do it at the airport?

Regards

Pat

PostPosted: 14 Mar 2006, 16:24
by phills1
When speaking to VS the other day they said the flight on the way out was not that busy, but packed on the way back.