A fare question

All,
I have a slight predicament that you may be able to help me with. I am flying to Chicago in June on some business, however as it will be over my birthday weekend [quarter of a century?!] I decided to attempt to upgrade to UC on the way out. However it seems my company is too cheap to pay for a decent fare, and have booked me a Q fare and the upgrade on miles is only possible on a B or L fare.

A pleading phone call to my half-wit corporate travel centre yielded a firm NO to re-booking in L and so I turn to you oh so wise people what is the best way to get me in the pointy end!? Is it possible to pay VS directly for the upgrade to L [preferably 1 way only!!], or am I likely to be able to try it at check-in considering that the plane is there, I am there, the seat is free etc.

I would be oh so grateful for any cunning tricks anyone is able to think of!
Cheers,
Ongen

In theory you could flash the cash to VS to change the ticket to an upgradeable class but might there be a problem with you, rather than your travel company, attempting so to do ? I know sometimes 'Data Protection' can get in the way.

Even if you could do that, it would also be worth checking with VS whether there are any upgrades available on the flight you intend to take. It would be a real p*sser to pay to get to an upgradeable class only to find that no upgrades were available.

Paul

[Nottingham Nick]

I don't know much about the subtleties of corporate travel, but by all accounts the loads to ORD have been so light just lately that you should be able to spread out at the back of the plane. [;)]

Edit - I did post about the itinerary calender, but then saw you have a gold card, so you have clubhouse access.

Nick

Ah, yes. Good spot - I don't have a gold card anymore Now a lowly Ag holder!

I forgot about the calendar so I will drop on in there so see if some kind sole would be able to grant me passge in to the hallowed CH!

Cheers,

Ongen

[RichardMannion]

You could try calling VS, and see how the booking has been made. They may let you pay the fare difference so one leg is in L, and the other in Q - it shouldn't be too much to be honest. But as the others have said, check for availability of the reward seat in the class you wish to travel at the same time.

Quick question on this - since L will still be Economy do you also need to pay the extra APD to make this a businesses ticket on miles upgrade or does UK Govt still classify it as Economy?

[RichardMannion]

L is an Economy ticket so the APD is the same; however, if you then use miles to up to PE or UC, then you are no longer flying in the lowest class available on the plane so will attract the higher rate of APD, in this instance another £40 of APD.

Yes Extra Taxes are due on the way out of the UK.
The last time a friend tried to upgrade his below L Economy ticket to use miles to upgrade, it was £300 on top of his £400 ticket to SFO.
It was decided it was not worth it, particularly as they only paid around £200 to go directly to PE from the cheap Economy ticket from LHR. They earned PE Miles and Tier Points !

Thanks very much, apologies for the hijack