Jdwfloyd From United States, joined Feb 2005, 822 posts, RR: 3 Posted (3 years 11 months 6 days 9 hours ago) and read 1737 times:
I was planning a trip down under and was wondering who I would have the best chance of upgrading to first class on. Any ZED carrier or even UA would be fine. Also any tips would be appreciated.
"Government does not solve problems; it subsidizes them" Ronald Reagan
QANTAS077 From Australia, joined Jan 2004, 5263 posts, RR: 38 Reply 1, posted (3 years 11 months 6 days 9 hours ago) and read 1711 times:
upgrading to first class on a flight to Oz? you'll be very lucky to get that on QF, QF make that even harder for it's most loyal customers let alone anyone else. maybe UA or Air NZ, but i'd say 1st class you might be pushing the boundaries a bit to far.
I support the Palestinian cause but there is no flag available for me to display!
Jdwfloyd From United States, joined Feb 2005, 822 posts, RR: 3 Reply 3, posted (3 years 11 months 6 days 8 hours ago) and read 1687 times:
I just dread the thought of a 18+ hour FLT in coach, being 6'4'' has its draw backs. I know it is the long way around but how do BA and VS stand on upgrading non-revs?
"Government does not solve problems; it subsidizes them" Ronald Reagan
QANTAS077 From Australia, joined Jan 2004, 5263 posts, RR: 38 Reply 4, posted (3 years 11 months 6 days 8 hours ago) and read 1668 times:
no chance that BA is going to fly you around the world and back in 1st class, be thankful your getting a seat cheaper than most, QF NEVER upgrade to first class, i've not heard of BA doing it either unless your one of the most loyal customers, 18 hours at the price you pay is good value, what else do you bloody want?
I support the Palestinian cause but there is no flag available for me to display!
Planespotting From United States, joined Apr 2004, 2730 posts, RR: 5 Reply 5, posted (3 years 11 months 6 days 8 hours ago) and read 1639 times:
Hey i wouldn't say QF never upgrades. One of the pilots at Southwest took a trip down under (he did pay a full fare coach ticket however) and he said "hey im a US airline employee, can you give me anything" and they said sure and upgraded him to first class. All he had to do was show them his airline ID.
QANTAS077 From Australia, joined Jan 2004, 5263 posts, RR: 38 Reply 6, posted (3 years 11 months 6 days 8 hours ago) and read 1628 times:
but the fact he paid a full fare coach ticket would have helped him out, NONREV is far from a full coach ticket, so i'd say the chances are next to none getting a F upgrade on a nonrev tiecket, they don't even give out discounted economy class to business class upgrades anymore, let alone nonrev.
I support the Palestinian cause but there is no flag available for me to display!
AA 777 From United States, joined May 2002, 769 posts, RR: 13 Reply 7, posted (3 years 11 months 6 days 7 hours ago) and read 1565 times:
Getting First on a ZED ticket doesn't happen. Ok, there may be that odd exception but I really doubt it. If you are traveling on a ZED ticket you will be at the bottom of the standby list and I would be happy just to get on the plane.
Malaysia From United States, joined Nov 1999, 2656 posts, RR: 0 Reply 8, posted (3 years 11 months 6 days 6 hours ago) and read 1563 times:
Chances of getting upgrade to J/F is very near impossible on a Foreign carrier, if its a US carrier, they are more likely to maybe let you upgrade, when I flew non-rev Y class on NW, I was able to move up to World Business on LAX-NRT NRT-SIN and NRT-BKK. once aboard, I asked the chief purse if I could come up front, he/she would go check and let me move up right before takeoff, but warned me that no business class meal might be available to me, but I did not mind. (but apparently I always got the meal)
I have tried on many international airlines to try to upgrade, and I got very nasty remarks and the crew started having a worse attitude toward me from me simply just asking "I work for this airline and is it possible if I could have a seat in business (even they got first, I dont ask for first)" and they get angry at me, so I never bothered ever again to ask except if its a US carrier.
pissed me off big time when I flew on a JL nonrev CGK-NRT and business only had 2 pax and I was stuck in coach with 56 pax, too bad for them to not allow me to sit in a j/C seat.
I felt a bit guilty realizing that NW emps have to pay for upgrades (the NW F/A told me about how its done, and I did not pay any upgrade, but actually my ticket was more cause it was an ID95 but in Y class)
Just be lucky getting QF to SYD, it can be hard to get back sometimes
There Are Those Who Believe That There May Yet Be Other Airlines Who Even Now Fight To Survive Beyond The Heavens
The Coachman From Australia, joined Apr 2001, 1208 posts, RR: 4 Reply 10, posted (3 years 11 months 6 days 5 hours ago) and read 1511 times:
You want to non-rev on the US-Australia route? You'll get economy if you're lucky. You can forget J; QF used to even forbid FF redemptions on QF 11 and 12 (SYD-LAX and vv.) - and they may even still do.
Malaysia From United States, joined Nov 1999, 2656 posts, RR: 0 Reply 12, posted (3 years 11 months 6 days 5 hours ago) and read 1491 times:
I was so upset when I tried to Non-Rev on
SQ from LAX-SIN, a the counter they refused to let me on the non-stop A340-500 flight and said that I had to list on the 777 and 747 NRT/TPE direct flights instead, cause my Y Id ticket was not valid for Y "premium" oh man and even the flight that day was wide open. I went back to my airline counter and exchanged for a ticket on China Airlines instead. (saved money vs the SQ ID price) How picky of them
[Edited 2005-02-06 06:12:03]
There Are Those Who Believe That There May Yet Be Other Airlines Who Even Now Fight To Survive Beyond The Heavens
QANTAS077 From Australia, joined Jan 2004, 5263 posts, RR: 38 Reply 13, posted (3 years 11 months 6 days 5 hours ago) and read 1476 times:
so what's checking loads going to prove? it's the carriers discretion if they upgrade the passenger or not and that will be done at the airport, why on earth would they upgrade a non-rev pax to business let alone first class, you must be off the planet to even ask, expecting to get upgraded while the rest pay top dollar. if you don't want to sit in coach for 18hrs try paying the J or F class fare like everyone else, or stay at home.
I support the Palestinian cause but there is no flag available for me to display!
An-225 From United States, joined Sep 2000, 3943 posts, RR: 52 Reply 14, posted (3 years 11 months 6 days 5 hours ago) and read 1450 times:
Jdwfloyd said he is a non-rev and wanted to be in first or business. If he is properly dressed and there's a seat available, there's no reason he shouldn't get into the premium cabin.
Alex.
Money does not bring you happiness. But it's better to cry in your own private limo than on a cold bus stop.
USflt1778 From United States, joined Feb 2001, 260 posts, RR: 1 Reply 15, posted (3 years 11 months 6 days 4 hours ago) and read 1438 times:
I non-revved to/from SYD in Sep 04 on QF using ZED tickets. Flight 8 LAX-SYD booked to 75 in Y, full in J. I was happy to have 4 seats to myself in the back. Return flight was wide open until UA cancelled 2 days worth of flights; wound up sharing a section of 4 seats in the last row with 2 other non-revs from AS. Typical non-rev experience; I was just happy to be onboard.
Amazing thing was my intra-Australian flights. Flying Alice Springs to Ayers Rock (35 mins on a BAE146) they actually "upgraded" a paying passenger who had already boarded to give me his coach seat. The business cabin that they upgraded him to on that flight was non-existant from what I could see: no difference in the seat or service...not even a curtain dividing the first 2 rows from the rest of the aircraft. But, they apparently didn't want me to sit in row 1 or 2 for that flight. The agents were cordial, but went through a lot of fuss for nothing.
Same thing happened flying CNS to SYD. They kept going down their list til they found someone who had yet to board so they could upgrade him and put me in economy. Don't get me wrong, I was happy to be on board (and in a pretty good Y seat, since the guy upgraded was a tier-level FF member who had an aisle in the 2nd row of coach), but it was so much extra work for the staff versus just putting me on in J. Rules are rules, I guess.
As a side note, I have only once been upgraded on ZED tickets: summer 2003 OSL-EWR on SK. Flight was full and I was totally prepared for a last row center seat. My companion and I were called up at the last minute and given 2A & 2B; I was shocked. I gave the supervisor my card and told him to let me know if he ever travels on my airline and/or thru my city so I can do something in return. It was especially generous since I took a walk thru Y at one point and saw at least 6 or 8 open seats back there.
An-225 From United States, joined Sep 2000, 3943 posts, RR: 52 Reply 17, posted (3 years 11 months 6 days 4 hours ago) and read 1426 times:
Coachman, I flew to Amsterdam in business and could have had first if I wanted. It's either me, or the seat goes out empty. Doesn't make any difference to United.
Again, rules of non-revving - if the seat is open, and you're properly dressed, there's absolutely no reason you shouldn't have it.
Alex.
Money does not bring you happiness. But it's better to cry in your own private limo than on a cold bus stop.
QFATWA From Australia, joined Jun 1999, 212 posts, RR: 0 Reply 18, posted (3 years 11 months 6 days 4 hours ago) and read 1425 times:
At QF, there is a very strict policy for staff travel.
All staff purchase tickets at the ID90 rate (90% off) and pay taxes (to NZ, the taxes equal the ticket cost). As well, the Australian Government has a Fringe Benefits tax on all staff travel tickets, which the business must pay.
Every employee has an onload category and an upgrade ability.
Domestic travel can be made in Business class for all employees.
For international travel, positional status and/or over 7 years of service denote ability to purchase a higher value J/C fare, and managerial status allows for purchasing a P/C fare.
There are no indiscriminate upgrades thrown around. If you are entitled to a class upgrade, you must purchase it and have the correct ticket. If you are entitled to J/C or P/C but choose to purchase only a Y/C ticket, then that is where you will travel.
Staff Travel is a cost to the business, so QF manages it very carefully - thus the reason for upgrading a loyal customer to at least open a seat for a Y ticketed non-rev.
Cabin crew are not authorised to upgrade in flight - all seating is done by the ground staff. Only in critical situations of service recovery, such as a medical problem, will the Aircraft Manager upgrade a passenger (and generally the highest tier of frequent flyer to free up seats). Reports must be written to validate the upgrade. Jobs have been lost for ignoring this policy.
So for other airline staff on QANTAS (as happens for QANTAS staff on other airlines) the expectation should be for the seat in economy at a greatly discounted rate. Miracles occasionally occur!!
Jc5280 From United States, joined Oct 2001, 528 posts, RR: 6 Reply 19, posted (3 years 11 months 6 days 4 hours ago) and read 1403 times:
Coachman...
"UA might be the only airline that will let people do that...
And look where they are right now...
Loads are good in the premium cabins year round. "
Um, what are you talking about? F and C classes are hard to get even for the most frequent flyers! Have you ever been on a SYD-LAX/SFO flight on UA? In fact, loads and cargo were good enough, there is now a second SYD-LAX flight.
I know for a fact, UA is not the only US airline that upgrades employees. I think you need to check your facts. However, there are very few airlines outside of the US that upgrade as easily. Most require you to have an ID90 or 95 issued for the higher class of service (C, J, F, etc. rather than Y).
If you are flying on a non-US airline, you can ask for the upgrade, but if you are on a ID ticket issued off of a coach fare, expect a no. There are some non-US airlines that upgrade, but not as easily as you may think if you are used to US airlines.
Jdwfloyd did not indicate to us who he works for. I think we need more info...
Aa777jr From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 20, posted (3 years 11 months 6 days 3 hours ago) and read 1372 times:
Jdwfloyd said he is a non-rev and wanted to be in first or business. If he is properly dressed and there's a seat available, there's no reason he shouldn't get into the premium cabin
I agree. I guess someone has a bad experience getting an upgrade as a non-rev. I got a bump (as did my brother) on my flight to MEL on QF from LAX. I was also bumped to F class on AA from LAX-NRT. Both QF and AA staff at LAX were very nice and quick to get me a premium class seat.
I sprinted to my gate on the AA flight and didn't even get a word out of my mouth and the gate agent said my last name, and handed me my F class boarding pass...I was pretty much floored. We waited for the plane to finish being cleaned, and I made about 10 phone calls at the gate telling everyone I almost missed my connection, but I'd be in first class on my first flight to Tokyo. Thanks AA!
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