Frequent flyer fiasco - have you ever been upgraded?
June 24th 2008 00:21
The one thing that got me through a recent five week stint of solo parenting, then a 14 hour flight to Los Angeles with the kids was the thought of the Business Class upgrade I'd requested for the return trip, using my Qantas Frequent Flyer points.
But guess what, all along there was almost no chance I was ever going to get that upgrade. When you request the upgrade, the website says you won't know until five hours before the flight, whether it's been granted. What it doesn't say is that on the LAX - Sydney route, you are virtually certain NOT to get an upgrade. The staff at LAX admitted to us upon check-in that even people who book six months in advance hardly ever get upgraded.
Apparently this is because there are no seats allocated for upgrades, whatever that means.
It's not because Business Class is full, that's for sure. It was about half empty on our flight. I can accept that if Business Class is booked out, I can't be upgraded. I can also accept that if the website stated that upgrades rarely happen on certain routes, then it's unlikely I'd get one.
A few year's back, the doddle with frequent flyer points was that you could never actually find an ''allocated' seat. It seems the new doddle is using points for upgrades. I'm going to make it my mission to find anyone who has actually used frequent flyer points to upgrade to Business Class. Let's see which airlines really want to keep their customers.
But guess what, all along there was almost no chance I was ever going to get that upgrade. When you request the upgrade, the website says you won't know until five hours before the flight, whether it's been granted. What it doesn't say is that on the LAX - Sydney route, you are virtually certain NOT to get an upgrade. The staff at LAX admitted to us upon check-in that even people who book six months in advance hardly ever get upgraded.
Apparently this is because there are no seats allocated for upgrades, whatever that means.
It's not because Business Class is full, that's for sure. It was about half empty on our flight. I can accept that if Business Class is booked out, I can't be upgraded. I can also accept that if the website stated that upgrades rarely happen on certain routes, then it's unlikely I'd get one.
A few year's back, the doddle with frequent flyer points was that you could never actually find an ''allocated' seat. It seems the new doddle is using points for upgrades. I'm going to make it my mission to find anyone who has actually used frequent flyer points to upgrade to Business Class. Let's see which airlines really want to keep their customers.
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Comment by Aimzster
Health and Beauty
Reality TV
The Jeepney Stop
First Time Mum
Comment by christine Hillman Keyes
Travel Ramble
MumDad2Kids
He is probably a higher 'rank' of frequent flyer if he travels often overseas. Maybe that makes all the difference. I'm a lowly bronze or silver! You've given me hope, though. Maybe one day...
Comment by Sara Dobson
Parents Precinct
My Turn
I have been given my upgrade most times I have requested it when flying Auckland to LA, I am only a bronze never even made it to silver. Although I was flying alone. What I am wondering is, did you have your kids with you as they may not have wanted them in business class. So many people hate kids on flights. I find it annoying people roll their eyes when I get on a flight with my daughter and she has never so much as cried even during take off and landing (touch wood). But people tend to be intolerant about that and airlines never want to piss off their business class passengers.
Comment by Anonymous
The plan was for me to be upgraded and Dad and the kids to stay in cattle class. Maybe it's a problem at the LA end. The check-in girl (not Qantas staff) seemed scared of the two Qantas reps. They were the ones who could have approved the upgrade. I might put my questions to Qantas directly.
I agree with your comments about travelling with children. On the way over I was crying before we even took off because the woman in front of us was so mean to me and the kids. My kids were almost perfectly behaved on the whole flight.