Comments on: Recurring Bad Advice on How to Secure an Upgrade http://boardingarea.com/blogs/viewfromthewing/2009/10/12/recurring-bad-advice-on-how-to-secure-an-upgrade/ Putting a little thought into a lot of travel Sat, 26 May 2012 19:48:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Patrick http://boardingarea.com/blogs/viewfromthewing/2009/10/12/recurring-bad-advice-on-how-to-secure-an-upgrade/comment-page-1/#comment-286682 Patrick Mon, 28 Nov 2011 18:09:51 +0000 http://boardingarea.com/blogs/viewfromthewing/?p=4581#comment-286682 When my wife and I were on our honeymoon, Quantus upgraded our seats to business class on four out of five flights we took with them. We never asked, and they had a note in their computer that said we were on our honeymoon. SO I guess that piece of advice isn't that bad. It's sad that you know so much that you can just dismiss it without giving it any thought or asking people if it was true. When my wife and I were on our honeymoon, Quantus upgraded our seats to business class on four out of five flights we took with them. We never asked, and they had a note in their computer that said we were on our honeymoon. SO I guess that piece of advice isn’t that bad. It’s sad that you know so much that you can just dismiss it without giving it any thought or asking people if it was true.

]]> By: Roy | Cruisesurfingz http://boardingarea.com/blogs/viewfromthewing/2009/10/12/recurring-bad-advice-on-how-to-secure-an-upgrade/comment-page-1/#comment-241412 Roy | Cruisesurfingz Sun, 19 Jun 2011 14:01:37 +0000 http://boardingarea.com/blogs/viewfromthewing/?p=4581#comment-241412 So...how do we get free upgrades?? :) So…how do we get free upgrades?? :)

]]> By: Seth http://boardingarea.com/blogs/viewfromthewing/2009/10/12/recurring-bad-advice-on-how-to-secure-an-upgrade/comment-page-1/#comment-91542 Seth Tue, 20 Oct 2009 03:52:35 +0000 http://boardingarea.com/blogs/viewfromthewing/?p=4581#comment-91542 I've been a gate agent for five years. There are usually fifty people on the upgrade list (elites, in order of status) and first class always goes out full. On the rare occasion when there are open seats in F, I will get fired for putting somebody up there who doesn't belong. It's as simple as that. In the even rarer situation when coach is oversold, I will look for passengers on high-fare tickets to upgrade. I can definitely say that the last person I will upgrade in this situation is the "cheeky" businessman who thinks he is a smooth talker as he hovers in front of the gate and won't get out of my face. As often as these guys travel, they seem to have no clue as to how busy we are in the half hour prior to departure. That's my two cents. I’ve been a gate agent for five years. There are usually fifty people on the upgrade list (elites, in order of status) and first class always goes out full. On the rare occasion when there are open seats in F, I will get fired for putting somebody up there who doesn’t belong. It’s as simple as that. In the even rarer situation when coach is oversold, I will look for passengers on high-fare tickets to upgrade. I can definitely say that the last person I will upgrade in this situation is the “cheeky” businessman who thinks he is a smooth talker as he hovers in front of the gate and won’t get out of my face. As often as these guys travel, they seem to have no clue as to how busy we are in the half hour prior to departure. That’s my two cents.

]]> By: Jonathan Marks http://boardingarea.com/blogs/viewfromthewing/2009/10/12/recurring-bad-advice-on-how-to-secure-an-upgrade/comment-page-1/#comment-91442 Jonathan Marks Mon, 19 Oct 2009 17:45:13 +0000 http://boardingarea.com/blogs/viewfromthewing/?p=4581#comment-91442 Many thanks for your detailed comments on my article. Just to clarify, I’m not offering fool-proof methods, just sharing some of the things I’ve learned from my own experiences and from speaking to people in the industry, that have led to me receiving considerably more than my fair share of upgrades. You clearly attribute a lower probability of success to the points I highlight so I guess I’m biased by my own success! We can both agree, however, that none of the tips are by any means fool-proof or guaranteed. Thanks again for your interest in my article and for the additional insight that you have offered. Jonathan Marks Many thanks for your detailed comments on my article.

Just to clarify, I’m not offering fool-proof methods, just sharing some of the things I’ve learned from my own experiences and from speaking to people in the industry, that have led to me receiving considerably more than my fair share of upgrades.

You clearly attribute a lower probability of success to the points I highlight so I guess I’m biased by my own success!

We can both agree, however, that none of the tips are by any means fool-proof or guaranteed.

Thanks again for your interest in my article and for the additional insight that you have offered.

Jonathan Marks

]]> By: Mary Jo http://boardingarea.com/blogs/viewfromthewing/2009/10/12/recurring-bad-advice-on-how-to-secure-an-upgrade/comment-page-1/#comment-90684 Mary Jo Thu, 15 Oct 2009 15:28:03 +0000 http://boardingarea.com/blogs/viewfromthewing/?p=4581#comment-90684 As someone who works in the industry, I can tell you that these approaches will SOMETIMES work. No guarantees. If an agent has time to make a decision (and that's becoming increasingly rare), you'll choose someone who's been nice and well behaved over someone who hasn't. Still, their is a hierarchy of upgrading, and these suggestions only come into play after the hierarchy is exhausted -- which isn't often these days. If you really want to make sure you get an upgrade, then clearly these suggestions are not the way to go. What will guarantee you don't get an upgrade, though, is drunkenness, loud behavior, rudeness, and trying to throw your weight around. As someone who works in the industry, I can tell you that these approaches will SOMETIMES work. No guarantees. If an agent has time to make a decision (and that’s becoming increasingly rare), you’ll choose someone who’s been nice and well behaved over someone who hasn’t. Still, their is a hierarchy of upgrading, and these suggestions only come into play after the hierarchy is exhausted — which isn’t often these days.

If you really want to make sure you get an upgrade, then clearly these suggestions are not the way to go.

What will guarantee you don’t get an upgrade, though, is drunkenness, loud behavior, rudeness, and trying to throw your weight around.

]]> By: Upgrades and Downgrades: Side-by-side seating, nationalized hotels, libelous reviews, and more | Upgrade: Travel Better http://boardingarea.com/blogs/viewfromthewing/2009/10/12/recurring-bad-advice-on-how-to-secure-an-upgrade/comment-page-1/#comment-90681 Upgrades and Downgrades: Side-by-side seating, nationalized hotels, libelous reviews, and more | Upgrade: Travel Better Thu, 15 Oct 2009 14:55:32 +0000 http://boardingarea.com/blogs/viewfromthewing/?p=4581#comment-90681 [...] held sway but no longer mean anything in today’s airline environment. Gary has a fantastic point-by-point takedown of the piece. Categorized in: airline seating, airport security, guns, upgrades No [...] [...] held sway but no longer mean anything in today’s airline environment. Gary has a fantastic point-by-point takedown of the piece. Categorized in: airline seating, airport security, guns, upgrades No [...]

]]> By: MJ http://boardingarea.com/blogs/viewfromthewing/2009/10/12/recurring-bad-advice-on-how-to-secure-an-upgrade/comment-page-1/#comment-90054 MJ Mon, 12 Oct 2009 21:01:04 +0000 http://boardingarea.com/blogs/viewfromthewing/?p=4581#comment-90054 Surprisingly two of my friends on a flight from Nicaragua to the US went up to the counter, asked politely if they could buy an upgrade to first class for the flight home, and they were told they could have the upgrade for free. I'm not sure what airline it was, but I'll definitely find out. So it doesn't hurt to ask. It also doesnt hurt if you are two good looking girls. Surprisingly two of my friends on a flight from Nicaragua to the US went up to the counter, asked politely if they could buy an upgrade to first class for the flight home, and they were told they could have the upgrade for free. I’m not sure what airline it was, but I’ll definitely find out.

So it doesn’t hurt to ask. It also doesnt hurt if you are two good looking girls.

]]> By: Gary http://boardingarea.com/blogs/viewfromthewing/2009/10/12/recurring-bad-advice-on-how-to-secure-an-upgrade/comment-page-1/#comment-90050 Gary Mon, 12 Oct 2009 20:35:16 +0000 http://boardingarea.com/blogs/viewfromthewing/?p=4581#comment-90050 PremEx as a surprise for Catman. :) PremEx as a surprise for Catman. :)

]]> By: quasiconvexity http://boardingarea.com/blogs/viewfromthewing/2009/10/12/recurring-bad-advice-on-how-to-secure-an-upgrade/comment-page-1/#comment-90041 quasiconvexity Mon, 12 Oct 2009 19:42:15 +0000 http://boardingarea.com/blogs/viewfromthewing/?p=4581#comment-90041 Mr. Pillows? :) "Now, I knew a Flyertalker who had a good enough relationship with an airline that he managed to get them to cater different soft drinks for a particular flight." Mr. Pillows? :)

“Now, I knew a Flyertalker who had a good enough relationship with an airline that he managed to get them to cater different soft drinks for a particular flight.”

]]> By: Jared http://boardingarea.com/blogs/viewfromthewing/2009/10/12/recurring-bad-advice-on-how-to-secure-an-upgrade/comment-page-1/#comment-90033 Jared Mon, 12 Oct 2009 18:53:01 +0000 http://boardingarea.com/blogs/viewfromthewing/?p=4581#comment-90033 When i got the PR spam about this article I was counting the minutes til you ripped it apart. Nicely done :) When i got the PR spam about this article I was counting the minutes til you ripped it apart. Nicely done :)

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