HOW TO SCORE AN UPGRADE ON YOUR FLIGHT
So, after all these years of flying, one thing that does happen from time to time is the complimentary upgrading of passengers from economy to business class. Airlines have to resort to this because overbooking is very common and it is also an acceptable practice to sell more seats than what you actually have on the plane due to no-show passengers.
There are various methods of scoring an upgrade and some of these tips will also come from my days working in Cathay as a ground staff. Of course I have to add that nothing is foolproof or guaranteed and pretty much everything is down to a huge amount of luck on that given day and flight, but follow these tips and you'll be definitely on your way!
1. Dress up
This is the first point and definitely the most important and crucial point of all. If anything, if you turn up at check-in dressed in slippers and shorts, there's no way you will get the upgrade regardless of the flight situation. Business Class is a premium after all and while we don't have any issues of passengers buying a business class ticket and coming on board dressed shoddily, it is still highly discouraged. While working in Cathay, my supervisors will always ask us to look out for passengers who are WD - this famous code meaning 'well-dressed' and offer an upgrade when necessary. Jeans, shoes and collared t-shirt is probably the bare minimum in such cases.
2. Arrive early to check-in
The supervisors at the check-in desk would have analysed the flight situation before check-in opens and assessed whether upgrading will be necessary and pass the message on to the check-in agents. On average, we usually look to upgrade between 5-20 passengers depending on the situation, and once that quota is hit then no more upgrades will be entertained. Therefore, quite obviously, it pays to be the early bird. HOWEVER, I have to add a disclaimer here - the situation can sometimes change in an instant and there have been cases, though rare, that passengers who have checked in very late that scored the upgrade instead.
3. Book a flight that will be full
Needless to say, this will be extremely tricky and it is all down to being on the right flight at the right time. An empty flight is a no-brainer and the only chance you can score an upgrade on such flights is through connections with the cabin crew or pilots (and even so, this is not always guaranteed) Otherwise, there is absolutely no incentive to upgrade an economy passenger to business on an empty flight; the airline does not gain anything.
4. Budget travellers - pay for add-ons
This point only applies to passengers on budget airlines which offer both economy and business class (I shall not name any airlines but out of Singapore there are only two such carriers so go figure!) From my experience, economy passengers who have been upgraded purchased extra leg room / in-flight meals, entertainment which were included in their ticket. There is more incentive for the ground agents to upgrade such passengers because meals, for example, would have been catered for already and this will in turn be less work to pass on to the catering staff and cabin crew to uplift more meals.
5. Don't request special meals
Passengers who have requested special meals due to dietary restrictions like kosher meals, vegetarian meals, diary-free meals etc. will most likely not get the upgrade. In business class, the meals are of a higher standard and most airlines will not want a situation where a passenger is indulging in cavier and foie gras and another passenger beside him is having a simple vegetarian meal. This does not look good on the company and shows inconsistent standards.
There you go! Five essential travel tips that may make your journey a more pleasant one! All have been tested and proven to work so best of luck and bon voyage.
