Upgrade Guide?

Sorry, I have searched forums and the site, and tried using google to search the entire v-flyer.com domain, but I can't find anything but an outdated link.
I wanted to find the upgrade guide that *used* to be here, to send a link to a friend who has been muttering about our best chances of scoring an upgrade next week.
He keeps on saying we should checkin as late as possible; I'm telling him that the dice are already rolled at this stage and I'd rather checkin as early as possible to score some better seats than those we have already assigned in PE. (And then try to use miles to upgrade when we checkin anyhow... I'm willing to spend them on a bit more comfort, even if he's not!)

Anyhow - so I'm searching for the guide... and I can't find it... anyone supply me with a link, please?

I don't remember a guide but there are plenty of threads with advice.

You are correct that if you are going to get op-uped (i.e a free upgrade which I think your mate is after)then the decision has already been made and checking-in late won't help.

Best think to do to get better seats is to do OLCI at T-24. They may also be upgrade offers there. Might be best to check 'manage bookings' between then and now anyway.

Doing OLCI does not stop you about asking about a miles / £ upgrade at the airport check-in desk anyway.

One risk of checking in late is that if the flight is oversold and they are looking for people to deny boarding to and there are no volunteers then the late check-ins are up on that list to deny boarding to.

[Neil]

We don't have an 'upgrade guide' on the site, mainly because there really isn't any set standard or procedure. There are so many variables that affect upgrading it would be almost impossible to produce such a guide.

Neil

Ahh, but there did used to be one here I remember it, and Google remembers it too!
Ok, no bother.
I remember most of the content and am well versed at getting (or not) upgrades. In fact a few summers ago, over 4 return flights to the US I managed to get upgraded from PE to UC on 7 out of the 8 sectors, which was bloody marvellous. Hurt like a bugger on that eighth flight when I had to sit upright all night on the way back and eat premium economy food. Ok - the food was probably better than the UC offering

I checked the booking on MYB and it is offering a rather ludicrous £7000+ per person to upgrade to UC at the moment. Don't think I'll be doing that, somehow...

We don't have an 'upgrade guide' on the site, mainly because there really isn't any set standard or procedure. There are so many variables that affect upgrading it would be almost impossible to produce such a guide.

[Neil]

I think I know what you mean - it might have been part of the FAQ's, and it just basically a text list of the different options, rather than an actual guide on how to upgrade/get upgraded.

It never made it to either this site, or even the previous site, but I did find a post by Pete in 2004 mentioning it, so must have been something on one of the original versions.

Neil

You were still in short trousers back in '04, weren't you Neil?

I vaguely remember some sort of advice on here regarding upgrades way back when, but the facts really remain the same: VS only upgrade if they have to, then generally by FC status (Au first) if they do. Honeymooners, nervous flyers and people who ask loudly 'Do you know who I am?!' need not apply...

[Darren Wheeler]

I believe THIS is what you mean.

From the home page, scroll to the bottom and it's under FAQ'S.

Neil totally out-Modded by Mr Wheeler. Ouch!

[Neil]

I didn't even realise we had the FAQ's on the new site! They are well hidden down there.

I'd echo other comments on here - op ups can never be expected and there isn't really anything you can do to get one.

For example - your friend thinks it's best to get there late to get one. My wife who got one the other week was at the airport really early - did that help her get one? Who knows.....

Neil totally out-Modded by Mr Wheeler. Ouch!

Not Neil stumpfed! I don't believe it Cpt Mainwairing!

Neil totally out-Modded by Mr Wheeler. Ouch!

Not Neil stumpfed! I don't believe it Cpt Mainwairing!

Should we panic?

Are we Doomed?

I know through experience that there is no rhyme or reason to it.
A couple of years ago, myself (and the same friend) got op-uped at the gate from PE to UC, also flying to SFO.
I had called VS to enquire about using miles or money to upgrade a couple of days before, but it was expensive so we decided not to pursue that.
When we got to the gate - magical beep - and off we scampered to UC. Where I promptly fell asleep for the whole flight and missed out on the luxury and pampering!
However - and this was interesting - I did wander back to PE to say hi to another friend, and noticed that the cabin was by no means full. So - somehow the upgrade gods were smiling - PE was not overbooked, and we got bumped up anyhow!

Regarding the FAQs - I thought I had looked there... and why did the upgrade guide not show up in any of the searches I performed? Hmm ?|

I'd say that the rhymes and reasons, while not totally random, undergo filtering in the hands of whomever is sorting out the passenger manifest on the day. That said, most of what the link advises is still spot on - mostly the "get a gold card" remark.

I reckon we can perhaps edit this to remove the reference to AA's More Room Throughout Coach offering, which has been dead for about 5 years now

Neil totally out-Modded by Mr Wheeler. Ouch!

Not Neil stumpfed! I don't believe it Cpt Mainwairing!

Should we panic?

Are we Doomed?

No, the day Neil starts enjoying proper music is the time to really worry! :w

That said, most of what the link advises is still spot on - mostly the "get a gold card" remark.

Thanks for that MarkedMan

I have an FC Au, but only got op-upped once in the last 12 months ! over 6 roundtrips. I'm not sure if that is normal or not.

Does anyone have a view on how much the fare class affects the decision? i.e. does a K or (god-forbid) an X or N count against you? Sadly, my company gets the cheapest fares possible, so I wonder if that is the problem.

In comparison, I have a friend who has a BA Au and he gets upgraded significantly more often. They don't seem to worry about overbooking before moving their Au members up.

Thanks

Martin

Happened once to me in five years, so you did much better than I did!

Op-ups just don't happen unless they need to, that is still going to be mostly the case. There might be a CIP that gets upgraded even when loads don't warrant it - in the presumably very rare event that a CIP is traveling in W and not already upgraded with miles; perhaps the odd anecdotal glitch. Mostly it won't happen.

If I really needed or wanted to upgrade my strategy was unfailingly to purchase an upgradeable fare, on a quieter day, Mon/Wed mostly, and use miles. Always worked. In 12 years of flying VS only twice did I miss an upgrade, but I'd picked a busy day as I needed to fly then, and J ended up full before day of flight.

BA Au is a different beast, as has often been remarked. Due to lack of alliance partners VS Au is a bit less valuable that BA Ag - a frequent topic of discussion around here. A BA Au either does a fair bit of paid F flying, or a lot of C flying. It's a higher tier, and will definitely receive more benefits.