Free upgrade?

I was wondering whether Virgin regularly offer free upgrades if there are a large number of empty seats in premium or upper class cabins. I know they often announce on the system 'there are still upper class seats available for upgrade at £xxx' but on one trip from Barbados my family of four were all given free upgrades (PE to UC) due to overbooking. Does this ever happen due to empty seats? ):

No.

VS will only give a 'free upgrade' aka 'op-up' when it suits them e.g. over booking in a lower cabin - and not just to be nice or because seats are free in a particular cabin.

If I am 100% honest I don't at all understand the rules for OP-UG's.
I had not been given an OP-UG for four years. Then I have been given two on my last two PE flights, both out of LHR incidentally, at check-in, I thought they only ever happened at the gate when the ticket machine bleeped and showed it's red-light. Show's how much I don't know
I did go back to PE and check the cabin, not full. I counted at least 6 seats each time.
Interesting subject tho. Perhaps one of our very, very, very nice CC on here could share their thoughts on these ):

LG I know there is an algorithm they go through that takes into account FC status and the fare bucket of your ticket. BA have a similar process as to most other airlines too.

I understand that a special meal reduces your chance as does being part of a group.

But when you are given one it's best not to try and work out why and just be grateful you were selected!

If they can process the op-up at check-in they will as it saves messing around at the gate. As to the empty seats in PE maybe they were doing some op-ups in advance but then maybe a few people in Y didn't turn up so they didn't then need to upgrade anyone into PE ...

It is quite a task to try and work out any patterns that the airlines follow! We seem to have been quite lucky though as I also got a free upgrade on American Airlines when a couple in business class who were on their honeymoon, found that the dividers weren't working and they wanted to be able to see one another and were willing to slum it economy. Thanks

On another family holiday to Mauritius whilst at the Emirates gate in Dubai, the agent at the gate checked our boarding cards, then checked some paperwork and spoke with a colleague and then said, would you like to fly first class today? I also checked to see if business class (where we were booked into) was full but it wasn't but first class was empty. So I guess some airlines really do off upgrades just to be nice!

LG I know there is an algorithm they go through that takes into account FC status and the fare bucket of your ticket. BA have a similar process as to most other airlines too.

I understand that a special meal reduces your chance as does being part of a group.

But when you are given one it's best not to try and work out why and just be grateful you were selected!

If they can process the op-up at check-in they will as it saves messing around at the gate. As to the empty seats in PE maybe they were doing some op-ups in advance but then maybe a few people in Y didn't turn up so they didn't then need to upgrade anyone into PE ...

Thank you sir. I didn't have a clue that went on!
Perhaps I have gone over a number of years of Au or number of tier points etc,etc,etc. I never order a special meal so good there. I just avoid the mushrooms v(
Any other point raisers you have would be greatly appreciated
The only downside of getting these is that the next time I fly to US East Coast, last min and don't get it I fear it will appear to have detracted from the customer service n( - Of course it won't have. You paid for PE, you fly PE.
Oh VS - Why do you do these things to us!! LOL

I have been upgraded 3 times in 4 years, each time it has been on the return flight from Shanghai [pe to upper], I am always early at the airport [at least 4 hrs] and upgrade has always been at check-in, tickets have always been discounted [twice sale fares] however have never managed to figure out the system --- I have also looked in PE and seen empty seats.

One minor point is the fact you are not allowed access to the lounge [not a problem in Shanghai because the Priority Pass lounge way superior to the shared lounge] --- I just feel if you are lucky enough to be upgraded you should also have lounge access to experience the complete package -- VS are losing out on a bit of easy marketing here.

So I guess some airlines really do off upgrades just to be nice!

While that may be the appearance it certainly isn't 'to be nice'. There will have been a reason why you were selected.

However, good customer service means that the whys and wherefores are kept from the traveller. And it's a canny trick for the airline too - after all, if they gave their secrets away who would book Business or First class?

And it's a canny trick for the airline too - after all, if they gave their secrets away who would book Business or First class?

And giving too many upgrades away has been the downfall of many US airlines where status pax have become so used to getting their free upgrades that they won't buy a J ticket.

And if they they don't get their upgrade they become quite vocal and will accuse others of 'stealing' their seats !

I think VS have got it right - they will op-up when they need to and not just because there is space available.

I suppose the manta is 'want to fly in X class then buy an X class ticket'

I think VS have got it right - they will op-up when they need to and not just because there is space available.

On our trip to Chicago a few years ago I spotted a manifest in the CH that showed only 6 UC seats were taken on the flight. I enquired about the possibility of an upgrade from PE - possibly using miles - and was told yes that was possible but I would have to pay over a sum equal to the GDP of a small nation.

When we disembarked it was clear that if they had upgraded people, it was only one or two, as we counted them off.

As someone who works in the industry, let me tell you how it works....

Firstly, it is VERY rare IME to get an upgrade for any other reason than the airline has overbooked - and the cabin you booked in is not only full, but the no-shows they were hoping for have started to appear at check in.

So how do they choose the lucky folks? It's not quite random, but it does vary. FFP status is a part of it, as is group size - if you are traveling with a dozen mates, that is going to disqualify you, unless the airline has REALLY overbooked! It then boils down to ease of upgrade - special meals, traveling with small children, they can throw you off the list. But since most passengers are in small groups, with standard meals and no kids - it is down to the whim of the check in staff, or their back office mates. I've never worked out a pattern beyond that - I do get more than my fair share of EK upgrades to F, but I am Gold, I normally travel solo for work, and I have a bog standard meal. I have never had a VS upgrade, but then I virtually always pay for UC anyway. BA have upgraded me, and I'm Blue with them - but I did notice that my upgrades have been when I am sat at the front of the cabin, so maybe they look down the list and take the easy option. So forget looking for an algorithm, you may be better off reading the entrails from black and white chickens....

Faites vos jeux, as they say....

As a general rule, the best chance of getting a seat at the front involves a credit card....

Hardly definitive sarastro

May as well consult a crystal ball or the local shaman for an answer to be fair FLYERZ.. best guess is they leave it to the discretion of certain check-in staff and whichever manager is on duty to ensure the seats are not double booked.

In my experience I have been op-upped a fair amount over the years, only once from Eco to UC, typically by a single cabin class. Statistically more probable when I have been a single traveller, Au FF, with no overly demanding requests (aside from whiskey, green tea and a palatable meal) and being my usual banterful self with the check-in staff. |:)

As is consensus here I always thought it was due to oversell in the particular booking class. That was until a year or so back where I was op-uped in the lounge from PE to UC wasn't complaining so of course accepted. Here is the odd part.. after boarding had finished I looked back into PE and I could see the cabin was only about 1/2-2/3rds full ?| CC confirmed light(ish) loads that day.

There has got to be a set of variables we are not (and indeed cannot be made) aware of...

Get ready to flip a coin

Indeed not, Joeyc - that was sorta my point!

Your experience is odd - it MAY be that they were expecting a tour party in PE, so they upgraded you to make space - and then they didn't rock up. It's quite tough to disrupt tour parties, since they have tight itineraries. Alternatively, perhaps a connecting flight went teapot, and they went without waiting for the connecting pax.

I really have never seen an upgrade made when they didn't have to

Your experience is odd - it MAY be that they were expecting a tour party in PE, so they upgraded you to make space - and then they didn't rock up. It's quite tough to disrupt tour parties, since they have tight itineraries. Alternatively, perhaps a connecting flight went teapot, and they went without waiting for the connecting pax.

I really have never seen an upgrade made when they didn't have to

Yep, changed my belief system to one based on pure random action.

It was an early am flight and I would say about 20mins (can't be exact as at the time I didn't care - def tail end of lounge time though) from boarding call in the lounge I was summoned forth. From what I remember the empty seats were pretty scattered and there wasn't a delay, so it is not likely they lost a load of PE pax in the terminal building. Puzzling, but hell I'm not complaining.

Perhaps another variable is based on flight history. Measuring routes outside of your norm, thus rewarding in the hopeful aim that you will frequent them again. |:) |:)

Then again, perhaps a gentlemen in a windowless room with the simple decision of whether to push the green button or the red one is the decider of our fate 8D

Hardly definitive sarastro

May as well consult a crystal ball or the local shaman for an answer to be fair FLYERZ.. best guess is they leave it to the discretion of certain check-in staff and whichever manager is on duty to ensure the seats are not double booked.

In my experience I have been op-upped a fair amount over the years, only once from Eco to UC, typically by a single cabin class. Statistically more probable when I have been a single traveller, Au FF, with no overly demanding requests (aside from whiskey, green tea and a palatable meal) and being my usual banterful self with the check-in staff. |:)

As is consensus here I always thought it was due to oversell in the particular booking class. That was until a year or so back where I was op-uped in the lounge from PE to UC wasn't complaining so of course accepted. Here is the odd part.. after boarding had finished I looked back into PE and I could see the cabin was only about 1/2-2/3rds full ?| CC confirmed light(ish) loads that day.

There has got to be a set of variables we are not (and indeed cannot be made) aware of...

Get ready to flip a coin

Would cabin-crew to passenger ratio have anything to do with it?

Not impossible. If they have a crew shortage they may limit cabin loading - but only as a very last resort. A carrier like VS will have staff on airport standby (ie, close by just in case) but it may happen in extremis that they just don't have enough handy...