Plane upgrade

[GlitteryPink]

I am flying to Kenya in May (9 hours), does anyone have any tips on how to blag an upgrade on the plane? Apparantly saying that your luggage got lost once before can help.... Is it best to ask at the check in desk or are the sterwerds better? The airline is run by African Safari Club (their own airline as far as I know)

[spudqueen]

I think that the best way is to dress up (think business clothes) and travel alone, though they would only upgrade you if they had available seats and like the look of you.

[mkt]

we blagged an upgrade recently and it was the easiest thing we've ever done ever! we were pretty smartly dressed but not over the top or anything. we weren't wearing really expensive clothing but def avoided trainers and hoodies! I had black trousers and a smart ladies top and my fella was wearing dark jeans and a golf style polo shirt. we handed over our tickets etc and as im a nervous flyer my partner asked the clerk if he could make sure we were sat together. as he was checking my partner cheekily said 'don't suppose there's any chance of an upgrade today' and the guy looked straightaway and said yes!! Sorted. On the return flight he thought he'd try his luck again but this time we were told 'currently all seats are showing as full but ask again at the gate in case someone hasn't turned up, i'll put you on the wait list'. Apparently this happens more than youd think. Got to the gate and asked, hey presto upgraded again. This was with Air Canada and they were great from start to finish! It does obviously always depend on how full the plane is so fingers crossed yours is pretty empty!

[mkt]

something else ive witnessed whilst travelling economy class was someone who complained to the stewardess about a nearby child who was constantly crying and asked if they could move.....they were upgraded so if you've got any unsettled kids nearby, make sure you politely ask before someone else gets in there! Being rude and demanding to move will get you nowhere and will just give the stewardesses ammunition to ignore your call light for the entire flight!

[pinecone]

On top of the above, it does pay to be a member of their frequent flier club (if they have one) and you could pretend to have a special occasion (tell check in you just got engaged or something) when you ask about upgrades. I've seen that work before.

[Xollob]

Being upgraded is a double-edged sword.

My first and only upgrade was on the Frankfurt-Heathrow leg of an Economy flight to New York. Without asking for it, and without really knowing why, I was upgraded - not to Business, but straight to First.
And the flight was delayed, so you can imagine the zeal with which those not unattractive and highly persuasive flight attendants were dishing out the top-notch munchies and Champagne. I don't remember much about the transfer in London, but I do recall feeling decidedly uncomfortabable round about Greenland, surrounded as I was by so much humanity (in the broadest possible sense), in so little space, being served by uniformed malcontents with tiny bags of "cholesterol-free" peanuts.

This was my first long-haul flight, and had I not had that taste of honey on the first leg I would probably have thought all this was normal...

[netibiza]

Yes always dress casually smart (no tiaras or trainers) and look classy.

[dazf]

a lot of airlines do overbook(o/b) their flights (flts) in economy class and this is normally the only time they will upgrade (upg) passengers (pax)..

the upg will normally go like this. Top tear of their frequent fliers club (FQTV), then the middle tear (if they have more than 1), then the basic FQTV card holders. if their r none onbrd then they will go for smartly dressed pax. not all airlines will give complimentary upg now adays due to the finacial state they r all in with the fuel prices etc etc. so u can always ask and say u r on honeymoon and see but the airline i work for does not give any complimentary upgs unless we r o/b.

if u r a member of their FQTV u can always use miles to upg urself if they provide that facility...

good luck in ur quest..