Page 1 of Free Upgade On Flights

Is it possible to be a cheeky sod and ask for a free upgrade from steerage to first class on a flight?
I`m taking my wife and daughter to New York at easter as it`s the wifes 30th birthday and wasn`t sure if you still can ask or is it now banned since 9/11?
If you can, how do i go about doing it?
And if anyone has recommendations about what to do in NY, i`d be very greatful.

Cant remeber where I read it, but DONT ask, you definately wont get it. So many people ask them. Smile, be nice and polite. Dress nicely,but not over the top. Look like you will fit in with other people in first class. It may be worth mentioning that it is the wifes birthday and then if they feel generous they will bump you. But you are on a popular route so they will probably be full anyway.

This item was edited on Monday, 27th March 2006, 12:42

Be early.
Treat staff with courtesy.
Be smart & be presentable
Asking for window seat next to the aisle when asked for seating preferences.
Mention the special occasion if you can work it into the check-in preamble.

Helps to be travelling as a single, the fly in your ointment is travelling with the daughter.

Quote:
I`m taking my wife and daughter to New York at easter as it`s the wifes 30th birthday.


I consider myself an optimist, albeit an optimist with cynical tendencies and a dark side that Lucifer himself would find a little creepy. (Perhaps you've noticed.) You don't normally associate cynicism with an upbeat pov. But I have exactly that combination and will defend it.

What Rassilon said applies. DON`T ask outright (this was always true, even before 9/11). In any case, even if you are lucky enough to be selected for upgrade (highly unlikely on a NY route unless you`re a regular traveller AND member of the airline`s frequent flyer programme), you`ll never get from economy all the way to first class. Maybe one class up (e.g. World Traveller plus on BA, Premium Economy on Virgin), but no higher.

Or you can pay for an upgrade at the airport, if you happened to win the lottery that weekend!

try HERE

hth
________________________________________________
Companies that have p**sed me off so much that I will never use them again and I hope you dont either....
Alloy Bodies of Manchester - The Grand Daddy & Benchmark for shockingly poor customer service.
Capital Bank Leasing who are part of BOS & are f**ing useless & struggle to action the smallest request but are fantastically efficient at taking money out of my account
Abbey National Absolutely diabolical service - how hard is it to change £60 of coins into notes????
....more coming soon no doubt.....

I have to say that I`ve been priviliged enough to fly to NY a few times now on Virgin Upper Class (thank God I wasn`t paying!)...and there are some of the scruffiest people I`ve seen in there... so why they tell you to dress smartly is beyond me!

It is bloody nice though...I`m 6`3" and the Virgin bed accommodates me wonderfully.
The upper deck is the best bit (especially on a night flight) since its very quiet and you can get a good bit of kip.

EDIT - and I`m only 2 points off Flying Club Gold membership now!! Woohoo...(whatever that actually gets me I don`t know!!)

This item was edited on Monday, 27th March 2006, 17:31

Be early, be presentable, be polite, be chatty but DONT ASK

Mike J T

To Miles R, and anyone else who flies with Virgin Atlantic.......

This site (www.v-flyer.com), has all you ever need to know about flying with VAA, and the benefits of Gold are wonderful: Clubhouse access regardless of flight class booking, a free companion return ticket anywhere on the Virgin network, use of Upper Class check-in regardless of ticket class, discounts on parking etc. etc.

...It also has a useful section on upgrades and how to increase your chances of getting one....

This item was edited on Tuesday, 28th March 2006, 13:38

Thanks Steve.

It seems I also have 63000 air miles which need using up.
Have a Virgin holiday to Florida booked in April, so thought I`d use up the miles to upgrate to Premium Economy....but it seems that I can`t use them for this. And the Virgin Flying club (and Virgin holidays) have just been most unhelpful in answering my questions.

Ah well, will have to sit with the cattle.... :D

If when you`ve done all your preamble, dressed smartly, been nothing but charming and mentioned your wife`s birthday, nothing has been offered or said about an upgrade...ASK! I have been upgraded several times after asking, so it does work. Normally they will say at check-in that the flight is full, but don`t give up...ask at the gate, or find a nice senior person around the check-in desk (dressed in a different uniform) and be nice and charming with her. You can also try the old chestnut which did actually work for me once - "I`m a pilot, really stressed out...I`m in the simulator first thing tomorrow morning so I`d really appreciate a nice, comfortable seat and a good night`s kip."

--
We do not tell time, time tells us.
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