Has anyone ever managed to blag an upgrade on a flight?

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blaster 2

I don't have to blag an upgrade,I automatically get business class when I travel subject to there being space available...the days of free upgrades are long gone and we will now only upgrade a passenger if economy is overbooked.Passengers who hold frequent flyer cards with us will have more of a chance of getting an upgrade over passengers who don't.Everyday we are asked by passengers for an upgrade,and to be honest we are sick and tired of it,so what your friend has told you I would not consider doing as its likely to hamper your chance...those who ask are likely not to be considered for an upgrade...those that don't ask will occasionally be given a treat..

ajc123

I know 2 people who have done it....

One asked if there was anywhere to hang her wedding dress up (she was on her way to getting married abroad) and got upgrade to business class from London to Mauritius

The other were a couple travelling to Australia from UK. The flight had somehow got overbooked and they offered to travel next day (the airline put them up in a hotel). They got a surprise upgrade to 1st class for being so patient.

It's worth asking but I reckon the key is to be polite and modest.

Scooby Doo 3

When I used to go to china, the virgin planes were half empty. they didn't mind you moving up one upgrade once the plane was level in the air.

Nick P

I met someone on a flight who told me that he regularly gets upgraded without even asking. However he wears a dog collar and is a vicar. I guess the airlines need all the help they can get.

Moral is - try wearing a dog collar.

Gerald J

I've been upgraded 7-8 times without asking for it, but I have elite status on a frequent flyer program and fly frequently. I've also been upgraded because I knew someone who worked the ticket counter and one time because I checked in late with my wife and there weren't two seat together in economy class. Not once I have been upgraded when I politely asked.

tilac

Nowadays it is the frequent flyer's, or gold card holders that bag the upgrades, just asking is a waste of time. I am a gold card holder with Emirates and have had quite a few upgrades, the most recent one being at christmas.

CameronQ

It doesn't work like that anymore. 10 or 15 years ago it was not uncommon. These days gaining frequent flyer loyalty and the top dollar of business and firt class passengers makes or breaks an airline. Premium passengers pay a lot more for the extra service and if they realize economy passengers are just dressing smart and asking to sit next to them, whilst they spend thousands more on frequent flyer membership and loyalty, they are going to stop using that airline. It IS that competitive and airlines rarely if ever allow it anymore.

The only way might be if you have a friend who is on the crew, and even then things are so tight these days that is not a given anymore. If they upgrade you and the business class paying passenger finds out and complains, what happens to your friend's job?

Sure, dress smart, be polite and join the other 250 passengers on each flight who ask and you coul dbe lucky. But expect nothing because it doesn't happen anymore like it used to.

aphraar

I managed to upgrade to a whole plane for myself! I was hanging around in Bangkok and was organising my flight back to LHR. Mind you those buggers on the flight deck sailing the vessel into BKK managed it to mutate her into a banana! They hit the runway so hardly that the 747-400 had the slight shape of a boomerang after touchdown. Pax were put on hold until replacement ship came in. I got around to hear that "the banana" was still flyable and they wanted to send the empty plane back to LHR for repair. Well - empty - not in terms of igniting a rocket mounted under the engines and sending her off. I mean flight deck and a few cabin crew. I snatched a ride - just don't ask me how. ....although that captain is retired now..... :-))

entertainer

Yes been upgraded lots of times. Your friend is right though you need to dress smart and ask but be rememorable as a lot of people will ask so make sure they remember you ( without being cocky though )

SunshineSmile

Only once when we were on honeymoon - we were going to New York with British Airways and got upgraded to Premium.

Bella Swan

yes.

but its because they overbooked the flight.

Coco

Me and my Fiance once got away with it coming home from Dubai last year. We dressed in nice clothes and as we checked in with Emirates we said we had just been on our honeymoon lol...

they upgraded us to business class and it was heaven, we had champagne on arrival at the seats, table clothes laid out with real cutlery and plates etc. Alcohol/soft drinks offered all the time and amazing seats that reclined all the way back so you could sleep.
Also the television and movie and games system was brilliant :)

tribalrevival

Many first class passengers have their ticket paid for by the company. You can sometimes offer to buy their ticket in exchange for your own for a a discounted cash payment lol

Works for me on trains lol

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