How do you blag a free flight upgrade to first or business class? (On our flight to go get married)?

Question

My fiancee and I are flying from London to Cape Town to get married, and wondered if there was anyway sure-fire way to use the "We're gettting married!" strap-line to blag a free upgrade to first or business class. I hate flying and it's an 11-hour flight. I've flown over 150 times in my life and never had an upgrade and thought that if there was ever a chance, it must be when I'm going to get married!! Can I write the pilot for example?? Any help appreciated - thanks !!

Answer 1

Most airlines have a strict policy concerning upgrades - yep, you'll be offered them if the flight is oversold; yep, you'll be offered it if you are travelling with a pilot (but not necessarily a flight attendant); and yep, you'll be offered it if you are a cute guy, the pilot is wheeling (not carrying) his bag and you offered to kiss his bum in the hotel he was staying in the night before (if he's carrying his case, you'll more likely be offloaded as that's not the right 'signal' for bum kissers).

Seriously though, for everyone else, you need to ask. There are some rules but sorry, no holy grail, regardless of your loyalty card privileges (although some do give you automatic upgrades - BMIs Gold Card for example). Since you are getting married, ask when you book the ticket for the agent to put a note on the system, then ask about that note when you arrive:

- You are unlikely to be upgraded more than one class; so no jumping from economy to Upper Class.
- If you are wearing jeans or look anything less than smart, you won't stand much of a chance. (but if you are dressed in a suit and tie when you obviously prefer wear jeans, you might be seen as desperate and given a rear aisle seat and a lacto-ovo vegetarian meal)
- If you are travelling alone, you have more of a chance.
- If you aren't a fussy eater and don't mind eating the economy food (tell them), you are in with a better shot.
- If you check in during the rush and have lots of others within earshot, don't start a trend. Speak low and smile.
- Ask the right person; if you speak to ground staff at check in they won't be able to upgrade you; try to go for the gate controller who is often checking people in too (look for the bossy one with a comms handset).
- Ask the right questions first; "is the flight busy?" or "what's the bookload?". If it's busy, you are unlikely to get an upgrade unless it's oversold.
- Ask the money question; "could you ask if an upgrade might be possible?" or "can you put a note in to request an upgrade if one is available?". They might say "no, but I'll make a note", "no, the flight's too busy" (but you asked them already, right?), "ok, I'll ask for you now", "sorry, we can't do that" (which means you are weird, sod off, or maybe, they really can't).

As for frequent flyer cards - you have a Gold Star Alliance? So you already get access to the UC lounge, right? Enjoy that at least. Your booking should already mark you out as a valued customer and yes, that will help with an upgrade request but it won't guarantee you one (not when they prefer you to buy at least a premium economy seat).

The golden rule usually is, if you don't ask, you don't get. Although in the case of airlines, if you do ask, they may just be on the tail end of crappy day and decide to smile sweetly whilst sending your luggage to Iran.

Matto
http://www.barefootinvestments.com..

Answer 2

Congratulation on your upcoming marriage. Getting an upgrade is not easy as of late unless you are a premium flyer (meaning you are en elite level within the airline's freqeunt flyer program).
The best way to do it is to call in advance and ask if there are any upgrades available that day and ask to be put in the queue for an upgrade. If you are not in line for an upgrade, your chances are null. Call the day before and ask again. Either way, you will pay a fee of up to $250.00 per ticket (I don't consider that cheap) and perhaps a processing fee as well as miles. If you don't have frequent flyer miles to give up, your chances are slim. Contrary to what someone else said, business class seats do not go unused if there are elite flyer on board - they are normally upgraded for free if coach is oversold.
Ask again when you check in and ask again at the gate. I am sorry to say that "getting married" probably won't do much good. If it did, wouldn't everybody say that when flying? Good luck.

Answer 3

I would ask them at check-in. Writing the pilot won't do anything (like someone said, the pilot has nothing to do with check-in or seating). Besides they probably don't know who is gonna be the pilot for your flight until a couple days before and it's not like the airline's gonna tell you who the pilot is beforehand anyway...

But definitely tell them at check-in. Apparently it's somewhat common for airlines to give free upgrades to people getting married or going on their honeymoon. It certainly won't hurt to ask the worst that can happen is they will say no...

Congratulations on getting married!! And in Cape Town too... I hear it's gorgeous there!! I've always wanted to go and I love South African accents too!

Answer 4

The pilot's not going to help you. The only thing you can do is talk to the person at the check-in desk. Sometimes they have loads of empty first or business class seats left and they will upgrade you for cheap. I doubt that telling them you're getting married will help you get a free upgrade, but it might help with what they charge you. Good luck and congrats!

Answer 5

All airways, for the previous few years, are turning out to be greater restrictive in handing out loose enhancements. There does look a hierarchy of activities which could ensue in the past you will get an improve; a number of which you have administration over. a million) the class you're in, or the class below, could be overbooked and there could be availability in the subsequent classification up. 2) you might have a fairly priced value ticket, ideally as close to to an entire fare as accessible incredibly than a heavily discounted value ticket. 3) do not look scruffy. 4) undergo in strategies that the verify in clerk is probable to be managing passengers who ask the same questions and supply her the same crap conventional. Make well mannered thrilling communication to tell apart your self from the different punter she has had to handle that day. 5) Be the 1st guy or woman to ask as you elect to be as close to to the precise of the improve record as accessible (which generally means which you may envision in early). it fairly is not any assure which you will get an improve - it merely will advance your odds of having an improve. additionally undergo in strategies that it incredibly is greater good for a collection to get an improve than somebody.

Answer 6

Since you're getting married, why not use your frequent flyer miles to get an upgrade? Sometimes airlines also offer paid upgrades at the counter. Other than that, your chances are not that good.

Answer 7

How to Get Upgraded...?

Its always nice to get sumthing 4 nothing. Wen its an upgrade to business or 1st class air travel, u can always play a part to help it happen. Below r sum pts for yr reading pleasure. (refer. @ own discreet)

* Join frequent flyer pgrm: Airlines oni upgrade bcos they'v to (they overbook,calculating dat sum ppl wont turn up) & will choose their most valued customers 1st.

* Wen check in, ask if the flight is full: Say dat if they're looking to upgrade, u'd like 2b considered. Dont b pushy.

* Dress smartly: Airline wont want to upset (fare-paid) 1st class passengers by seating dem nxt to scruffy backpacker / hip-hop punk.

* Travel alone: U'll b easier to seat den a couple or grp. However. in yr case, I'll suggest its best to pre-request when ur booking yr tickets. "Newly Wed / Honeymoon" shld b a justified reason...
Alternately, u can call the airline office a few days before departure to request for an up-grade; but will hv to subject to their current bookings too.

* Dont b 1st @ the gate: Staff wont wan to hold up the Q's & wont know yet which seats r avail.(but not too late oso!)

Writing to the pilot wont help at all, cos they r not in-charge of d bookings / seats allocation.
There's actually no "sure-fire way" to get an up-grade. It'll all depend on own luck.

[These r just sum basic tips fr my personal experiences.]

~Just a note: (Wen @ check-in counter, I norm wld choose 2 approch a opp gender svcs staff. It helps, wen u turn on yr charm... speak to them nicely...)

Hv a blissfull wedding & God Bless!

Answer 8

umm most likly you cant you might meet someone that is nice and they might but most likly not because then they would lose profir because you would get more for less