I was surprised by this post. I had read years ago that one could sometimes get an upgrade by just asking so I finally got the nerve to do it. I got a horrible reaction (on United). I just asked very politely when I was checking in at Burbank on a full price economy flight to Portland if I could get an upgrade. The female clerk put down my ticket, stared me hard in the face and said "what!!!". My checks burned red at her reaction but I quietly asked again. She looked hostile and said "why in the world should I upgrade you? are you saying you want to buy a business class ticket at this late hour?" I stammered no, I was just hoping for an upgrade as I had read people sometimes get them. She then laughed long and hard and finally managed to say "people don't get upgraded unless they pay" between her sarcastic laughter. I never dared ask anyone for anything on an airline after that. I felt so bad.

Thanks for the info. I am using Airfrance for my London-Paris-Rome-Venice-Paris-London trip in June.<BR>I just joined up on the web for my frequent flyer card<BR>http://airfrance.com<BR>you pick up an extra 3000 miles if you use it in the next 6 months.<BR>Will be my grovelly best when I check in to economy and ask for an upgrade.<BR>Nothing on the site re: coupons

I am flying to Milan on my frequent flyer points..I bought up and paid just $200 for both my husband and I. Question..would I be more likely or less likely to get an upgrade if I asked seeing as I didn't really "pay" for the tickets but got them from being a frequent flier?

If you don't ask, you'll never know! I've been upgraded just for being sympathetic and polite to harried desk clerks handling "delayed" or "indefinately postponed" flight changes. If helps if you follow someone in line who has put on a particularly indignant performance.

Boy, Linda, that was a sad story. On our honeymoon, we humbly asked the check in agent if an upgrade would be possible. In a fairly rude way, he told us that we had only paid $800 and business class tickets are $4,500, so we should not expect to get upgraded. He said if we were lucky, maybe we'd get a half bottle of champagne.<BR><BR>What he didn't seem to understand was that if there were business class seats going unused, the cost to Delta would be minimal to put us up there. And the goodwill and customer satisfaction it would have produced would have been significant. I surmised that this lack of logical ability was why he was still a ticket agent at the age of 50.<BR><BR>

This has brought out a couple of good points:<BR>1) There are two kind of upgrades. The first is the "paid for" upgrade, using either ff miles, cash, promotional vouchers, or any combination thereof. The second is the "it doesn't hurt to ask" upgrade, where you just ask (like Vanessa did) and hope for the best. Worst case scenario, you don't get the upgrade.<BR>2) Polite and respectful earns you stuff; Mom was right.<BR>3) When you run into an out-of-control employee (like Linda did), ask IMMEDIATELY to speak to a supervisor (I've worked in customer service for several centuries now; I *know* how it's done) and state your case clearly and professionally. As a customer, you have a right to respectful treatment; if you don't get it, you have a right to complain. The harpy that was so rude to Linda doesn't deserve a job where she has to interact with other life forms; hermit would be a better career choice.

Good advice from all. Linda: that must have been horrible for you. Brian; your story is all too frequently told in differant variations. And Elvira was right. Why, oh, why are unfriendly people working in a job where they have to interact with the general public? Were are their supervisors anyhow?<BR>After hearing both sides, I am still reluctant to ask(Chicken that I am).<BR>Judy :-/

Don't be put off asking by the occasional harpies. Just be thankful that life hasnt turned you into such a bitter and nasty individual and feel smug and superior about that!<BR><BR>Seriously though, Linda, that attendant was out of line and if you ever have that happen in the future do follow Elvira's advice and make a complaint there and then.<BR><BR>I nearly always ask (never heard of or seen or have any of those coupons you have been discussing) and have been occasionally upgraded, not often but each time is a gift.<BR><BR>Often attendants do smile in a slightly patronising way and say that they dont give upgrades, but as long as they do this politely I dont mind.<BR><BR>Another pointer is that if any aspect of your booking has been messed up by the airline then you can always ask for an upgrade as compensation.<BR><BR>Last time we got an upgrade is because BA messed us around big time, having promised us some specific seats in coach months in advance (notes on the system etc) and then managed to give them to passengers who boarded the flt on the previous leg. <BR><BR>I complained very very politely and we found ourselves upgraded when we got to the gate.<BR><BR>Always ask, coz you might not get an upgrade for asking but you sure as hell wont get on very often without!<BR><BR>Kavey

Am I alone in feeling slightly disturbed by what I read here? I usually fly economy, long or short haul, and have been lucky with my experience with various airlines so far. But last year, on a short visit to the Far East from Europe, I chose and paid for a business class ticket because I needed the extra comfort and the sleep to arrive fresh at my destination, and it was worth the considerable extra money. Having paid for my own ticket, I would take a rather dim view of an airline if it decided to give a business class seat to someone who has paid economy, just because the passenger asked for it? Another point: Many are saying why an airline can't release premium class seats if there's plenty of room? Because passengers are willing to pay much higher fares for a cabin that's less than packed. Business class passengers have the right to feel aggrieved if airlines routinely gave away premium seats. They, after all, contribute to the bulk of airlines' profit.

I have to agree with flyer. I am an elite status on UAL having flown (hard way) over 50K miles in a year. I do not get upgraded very often and do have to give miles, certificates, whatever to get the seat in business even when there are a lot of empty seats (like the last CDG-IAD trip) business was 1/4 full and I still couldn't get upgraded. I think it's great that you got upgraded just by asking Vanessa, but there are quite a few of us who do patronize the airline a lot and never get upgraded yet alone for just asking. . .I don't think getting upgraded is an "entitlement" either but I do think if you are loyal to an airline and flying them as often as I do, the upgrade is a nice reward/perk. BTW - the coupons you refer to are upgrade coupons that have to be paid for $250 per package of 4.

Whatever "flyer"...if you paid those prices, you're a sucker. As for Linda's experience with United, another shining example of why United is a piece of sh-t!!!

So traveller, if the airline screws up my seat reservation on a crowded flight and can't sit with my wife, I shouldn't consider going for an upgrade because an elitist like you can't sit with the common folk?

To the top... keep the tips coming!

What's the problem with trying to get ahead in life? MY wife and I arrived in Minneapolis from LA and Sydney. Exhausted, we told of flying economy for the last 20 hours and the gate attendant put us in first class to our Memphis destination! Northwest Airlines. <BR>Didn't hurt to ask.<BR>John<BR>

To the posters who resent cattle class people being upgraded to business or first. You bought and paid for one seat in business class. You didn't pay for the seats around you. That entire section is engineered to give everyone in that area maximum comfort whether all seats are filled or not. Pretty elitist to resent sitting with the commoners who couldn't afford to pay top money.

Some years ago we had a very close connection in Chicago for London. We ran to the British air desk just in time. Me, my wife, and two teenagers. The agent said I'm going to do something nice for you. Put Virginia and the kids in Business and me in First class on a 747. It was wonderful

Tony:<BR><BR>If you really wanted to have something nice done for a long time - you should have switched seats with your wife! :)<BR><BR>As far as some of the other postings - it's not a matter of being "elitist" it's a matter of people who really do get an entitlement attitude over the upgrade. IMHO, you're right, asking doesn't hurt; having the expectation that you get something for nothing does.

C'mon folks who's kidding who. Airline classes are elitist by their very nature. Who of you who has been upgraded hasn't felt a little more special or a little further up the "feeding chain"? Generally those who pay for 1st or Business class seats are not sitting there with smirks on their faces thinking they are "superior" to anyone sitting down the back. If you get an upgrade good on you, well done. However if the airlines gave away free upgrades and kept filling up the cabins up the front you would very soon diminish the "brand value" of business and first class to the airlines - which by the way account for a disproportionate amount of their profits. I fly around 400,000 miles per year in business class (long haul flights twice a month) and I have no problem with people getting upgraded into this cabin. I have a BIG problem when I see people at the check-in or the lounge demanding an upgrade for whatever reason they can think of at the time. For me if you get it then its a bonus if you do not then the airline is protecting all of its customers. Good luck to you all!

I just do not understand. All of you go around asking for a upgrade. At your job what kind of upgrade do you give out? Why do you expect it? Want to play then pay. Economy sucks, tickets are cheap.

I have debated whether to share this story or not, but Linda has inspired me so here it goes! <BR> <BR>Two years ago I was flying on my birthday on American Airlines from JFK - SJU. At the time, I was Aadvantage Gold, which is their base elite frequent flyer status. When we went to the counter I handed the agent our plane tickets, IDs, and my Aadvantage Gold card and asked her if there was any space in first class. She said there was and continued typing, so at this point I thought "great! I'm close to being upgraded." Not so! She then tells me that I didn't have enough upgrade segments to upgrade us and asked us if we wanted to pay for the additional upgrade segments. I tell her, very politely but very nicely, that it's my birthday and I was hoping that if first class wasnt full, that we might get lucky and get a complimentary upgrade. She looked at me as if I was absolutely CRAZY and said she couldn't do that, she could only do upgrade us with upgrade "stickers." We didn't upgrade, and needless to say I have never again tried to upgrade in my life! I mean if being your birthday, being nice and polite, and having an "elite" frequent flyer status does not cut it, I don't know what will! In any case I really thought that my request was not unreasonable, and it really does not cost them much to upgrade us, there were plenty of first-class seats and it would have made of me a fan of the airline!