asking for a free upgrade on flights.

utajoker

utajoker

utajoker

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anyone ever had any success by just asking is there any chance of a free upgrade on a flight?

going to america next week and just wondering if its being too cheeky.
 
I ask every time. Never succeeded but when I flew to Moscow a few years ago I asked, they said no but gave me free access to the platinum elite lounge. :)
 
I generally try to be very polite and friendly to the point of *almost* being too over the top (fine line), then ask right near the end....managed it a few time with Emirates but I think being a Gold Skywards member probably helps a lot there.

<3 Skywards
 
I was upgraded once for a return flight from Denver. I didn't ask for anything more than extra leg room seats and was surprised to see that we'd been upgraded to business class.
I did ask for extra leg room seats on a flight from Manchester to Chicago and was very suprised that the guy reserved them for me on each of the 6 planes I was using across 3 different airlines!

The key is to be friendly but not overbearing.
 
You can ask but it doesn't happen often

A guy infront of me on a flight got offered an upgrade to business class to accomodate a woman who had plaster casts on her arms when he was clearly unhappy at moving

We found it quite funny that they didn't just upgrade the poor woman who had the injuries lol, she had a face like a smacked **** when she heard them offer him the upgrade
 
I've been upgraded once without asking, but was knocked back on the only time I've specifically asked. Being in the airlines frequent flyer program definitely helps from what I hear.
 
If you look smart(ish), friendly and especially have frequent flyer cards or similiar there is a small chance, if none of those apply then your not gonna have much luck.

The only time I've been upgraded I didn't ask I think the girl on the desk just liked me.
 
JBuk said:
You can ask but it doesn't happen often

A guy infront of me on a flight got offered an upgrade to business class to accomodate a woman who had plaster casts on her arms when he was clearly unhappy at moving

We found it quite funny that they didn't just upgrade the poor woman who had the injuries lol, she had a face like a smacked **** when she heard them offer him the upgrade
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love it :D

I always ask, never got
 
Rroff said:
If you look smart(ish), friendly and especially have frequent flyer cards or similiar there is a small chance, if none of those apply then your not gonna have much luck.

The only time I've been upgraded I didn't ask I think the girl on the desk just liked me.
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This to be honest. You need to be travelling by yourself and be smartly dressed and a frequent flyer and you have a chance. Be polite and friendly, not pushy.

The only other time it has worked was by shear luck. I was seated on a long flight to Australia and was dismayed to find myself next to a young couple with a screaming baby and the stewardess asked if I wouldn't mind moving up into business/first class (can't remmeber which now) to give the couple more room with their baby.

I was only 21 at the time and was amazed with the comfy seats and real cutlery with the meal. Plus the stewardess gave me free drinks all the flight so gave me all the expected trimmings which went with the upgrade.

I was just glad of the better seats and being away from the baby tbh. No such luck flying back though :(
 
I asked enroute to singapore and played the honeymoon card but was curtly told no. However, on checking in at Bali international they upgraded my flight form singapore to london without me having to ask. The balinese dude looked at me, said one moment sir, heres your upgrade.
 
Always ask. I used to fly very frequently to Italy for work (via LHR), by the sixth or so trip the stewardess' just showed me to the front of the plane, first name basis :D Those were the days :(
 
only time i've had an upgrade was when 4 of us went to moscow for new years eve. We had BA manchester to london, BA london to moscow. There was some kind of cockup and BA said they were putting us on BMI for the internal UK flights.

When we got to the airport we got upgraded to Business on all our flights :) :D
 
Unlikely, unless you have a high status frequent flyer card and they've overbooked the flight and you've got a full-fare ticket.
 
I tried, they said no. Wouldn't let me sit at the bar either :( (Virgin Atlantic)

But as it turns out drinks were free anyway so i was at the back of the plane, and poured myself several drinks :D
 
hmm going Miami at christmas, maybe i should do the old 'extra leg room', I had an operation on my leg recently and it has left quite a big scar. Will just lift up my jeans if they ask why :D they might let me :p
 
My Father always travel in posh looking suites and pretty much gets upgraded every time on a long haul, he used to be a educational Dr and he was always a cert then!

Last flight I had they nicely gave me a window seat for being a Paramedic, but it wasn't a long flight so there was no 'upgrade'. Little did they know I'd have been first down that blow up slide running away!
 
Randell Floyd said:
My Father always travel in posh looking suites and pretty much gets upgraded every time on a long haul
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How would looking like the following help? If anything, bringing your own sofa you'd be put in the hold?

sofa0.jpg
 
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