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Top tips on how to get upgraded
By CNN's Richard Quest
LONDON, England -- So you want to travel in front of the curtain but don't want to pay the price of business class. How do you get the upgrade? First you have to understand you have no right to be bumped up. Even though you may travel a great deal those comfortable seats at the front are designed to be sold to make money. The airline doesn't want to give them away anymore than you, in your business, want to give away your cars, jeans or advice (whatever you do) for free. But there are many cases where you can be upgraded and these are the top tips. Usually the starting point is:
Does the airline need to upgrade? The airline doesn't want to give away its premium seats. But in the summer particularly when planes are full the airline often overbooks the economy section of the plane with cheap discounted tickets. So they need to start shifting people round the aircraft to get more seats. Business class passengers get bumped to first, economy move up to business. It is your job to ensure you are the one who gets bumped up, so keep reading. Stick to the same airline: The airline is more likely to bump you up if you are one of their elite level flyers. In the domestic U.S., carriers like Continental automatically upgrade their platinum and gold level flyers if there are first seats available. It is less so in the meaner European skies but any gold level British Airways flyer certainly has a great chance of making it into Club World or now World Traveller Plus than a student on a bucket shop ticket. When the airline wants to upgrade, it's the gold and silvers that make the move. (Only problem ... you have to travel an enormous number of miles to qualify so get flying.) Look Smart: If the airline is upgrading, you stand almost no chance of being chosen if you are a backpacking student in a holed t-shirt wearing sandals. Face it, no airline wants the "great unwashed" cluttering up their precious business class beds chit chatting with the CEOs. So, no jeans and no trainers. It doesn't mean you have to wear a three-piece pin-striped suit, rather, look smart (shirt with a collar, proper shoes and slacks) and your chances go up. Ask, don't demand: The check-in staff have heard it all. But these are the favourites: "I have long legs and can't sit that long in economy." (Usual response: "Sir, that's why we HAVE more comfortable business class seats -- buy a ticket.") "My travel agent promised me that there would be a note in my record." (Usual response: "There isn't -- take it up with your travel agent.") "I'm on my way to a big meeting/story/conference and I simply MUST sleep on the plane so I can work when I get off." (See first excuse for usual response.) "I'm a friend of the chairman/CEO/board member who promised me that he'd sort me out!" (Usual response: "They haven't.") "I always get upgraded." (Usual response, said with malice: "Well this time you aren't.") "I don't feel well, I must have caught something while travelling." (Usual response: "Then you shouldn't be travelling today. Shall I cancel your reservation?") "I'm on my way to the funeral of my friend/grandfather/dog." (Usual response: "I am sorry. Would you like a window in economy row 96?") Instead politely try this as a way to success... "Are you by any chance upgrading passengers on this flight? If so I'd like to be considered." And you might be surprised at the response: "Yes sir we are ... I'll pop your name on the waiting list, see the agent at the gate." Or even (if the gods are with you): "No sir we are not -- but I can make an exception in your case. Enjoy row 6!" Finally, Lord King, the famous chairman of British Airways, once told me that a flight attendant apologised to him for not being able to put him in first class because a fare-paying passenger had turned up late. "I'd have fired you if you hadn't given him my seat. He's paying our wages," Lord King replied. And that's the basic rule. The world's airlines want to encourage flyers to buy business tickets. If they constantly upgrade eventually you come to expect it. So ask instead of demanding, don't expect it and be pleasantly surprised when you succeed. And make sure that curtain stays closed!
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