Experience 012. Show Notes. The magical world of upgrades and the infamous oversold flight. The Seat 1A Podcast.

Mar 2, 2019

Recorded 18 February 2019

Written by: Geoff Dahl & Vinod Viswalingam

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When Vinny was a kid, somehow he always ended up with an upgraded seat when flying YEG-LHR. How does an airline manage fares related to yield...and what happens when the math doesn't work out for the airline? What is a GTE? How does the airline re-jig the seating of a flight? Geoff's experience with snow delays at YYZ that got him an upgrade. Involuntary and voluntary upgrades – what's the difference? How do airlines determine who to upgrade – what's the prospective checklist? What does the upgrade and standby screen mean at some airports? When the check-in for flight closes, what's happening? Sometimes an involuntary upgrade doesn't for the passenger...why? How ordering certain special meals can affect your ability to get an upgrade. Vinny shares how Iceland Air (FI) food catering affects upgrading chances...even if you want to pay to upgrade. Why standby employees may end up getting the upgrades. "Are there any upgrades available?"...how Vinny held a key economy seat from GRU-JFK that helped get an upgrade. If you're asking for an upgrade, make sure you have a reason why you should be considered. Once the doors close you learn the incredible power of the crew for upgrading. Vinny and his amazing upgrade story from LHR-NBO...wait until you learn why was he met by the flight director. Vinny had a different upgrade attempt experience on Emirates (EK). Smart upgrading – it's not always about length of flight. Flight crews never know the reason why someone got a seat in a certain class. Geoff had a standby seat flying FRA-YVR but needed to use a jump seat for landing and takeoff. How to ask gate staff about how many seats are sold on the flight.

CBC News item about Air Canada accused of duping passengers about overselling

Skift news item about United Airlines threat to cut Expedia access to its seats.

If you have an upgrade story, question or experience that you would like to share, please email us at stories(at)seat1a.org or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Patreon. Show notes are available online at http://podcast.seat1a.org/


SELECTED LINKS FROM THIS EPISODE EXPERIENCE

• Seat 1A Experience 010 – Who are we? (show notes and audio)
• Edmonton International Airport (YEG)
• London Heathrow Airport (LHR)
• Lockheed L-1011 500 TriStar (airliners.net)
• Yield Management
  • Understanding Yield Management – Getting the Deal (Drift Travel)
  • For a more academic review: Special Issue: Future of Airline Revenue Management (Journal of Revenue and Pricing Management | April 2018)
• Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ)
• Ottawa Macdonald–Cartier International Airport (YOW)
• Air Canada (AC)
• British Airways (BA)
• Calgary International Airport (YYC)
• Boeing 777-200
• Standby and upgrade screens at US airports
  • United Airlines - Flight standby list FAQs (UA)
  • American Airlines - Same-day flight change and standby (AA)
  • Delta Air Lines - Same-Day Flight Changes (DL)
• How Special Airline Meals Get Made (cntraveler.com | 01 August 2017)
• Special meal list examples
  • ANA - Special Meals (NH)
  • Emirates - Dietary Requirements (EK)
  • SWISS - Special Meals (LX)
  • United Airlines - Special Meals (UA)
• Icelandair (FI)
• Vancouver International Airport (YVR)
• Reykjavík–Keflavík Airport (KEF)
• Norwegian Air Shuttle (DY, D8, DI, DU)
• Seat 1A Experience 003 – Canada to Brazil on two tickets (show notes and audio)
• New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
• VARIG (RG - "old" VARIG ceased operations 2006 and "new" VARIG ceased operations 2009) (Wikipedia)
• São Paulo–Guarulhos International Airport (GRU)
• Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (NBO)
• Boeing 747-400 (airliners.net)
• Emirates(EK)
• Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK)
• Dubai International Airport (DXB)
• Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH)
• Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS)
• Frankfurt Airport (FRA)
• Seat 1A Experience 008 - Crew Rest Seats (show notes and audio)
• Seat 1A Experience 011 - Third-party booking sites (show notes and audio)

NEWS ITEMS

CBC | Air Canada employee says staff trained to 'dupe' passengers at risk of being bumped from oversold flights (10 February 2019)
https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/air-canada-agents-reveal-oversell-practices-1.5008217
"...A pair of Air Canada insiders are shedding light on the airline's policy of overselling flights, revealing what they say is a widespread practice of duping passengers into believing they have a seat on a plane and stringing them along until the last possible moment...."

• Air Canada (AC)

Skift.com | United Threatens to Cut Access to Flights Departing After September, Expedia Alleges (05 February 2019)
https://skift.com/2019/02/05/united-threatens-to-cut-access-to-flights-departing-after-september-expedia-alleges/
"...Expedia alleged United Airlines threatened as part of renegotiating its ticketing agreement to remove its access to customers’ flights on United for travel starting Oct. 1.
United could remove Expedia’s access to United’s flights for travel after September beginning on Monday, Feb. 11, according to an Expedia lawsuit..."

• United Airlines (UA)
  
• Expedia.com

SHOW NOTES

• What's in Experience 012? [00:00:33]
• Oversales and Vinny's upgrade experiences starting at an early age [00:01:42]
• Airlines and the world of yield management [00:04:27]
• Geoff's experiences with oversold flights [00:07:56]
• Involuntary and voluntary upgrades. What's the difference? [00:09:35]
• Offers for upgrade when checking in online [00:10:17]
• Option to upgrade when you're at the airport [00:10:50]
• Involuntary upgrades [00:11:29]
• How do airlines determine who to upgrade? [00:13:30]
• How ordering special meals can affect if you get upgraded [00:20:34]
• Sometimes meal service won't let you upgrade - even if you want to pay due to pre-booked catered numbers [00:21:41]
• Who's trying to get into what seat - even in economy [00:25:24]
• Are there any upgrades available? Vinny returning from Carnival in Brazil [00:25:44]
• Are you looking for any voluntary or involuntary upgrades on this flight? Make sure you have a reason why you should be considered. [00:29:09]
• The world of what happens with the crew and upgrades when the door closes [00:32:19]
• Vinny and his incredible upgrade experience LHR-NBO [00:32:46]
• Vinny has a different upgrade attempt experience on Emirates (EK) [00:39:53]
• Smart Upgrading [00:43:13]
• Geoff having to sit jumpseat for landing and takeoff with a standby ticket [00:48:09]
• CBC Article - Air Canada employee says staff trained to 'dupe' passengers at risk of being bumped from oversold flights [00:50:12]
• Questions to ask about how full your flight is [00:52:34]
• Skift News item - United (UA) Threatens to Cut Access to Flights Departing After September, Expedia Alleges [00:54:17]
• Wrap up [00:56:47]