Mystery upgrade

[anirishgirl2022]

I flew to rome last week and on the flight almost half the plane seemed to be in business class… I’ve never seen this before and this also included me and my husband. We had booked an economy ticket and somehow found ourselves in business seats our ticket/boarding still displaying economy but said fast track (if we had known we would have gone to the lounge or at least tried to get in) I’m not complaining I throughly enjoyed it and took full advantage but anyone got any insights on what happened..? It’s a mystery to me..Previously when upgraded the ticket status has change to club world – as it’s only ever happened long haul.

[SamG]

was it a mobile BP ? I’ve heard that they don’t properly update sometimes

[anirishgirl2022]

Yes we both had mobile passes and hand luggage only so we didn’t engage with any BA staff until we had boarded. I had thought the fast track was odd but security was swift at LHR I might have paid more attention if it wasn’t.
I didn’t receive an email notification to say my booking had been changed either.
I wasn’t aware BA upgraded on short haul especially as the configuration is so easy to flex and the seating is the same

[SamG]

They don’t notify you. Once I noticed a seat change and asked at bag drop why and it even took the agent a little while to figure out it was because of an upgrade! Sometimes you’ll get a banner during online check in

Yes it’s weird isn’t it, from what I can tell they fix the curtain and catering someway in advance and if ET ends up oversold they’ll upgrade, even if they could have actually moved the curtain. I’m not sure also if it’s to do with not moving the curtain during turnaround.

There are also certain rows that can’t have the curtain like the middle of an exit. So say on an A320 if they need 11 rows of CE then they have to take 12, so that can cause some upgrading

[Olly]

A couple of years ago I was upgraded to club world from JFK and nothing was mentioned. The first I noticed was when getting on the plane and one of the crew told me to go upstairs!

[dst87]

I was upgraded on my flight to Montreal on Saturday (Economy to Premium Economy). Digital boarding pass showed the original seat, but I asked the bag drop person to print me a paper pass and that had the new class and seat on it – she didn’t even tell me. The ticket had a message saying “Thanks from BA, enjoy your upgrade”. Totally unexpected and I’ve no idea why I’d have been upgraded over someone with status.

I was travelling alone (according to my booking), though my colleague who I was travelling with and had booked a seat next to was stuck on his own sandwiched between to randoms while I enjoyed a PE middle row to myself. 😬

[astra19]

I had a colleague who always got upgraded (company policy was PE, she got upgraded to Business), to the point where she was a bit suspicious of the whole thing! I never did when I travelled with her.

[polly]

SamG. That happened to us on a packed Dub flight too. Think it’s the hassle of the curtain. Said nothing, just accepted what was offered. Lots of little champers bottles offered and accepted… fun flight. Am on BA Xmas Eve this year again bk from Dublin, a few years ago, was just me a this a HKG lawyer in CE, the best flight ever. They literally made us take all the champers w us. As it was 2nd to last flt, and they were they were loading up again back in lhr. Am in Y, think l might change to CE for this one again… Now tho, it’s pour only. Oh well…

[Nigel Keya]

We got upgraded to Business, when checking in very late – so that (they said) I could sit with my wife lol – I guess it was NY-LHR. Company policy was Business when flights over 4hrs, but our boss said we couldn’t go to rather fun Marketing mtg unless we flew Economy, I think Co was trying to save money.

I sat with my junior colleague from work & we both enjoyed the flight/ got sloshed.

She remained a colleague not a girlfriend in case my wife is listening lol.

[anirishgirl2022]

I think based on the above the combination of overselling economy and the curtain location as we were also at the exit row with the curtain behind us and a delayed last flight to rome arriving well after 11pm!

As I said I was absolutely delighted a great start to the holiday weekend- it’s happened a few times previously on long haul work trips upgraded club to Kenya (pre covid) but aso fairly regularly on some Asian Qatar routes too!! Ah those were the days!!

Thanks all!

[anirishgirl2022]

I am (or was because my tier points have just reset) well over my bronze on way to silver with the reduced threshold- didn’t quite make it tho 🙁 🙁 so back to beginning we go! I’m sure that helped too!