KLM Upgrade

[Steptoe 429]

For the last two years I have been offered a business class upgrade for about £280 on the return flight from Swampy to Schipol when checking in online.

 

Both times I have accepted partly because of the 'first class' progress through check-in, security, etc as well as the use of the lounge, even though this is a daytime flight so I didn't really need the lay-flat facility of the seats.

 

This year I've had a email offering the 'opportunity' to participate in an online auction to bid for an upgrade on the outward journey (which is a nightflght so the sleeping arrangement will be of real benefit)

 

Unsurprisingly there was already a first bid of 339 euros so I offered 389 euros as being closest to the previous fixed price upgrade and so wasn't really surprised to be then outbid a couple of days later.

 

As this is an online auction on their website I have no idea if I'm bidding against their system or another real buyer but either way I'm not inclined to up my bid but will just wait and see if I actually get an upgrade when I check-in (I had to register my card details and the bid can't be cancelled)

 

My thoughts are that if there are any spare seats which they can't fill at full price, then they will have a look at what people have bid in the auction and allocate these seats accordingly.

 

Just wondered if anyone else has done this and got an upgrade

[Gus 97]

I noticed that Thai do a pay upgrade on the LHR-BKK flights, maybe other countries as well. I think it was about £490+ tax from Economy to Business, one way.

The tax from BKK to London will be quite a bit less than the tax on the LHR-BKK sector I think because of UK tax laws.

The flight back always seems to drag so maybe the better bet, you feel pretty good on the outbound flight so an econmy seat does not matter too much, also an hour or so less flight time as well.

 

All the best Steptoe, hope you get an upgrade.

[Steptoe 429]

Having just checked in online, I can answer my own question, my bid wasn't high enough for an upgrade, though interestingly enough the business seats have suddenly appeared on the paid options list (along with economy comfort, exit row, and preferred seats) at a fixed price of 599 euros.

 

I wasn't tempted at this price for the reasons Gus mentioned above, after all I might well find a better use for this £450 sometime in the next few days, lol, but as a compensation the 'free' exit row seats, i.e. the ones immediately adjacent to the door were now shown as available so I have changed my seat election to one of these.

 

In conclusion the whole seat selection process appears to be a bit of the jungle with KLM trying to extract every last drop of blood, presumably to recoup some of the lost revenue from my bucket shop purchase. Every time I looked at the seat map there were fewer and fewer economy seats shown as being available and none of the business seats until it would have been almost impossible to change seats, but during the check-in process which shows the genuine picture at least 30% were unallocated and available for changing to.

Edited January 22, 2015 by Steptoe

[Guest King_Midas]

Kudos to Guys who want to fly Business and are prepared to pay it but on average at 4 times an Economy fare I'm quite happy to be slightly uncomfortable for 11/12 hours.......

Around 60,000 Baht plus extra to spend on Entertainment......no brainer in my book

Edited January 22, 2015 by King_Midas

[jacko 8,815]

Kudos to Guys who want to fly Business and are prepared to pay it but on average at 4 times an Economy fare I'm quite happy to be slightly uncomfortable for 11/12 hours.......

Around 60,000 Baht plus extra to spend on Entertainment......no brainer in my book

There are some Biz Class fares ex-Bangkok coming in at under 80,000 baht with a good carrier (Etihad) and Turkish aitlines is becoming competitive. I paid 96,000 last year. Need to book well in advance. The reduced oil price should be filtering through.

Might be in economy myself though and not looking forward to it.

Edited January 28, 2015 by jacko

[JaimetheLimey 12]

I had an offer from Emirates to upgrade at discounted rate a couple of days before my flight BKK to Dubai. This is the only time it has ever happened to me. I twigged that cattle class was overbooked and space to spare in Business. I gave the deal the elbow and sure enough I got a complimentary upgrade on check in. I think I was a silver FF Card Holder at the time.

 

I now check the website prior to the flights to see how many seats are pre-booked and if I can buy a ticket for the same flight. 2 weeks ago I could not buy a ticket and bingo 2 more upgrades. I also do not check in on line so they don't know if I am a no show and reallocate my seat. This works even better if you check in after the initial rush when check in opens.

 

Of course if the flight is only half full, stretch out in Economy and save yourself using miles to upgrade.

 

Jaime

[Steptoe 429]

KLM were using the same system i.e. online 'auction' for upgrade for the return leg with a starting bid of 339 euros i.e. this was their bottom price.

 

I bid 389 euros this being about what they were offering the fixed price upgrade for on check-in for the last two years.

 

I was almost the first in the queue this morning but sadly no mention of the upgrade tthough there were several business class seats available for a fixed price upgrade of 492 pounds (presumably now quoted in sterling as final destination was UK)

 

This was a bit too much so eventually settled for another door exit row seat which had now just been shown as available.

 

However had an email just now to say my bid had been accepted with allocated seat 2A, (1A or 4A would have been nice but already occupied )

 

Anyway all this is leading to a couple of quick queries if anyone can help: Would it be a better experience upstairs, as there are still a few seats available up there to change into?

 

Secondly I will transfer at AMS to a KLM flight to NWI; will my ticket still be valid for the lounge at AMS? (AMS-NWI is standard class)

[jacko 8,815]

I always went upstairs when I flew Biz with KLM.

Best seats are the emergency exit as lots of space.

 

The lower deck Biz Cabin seems claustrophobic. Upstairs is quieter, less banging around over your head, and since they stopped taking kids and big kids into the cockpit years ago better still!

[Steptoe 429]

Thanks for quick reply. I once got a free upgrade upstairs years ago, can't now remember which airline, and I used to go Evergreen when Eva had these seats in the nose as the curvature meant they weren't crammed in as much as they are now, but for the last couple of years when I've bought the upgrade, KLM were using 777's on the route so upstairs wasn't really an option!

 

Will go and study seat plan again......

[jacko 8,815]

Thanks for quick reply. I once got a free upgrade upstairs years ago, can't now remember which airline, and I used to go Evergreen when Eva had these seats in the nose as the curvature meant they weren't crammed in as much as they are now, but for the last couple of years when I've bought the upgrade, KLM were using 777's on the route so upstairs wasn't really an option!

 

Will go and study seat plan again......

I think the one time I was downstairs it might have been a 747-Combi and hence why I didn't like it.

Or perhaps they still had a First Class then in the nose.

The cabin was only 1/2 width, the rest taken up by the galley.

Seat-Guru will give you a better impression. Now I see the nose is Biz and might be a better option, no drunk pilots coming in and out.

You get a better view higher up!

Edited February 10, 2015 by jacko

[Steptoe 429]

After all the humming and haaing about upstairs/downstairs, about 24 hrs ago the seat plan was changed to a 777, lol.

 

Coincidentally (or not) there is a 2 1/2 hour delay which also solves the query about whether I can access the lounge at AMS as I will be lucky to make my connection unless the pilot puts his foot down to catch up lost time

Edited February 11, 2015 by Steptoe

[jacko 8,815]

After all the humming and haaing about upstairs/downstairs, about 24 hrs ago the seat plan was changed to a 777, lol.

 

Coincidentally (or not) there is a 2 1/2 hour delay which also solves the query about whether I can access the lounge at AMS as I will be lucky to make my connection unless the pilot puts his foot down to catch up lost time

I rarely went in the lounge on the Europe bound trip, not enough time and didn't want to be going out of my way.

Always ended up in a rather shitty little area in Sciphol for the Manchester connection.

[Steptoe 429]

I rarely went in the lounge on the Europe bound trip, not enough time and didn't want to be going out of my way.

Always ended up in a rather shitty little area in Sciphol for the Manchester connection.

I Think I know it well....the D6 basement? In the end I made the connection fairly easily, though never had time to sit down.