42 Degrees - Business from a different angle

Airline upgrades aren't dished out like they used to be, but, says Alex McWhirter, there are still ways of playing the system to improve your chances . . .

It's the cheap plastic conference pen, the free square of chocolate after a meal or two dishcloths for the price of one at the supermarket. For some bizarre reason, it always seems that the little extra, the unexpected perk, has value way beyond its cost.

That's why an upgrade from economy to business class on a plane or from a standard to an executive room at a hotel, can be such a pleasure. It's a little victory against ‘the system', proof of your ability to get a bargain and recognition of what you long suspected – that you really are rather special.

Time was, all you needed to get an upgrade was a spot of charm, a dash of confidence and a little luck. Check-in staff could then use their discretion to “see what we can do”.

Sadly, the golden age of upgrades is now long gone. Since the introduction of computerised yield management systems over the past 20 years, the exact price of every seat is managed, controlled and maximised. Ask for an upgrade and the chances are that the computer really will say “No”.

All is not lost, however. In the past, airlines used to give out upgrades more easily. Now they're used as a competitive weapon and to woo customers they most want: heavy fliers, executives of big corporations, celebs, key opinion formers and the like.

So, although today there are far fewer blagging opportunities than there were, it is still possible to improve your chances of an upgrade if you know how to play the airlines' systems.

Most big European airlines at their mega hub airports have a ‘closer,' a behind-the-scenes staffer whose job it is to manage the passenger list of every flight. The exact systems can vary, but for British Airways (BA) at Heathrow, the closer will be monitoring the passenger list of a flight from 24 hours to half an hour before take off. It is the closer, who you will never meet, not the check-in person, who decides on the upgrade.

The whole upgrade process is conducted in great secrecy and varies enormously depending on the airline, the flight, the route and so on. But one thing is for certain: airline margins are increasingly tight. One surprisingly mundane constraint on upgrades is the fact that planes carry far fewer meals than they used to. So sometimes even if there are seats available, the lack of meals may stymie your attempts to upgrade.

Obviously, if a flight is completely full, the closer has no room for manoeuvre. So the lesson there is to travel when possible at off-peak times. But if, say, premium economy is overbooked and there are spare seats in business class, then a few lucky passengers will find themselves moved up one class. And remember, if you are going to get an upgrade, it will usually be at the departure gate, where the passenger list is finalised, rather than at check-in.

But back to the closer. He or she weighs up various factors when considering who to upgrade. First, what is your frequent flier status? The airlines run complex FF programmes. BA has Blue, Silver, Gold and Premier tiers in its Executive Club, for instance. Gold is subdivided into a further range of tiers depending on your value to BA. To significantly improve your odds you need to have mid to high status.

That's easy if you travel a lot. If you don't, the best strategy is probably to acquire as many cards as you can. Just having one gives you an edge. But focus as much of your personal and company travel through one airline to maximise your points. Their systems will pick this up and you will be more likely to get preferential treatment.

Second, what company do you work for? Big firms can strike MVCC (most valued corporate customer) deals when placing huge amounts of business with an airline. If the closer has decided to upgrade the odd Executive Club member or two, he or she may then see if there are any suitable MVCCs for upgrading.

The closer also looks at the price you have paid. Someone who paid the full rate, rather than someone travelling on a discounted fare, is more likely to get the upgrade.

Overbooking is one of the most profoundly irritating things airlines do. But you can turn it to your advantage. In order to maximise income, airlines routinely overbook flights by an average of ten per cent. Mostly they get it right, but occasionally they don't. When flights are overbooked a small number of passengers will be upgraded.

Staff are also empowered to rebook you on another airline – or offer an upgrade on subsequent flights. If you help them by volunteering to give up your seat, you might find they do you a favour in return. That's why it can be to your advantage to check in late when you think a flight might be full.

But remember to look and act the part. No airline is going to let some loud-mouthed bumpkin upset the tranquility of the first class cabin. Sprawling out in your shell suit, yelling about getting half-cut on free champagne and nuts will ensure that you are never invited back into first class again.

If anything goes wrong – maybe your seat is faulty or there is a problem with the person beside you – you can legitimately ask to be moved. If they can't find you a spare seat in the same cabin, then write a polite but firm letter of complaint when you return and the carrier may well upgrade you on a future flight.

It's worth remembering that airlines tend to be big, dominant and therefore less flexible in their home markets. Abroad they are much keener to compete. So if an upgrade is your aim, it makes sense to look for smaller or foreign carriers here. Conversely if you're based overseas you might find a European carrier more amenable than a local airline.

In fact it's worth trying to take advantage of anything an airline might think gives it edge. For instance, if a foreign airline has just opened a new route, it will be keen to promote it, so your chances of negotiating an upgrade are much higher. A good travel agent will know who is anxious for business at the moment and can liaise with the airline's sales team on your behalf. .

Most of this advice applies to flights departing Europe. But what's true of Europe is not necessarily so for the rest of the world. US airlines tend to be more transparent about their upgrade policy. In the developing world, airlines are smaller and less sophisticated so the chances of talking your way into first or business class are much better.

But if all these ruses fail, there are guaranteed ways to travel in extra comfort without paying through the nose. Use one of the new business class only airlines, top up your flight ticket with your frequent flyer miles or opt for transatlantic route promotions such as “buy business and go first”, which the US carriers offer from time to time. True, they are not quite as good as a freebie but by the time you've reclined into that flatbed seat with 40 inches more leg room than economy class, you won't even remember.