Ex BA cabin crew reveals surprising key to upgrade – but there’s a catch
Ex BA cabin crew reveals surprising key to upgrade – but there’s a catch.
Flights are made infinitely more exciting and enjoyable if you manage to nab a seat upgrade. The high costs of Business Class and First Class mean many Britons rarely get the luxury of flying out of Economy. Scoring an upgrade for free is consequently the aspiration of many – but how can it be done? An ex British Airways cabin crew manager has revealed one way an upgrade can be possible.
Simon J Marton, author of Journey of a Reluctant Air Steward, explained a trick to getting an upgrade that comes with a slight catch.
He revealed that if the airline is seeking to bump passengers off a flight it could be worth volunteering as it could lead to a later upgrade.
“If you are in no particular hurry to get somewhere and the airline is asking pax to bump themselves off – then this could be your bargaining tool,” Marton told Express.co.uk.
“It could be the aircraft is weight restricted, an important piece of cargo has to travel, or that a group or solo traveller has to be on that flight as a matter of urgency.”
So what happens if you decide to volunteer to be bumped off? “At very least, if you voluntarily remove yourself, you will usually be entitled to DBC (Denied Boarding Compensation),” said Marton.
“From there, you could show flexibility by offering that if needed you could travel with another carrier or even bump yourself off the next one if needed- then you could request an upgrade if your actions might ‘help’ the airline.”
