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Viewing How to Wangle Your Way Into a First Class Flight UpgradeHow to Wangle Your Way Into a First Class Flight Upgrade
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Most of us will - at some point - have fantasized about first-class as we face another economy flight. However, what if you could manage to wangle the Holy Grail of air travel - an upgrade! It is not an impossible dream. This article explains why. By Evan Moss Most of us will have fantasized, at some point, about first-class as we face another long-haul flight - rammed into the stuffy confines of economy, nose-to-tail with all the other poor saps who cannot afford anything better. Given the frankly astronomical prices, it is an exclusive club from which the majority of us are forever destined to be barred. Unless, that is, you manage to wangle the Holy Grail of air travel - an upgrade. Do not get too excited; while the possibility should not be dismissed entirely as an impossible dream, there are a host of factors that could stand in your way. Take note of the following tips, though - and who knows, it is just possible you could find yourself stretching out with a glass of champagne, and enjoying a complimentary massage while a flight attendant plumps your Egyptian cotton pillow for a restful night's sleep: • The first goal is to get your boarding pass stamped with SFU - 'Suitable For Upgrade'. One of the key factors here is looking like you will fit in. So do not turn up looking like you are on your way to the gym. The best policy is to dress for business. For men, smart trousers, shoes, and a formal shirt are a good bet. A few luxury accoutrements like quality luggage would not hurt either. • You are also more likely to succeed if you are traveling alone. If you turn up with a gaggle of screaming kids, you may as well not bother trying. Make sure you look as though you could be quietly ushered into business or first class without too much hassle or disruption. • Make a bit of effort with the check-in staff. Just asking straight up if there is any chance of an upgrade probably will not cut the mustard, so charm them and find a slightly more subtle way of asking - a bit of humor might help your chances too. • Of course, all this will be wasted if business and first class are actually full. • Airlines are far more likely to reward members of a frequent flier club. If seats come up, then obviously the first option is likely to be given to passengers with a loyalty card. So even if you are not a particularly frequent flier why not sign up - it's free. Should you actually rack up some hefty air miles it is quite possible you will earn a perfectly legitimate upgrade anyway. • One strategy is to go for flights that are likely to be over-booked. This means busy times like Saturdays and school holidays. Airlines will often overbook, anticipating that a few people will not turn up. If this happens and you are prepared to be bumped to a later flight, then you can expect some form of compensation... Of course, should this plan backfire you will be stuck back in economy on a particularly packed flight. Better luck next time! About the Author: For cheap flights across the globe, check out flymonarch today. Article source: 111 Travel Directory: Triple1.com (triple one dot com) More free articles: 1st Rate Articles - 1stRateArticles.com |
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