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FA permitting a "self upgrade" to MCE/exit row after boarding door closes

FA permitting a "self upgrade" to MCE/exit row after boarding door closes

Old Apr 26, 2017, 9:13 pm
  #76  
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Originally Posted by JonNYC
I'm trying to remember the details myself, but, could -swear- I remember being told that was the official policy on Y-> MCE self-upgraders (with an acknowledgment that FA's are but in a very difficult position trying to enforce same and would never be admonished for not enforcing it.)

Can't find anything on it, and, as you say, I guess it's changed, seemingly.
I just realized my posts reflecting what I was told are upthread in this very thread (dunno how I missed that! )

What I was told at -that- time (Nov 2015) was:

FAs are told to inform, not to enforce. They need the leeway to pick their battles. Upgrading to another class of service is another thing entirely, needless to say, that they enforce. They're not given much guidance on MCE.
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Old Apr 26, 2017, 10:30 pm
  #77  
 
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Originally Posted by JonNYC
Can't find anything on it, and, as you say, I guess it's changed, seemingly.
if it's changed, it must be really recent. I saw FAs send back self-upgraders on 2 flights on Sunday, 4/23 (3 days ago).
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Old Apr 26, 2017, 10:30 pm
  #78  
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Originally Posted by TigerWolf
I think a blocked seat does show up. I am at the top level on United and (on very few flights) have even had the seat next to me in business class international blocked. On boarding an FA always mentions that if the seat is needed for a legitimate customer it may be used. I have no problem if someone is seated there but it is nice to have the empty seat there.
UA has not blocked seats for elites in MANY years. I've been GS for 10 years, and they've never blocked one for me. Many, many years ago, UA would block the adjacent seat for Premiere Executive and 1k.
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Old Apr 27, 2017, 1:51 am
  #79  
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Originally Posted by cynicAAl
if it's changed, it must be really recent. I saw FAs send back self-upgraders on 2 flights on Sunday, 4/23 (3 days ago).
Kudos to them!

I have a feeling after recent developments F/A's will adopt 'I see nothing' approach...
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Old Apr 27, 2017, 6:34 am
  #80  
 
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I have never seen AA charge a passenger to move to the exit row or MCE.

However, completely different on UA. UA FA's know who is sitting in E+, and if a passenger moves up to E+ then they get asked to make the payment for the upgrade. If they don't want to pay - they have to move back.

I suspect that UA sells more E+ seats than AA does MCE. Of course UA offers more E+ seats then AA has MCE, including international configurations. The legacy US aircraft in AA fleet really don't have MCE - only bulkhead and exit row.
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Old Apr 27, 2017, 6:48 am
  #81  
 
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Originally Posted by cova
I have never seen AA charge a passenger to move to the exit row or MCE.
On AA, payment for an MCE seat has to be done at the gate. The FA has no way to accept payment for the "upgrade". So it someone moves themselves after the door closes (and the GA is on the other side of that door), the FA's only option is to send them back to their original seat, even if the self-upgrader wants to pay for it. I've heard the FA tell them that they needed to handle with the GA, but once the door is closed, people need to sit in those seats according to the manifest.
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Old Apr 27, 2017, 7:44 am
  #82  
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Originally Posted by cova
However, completely different on UA. UA FA's know who is sitting in E+, and if a passenger moves up to E+ then they get asked to make the payment for the upgrade. If they don't want to pay - they have to move back.
As it should be. JetBlue does the same thing to people who try to upgrade themselves to EMS. Delta will turn people back entirely though as C+ is a separate class of service.
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Old Apr 27, 2017, 8:21 am
  #83  
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Originally Posted by cynicAAl
The FA has no way to accept payment for the "upgrade".
Why not just charge them for ten Tanqueray's?
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Old Apr 27, 2017, 8:30 am
  #84  
 
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Originally Posted by ijgordon
Why not just charge them for ten Tanqueray's?
That whole pesky "law" thing...
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Old Apr 27, 2017, 9:17 am
  #85  
 
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Originally Posted by TheSkyGuy
Once the door is closed, as long as you don't move cabins, any seat is fair game.
No.
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Old Apr 27, 2017, 10:00 am
  #86  
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Originally Posted by ijgordon
Why not just charge them for ten Tanqueray's?
Originally Posted by rjw242
That whole pesky "law" thing...
I guess the question is: since they have a credit card machine and the ability to charge for drinks and snacks, why can't they charge for MCE? Even if a more simplified version than what's on the website, it doesn't seem that hard.
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Old Apr 27, 2017, 10:03 am
  #87  
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Originally Posted by pinniped
I guess the question is: since they have a credit card machine and the ability to charge for drinks and snacks, why can't they charge for MCE? Even if a more simplified version than what's on the website, it doesn't seem that hard.
I believe that was (or is, don't know presently) on the "to do" list for the new FA tablets about a year ago or so. No idea if they still are planning it.
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Old Apr 27, 2017, 11:19 am
  #88  
 
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Not sure what business it is of mine, a passenger, if other passengers move seats, including to my row.
I'm in a row with other seats which are usually occupied. If they're unoccupied it's very rare lately. Because they're usually occupied, if someone moves to occupy them I really don't see what the difference really is.
Granted I'm plat and don't pay for MCE seats, but I am fine with FA's looking the other way. We certainly aren't "entitled" to an empty seat next to us. Those days of blocking empties next to Gold/Plats are LONG gone
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Old Apr 27, 2017, 12:09 pm
  #89  
 
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Originally Posted by pinniped
I guess the question is: since they have a credit card machine and the ability to charge for drinks and snacks, why can't they charge for MCE? Even if a more simplified version than what's on the website, it doesn't seem that hard.
Evidently it is that hard. MCE seats are priced differently on every flight (depending on length). If the FA handheld or iPad was linked to the flight system and knew what to charge, then the FA could just swipe and go. But without that data, the FA has no idea what to even charge for a seat.

AA is all about revenue these days. Even if only 1 person per flight wants to move up to the empty exit row and is willing to pay for it, seems odd that AA can't make that happen.
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Old Apr 27, 2017, 1:48 pm
  #90  
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Originally Posted by LovePrunes
Not sure what business it is of mine, a passenger, if other passengers move seats, including to my row.
I'm in a row with other seats which are usually occupied. If they're unoccupied it's very rare lately. Because they're usually occupied, if someone moves to occupy them I really don't see what the difference really is.
Granted I'm plat and don't pay for MCE seats, but I am fine with FA's looking the other way. We certainly aren't "entitled" to an empty seat next to us. Those days of blocking empties next to Gold/Plats are LONG gone
if you are plat, you paid for that MCE seat and are entitled to sit there without someone moving up to snag it for free.
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