subject2load

My post crossed with yours eternal - but I'm reassured to see that the industry 'intelligence' I gathered from fairly senior airline contacts several years ago, in a former life, seems to largely hold good today, based on your own (informed) comments......^

eternaltransit

So we did!

It also shows the true reason that every airline has those silly, ultra expensive full fare tickets that no one every buys - they are simply there to set a high bar to ensure that their concessionary tickets don't lose the airline any money

subject2load

Yes, I can imagine that they might indeed wonder .....

On the other hand, various explanations I guess :

- Boredom ....

- pleasant accompaniment to a movie (as in TV dinner !)

- not ALL EK lounges provide an ideal, relaxed dining environment at ALL times

- if it's a 15 hour sector, even your lounge intake eventually needs topping up !

- and perhaps ......simply because it's there

Madone59

eternaltransit's post was very enlightening. No need to pay extra respects, I was making an assumption from the OP. I've done worse

subject2load

No worries. I learn a good deal of stuff from eternaltransit too, on all sorts of topics. Just so happened that in this (rare !) case I had a certain amount of background knowledge of my own.

eternaltransit

Thank you both for the kind words!

I did forget to mention that there is an additional restriction on all concessionary travel tickets - one must adhere to EK's behavioural and dress standards at all times (main rules: don't look shabby - none of this, "I wear what I want and don't care what anyone thinks" attitude that sometimes appears on Flyertalk -, don't act like an idiot, don't cause trouble), otherwise you, or your ticket sponsor, are liable to get a written warning on their file/loss of travel benefits/fired.

Copies of the standards are displayed prominently in the staff travel check-in area in DXB, amongst other places

eternaltransit

Yes, I'm sure it was tongue-in-cheek and I should have been more specific about which lounge exactly (DXB F) which is more understandable!

That said, when your friends tell you some of the crazy things that some pax order/do, then you wonder what it is about airports that make people so weird!

kuroko

SQ employees have little to nothing staff benefits, like subload ticket etc.

enjoyingit

I may well be in the wrong here, so please feel free to shoot me down. But why do so many people expect upgrades? Regardless of status or staff filling seats. Airlines probably only really care about .01% of passengers(if that) The rest, they know, they have by the short and ... ,due to either route, pricing or necessity. If one wants to sit in a better seat, just pay for it in advance, and hopefully, although not always, your are guaranteed that seat. I find it amazing that anyone would ever expect more just because they have status in an airline program. Just think of all the changes in BAEC over the last year. How many people have really stopped flying them???? Airlines really dont care, they are transport companies which thankfully strike less than others.... for now.

m3red

I think it's down to the fact that Ek upgrades people so often, often overselling y by huge numbers giving people hope!

ashivraj

+1. Air travel (particularly on a busy flight in Y) can be less than glamorous on any airline/aircraft, so when there's the possibility of an upgrade most people live in hope and a few demand what they think is their birthright. US airlines have this down to a science and there are screens at the boarding gates listing the op-ups (and priority waitlist for op-ups) for each flight.

678flyer

We all live on hope

ft101

I think that is the purpose of attaining status.

Whether it's better amenities on the ground or in the air, getting more from the airline is almost always to your advantage.

It's the fact that this benefit is also available to purchase, and has a relatively high monetary value compared to a lounge, increased baggage or a priority queue, that makes it so coveted.

eternaltransit

Some argue US airlines though, even by their own admission, might have made a mistake by offering so much (e.g. upgrades) in such explicit terms - making loyalty a more obviously transactional relationship, rather than attempting to build goodwill and therefore more sticky revenue - means you are disincentivised to offer really good premium products, because no one pays for it, and because it's not really good, no one...err...pays for it. A vicious circle that leads you to where you are today with US premium products, compared to other global carriers.

No carrier wanted to be the first to break the cycle, but now that the airlines in the US are starting to make money, they have begun to try and change things by, for instance, imposing minimum revenue requirements on elite status.

Dubai76

Staff travelling in F could most likely be deadheading captains ! In which case , flight being full or not they have to be on that flight . Other reasons could be deadheading promotionnal business promotion teams .