I recently flew red eye UA 24 from SFO to JFK (B767-200), and at checkin, the gate agent mentioned that the center of row 32 was available for stretching out and sleeping across.

But no!

The flight attendants had already claimed this row and row 33 for themselves (6 seats total). F/A overcoats, purses and other travel gear were strewn across all six seats.

They claimed that "someone else" (implying a passenger) was sitting there and that I could not sit anywhere in row 32.

I alighted the plane and checked again with the gate agent, who showed this row as still available. I changed my seat (15A) to 32C in the hopes of getting more room to sprawl out on this not very full flight.

Again I was rudely told that someone else was sitting there. You can just imagine the reception that I received when I displayed a boarding pass for that "reserved" seat. Not one, not two, but several F/A's verbally and non verbally fumed about my intrusion into "their space." One F/A even claimed that another passenger needed to sit there, and tried to evict me.

Later a deadheading Polar Air crew member was looking for a place to seat, and being kind to one of their own, placed him in seat 32E. So much for another passenger really occupying these seats!

The lying $@#%$#$@!

I'm wondering how widespread this situation is, and what UA's official policy is regarding the taking of revenue seats for the comfort of crew?



[This message has been edited by Globehopper (edited 10-09-2003).]