<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Swanhunter:
or chatting up the check in/gate agent. Helps if you are a beautiful person, which is why all my upgrades are operational or paid!</font>
I'm ok from what I know

Tried that a couple of times, but pretty tough when the flight is nearly full. I have also tried this 'inboard' but this is more difficult even though there are sometimes nice surprises but there are also particulary unpleasant hostess from time to time.
I have to watch my language, my cousin is an AF hostess