Originally Posted by
srodr
Recently had an experience where the flight left with an empty seat in 1st. Must have been a last minute no show because there was a long list waiting for upgrades on that flight. While I wasn't even near the top of the list, it really annoyed me to see that empty seat the whole flight.
Soon after I happened to be on the phone with a CSR for another reason and mentioned the empty seat and how much it annoyed me and I was told that I should have said something to a FA. But in the past when similar has happened and I've said something to a FA I've been told 'only the gate agents can process upgrades'.
So what really is the best (or right) way (or time) to handle (or complain about) such a situation?
Three weeks ago the seat next to me in BE on a lax-jfk flight was empty..
As they where closing the door I asked the FA about the empty seat and she said the recliner electronics was broken on that seat, so they wouldn't seat someone there..
I leaned over pushed all the buttons and it all worked just fine.. She quickly called the GA to find to next person on the upgrade list and moved them up form the back..
But if, I didn't show them it worked they would have left the seat open..