FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Empty First class seats, but I'm still in the back.
Old Jun 22, 2012, 3:57 pm
  #11  
Biggie Fries
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: PHL
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, AA Gold, FB Gold, ITA Volare Executive
Posts: 3,293
Originally Posted by masonuc
The way I see it, if you are an upper elite you have two options in life -- board early or wait to board for a very, very low chance of an upgrade. You can ask the GA before boarding if FC has checked in full but I don't believe they ever actually check -- they just trust that system has handled any last minute upgrades. So if you want to give up early boarding and board last, you can then go back to the agent and ask again. Because they're not going to know for sure until every other person has boarded. Lots of times (maybe most of the time) those seats are empty because someone with a FC seat checked in but didn't make the plane. But the GA won't know that until the door closes. Your other option is to try to deal with this on the flight with a FA but that's a huge longshot -- unless you're a CP you have no way of knowing that the seat would even be yours if there was another upgrade processed (indeed, even as a CP you can be outranked). The FA's rarely if ever give on-flight upgrades. It's a ton of headache and embarrassment to go through, and/or boarding last, for the .001% chance of getting in this situation and coming out with an upgrade. Better to just board first in coach and not even worry about it, IMO.
This is a really good summary of the situation. I, too, prefer to board early. However, I admit to being a persistent "checker" (though with a smile, and not while GAs are occupied with others), and I usually say something as I go through like, "So if you get a last minute no-show in F, you know where to find me" (although I hope my delivery is more charming than it appears here in print). Like masonuc says, it's a low probability event. Of course, hope springs eternal.
Biggie Fries is offline