Originally Posted by
PTravel
Oh yes they can. They can also have you arrested.
Theft of service.
Please don't play internet lawyer. You're not qualified and someone who believes you will get in a lot of trouble.
What evidence do you have for this? Has it ever happened? Has there been any indication from any police department or any airline that it might happen?
Given the reports we have read, people sneaking up into first class happens on flights quite regularly. I have observed it myself on several occasions, as have many of us. And yet, a search of the internet doesn't show up a single case of an airline doing anything other than sending them back. No arrests, no retroactive billing, nothing.
So what are these threats of dire consequences based on, other than a sense of superiority on the part of legitimate premium-cabin passengers?
You are the one that is playing "internet lawyer" by describing consequences that don't exist in reality. I am answering the question based on actual experiences of passengers.
Originally Posted by
pinniped
So now you have a choice: go back to Y without another word, or give him/her some resistance, excuses, arguments, backtalk, and general pissiness.
Take the former route, and the situation is over and you enjoy the rest of your flight from your Y seat. Take the latter, and now you're a "security problem". You're disobeying crew commands and you're probably going to have a VIP greeting party waiting for you in the jetbridge when you land.
Definitely agree with this. If you refuse to move, you are disobeying crewmember instructions, which is an actual federal offense.