Originally Posted by
Dr. HFH
Although second guessing is easy, had I been in your shoes, when she first asked for your original seat number, I might have responded something more along the lines of, "I'm assigned to 44X. I know that this isn't my seat; but my boyfriend was really nice and offered to switch seats with me so that I could sit in business class." ISM might have been more reasonable in her approach if she knew right from the start that you weren't a seat poacher. She probably approached you initially as a self-upgrader; and you didn't give her any contrary information until she asked for it. If that was the case, it would, IMO, explain the attitude.
Wouldn't it have been more polite for the ISM to simply ask, "Madam, may I please see your boarding pass?"
I've seen two people on a seat across me 11D/G once, the ISM approached the and said "Gentlemen, I don't see you on my roster, may I see your boarding pass?" Then she said, "XXXXX is further down, thank you." She remained polite though out the situation.
By asking "What are you doing here?" she has already set a hostile tone. Something which is a clear no-no in the service industry.