Originally Posted by
ijgordon
I once had an issue with someone in my seat after an agent-initiated boarding pass screwup. The FA told me to go back and see the GA but I refused to step off the airplane knowing they can de-board you with little recourse and insisted the GA come sort it out on board. If you’re physically on the plane it’s much harder for them to pull this. Plus there are more witnesses.
There are, of course, legitimate seat duplications that can happen. I’ve only had one over the years, and it was quickly sorted out by the FA having the GA come on board to give one of us a new seat assignment in the same cabin.
In this case, though, his phone already showed him as being downgraded back to Y, so I can only assume he no longer felt entitled to the row 5 J seat without speaking to the gate agents outside, as suggested by the flight attendant.