A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: LAX/TPE
Programs: United 1K, JAL Sapphire, SPG Lifetime Platinum, National Executive Elite, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 47,035
Originally Posted by
Boraxo
....
My anecdotal evidence - as was noted previously - are my last 2 flights where I had clearly inexperienced travelers from the same family occupying random E+ seats (including exit rows) surrounding Mrs. B and me. Who boarded in Group 5. Those seats were available for assignment prior to gate control as we could have changed our assignment when we did online checkin. But - and please read this part because it is critical - there were numerous empty E- middle seats towards the back of the airplane. The conclusion is logical. The alternative conclusion that you suggest (that all of these families decided to do a last minute buy up to E+ middle seats all over the cabin) has no foundation in logic.
This is so plainly easy to see - anyone traveling today can just watch the seat map prior to boarding as E+ and exit row seats vanish with plenty of E- seats going unassigned. This transcends the standby list, and it's clear the majority are BE people without a seat. I've seen it on almost every single flight I've flown in economy and that it's just lazy gate agents or those who think that BE or non-status standby should be entitled to premium seats that every other non-elite customer needs to pay for. It's just ridiculous.
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Jul 6, 2022 at 12:05 pm
Reason: Discuss the issue, not the poster(s)