Originally Posted by
AugustusM
I had a pass poacher once. I had connecting flight back home through ORD which was a last-minute booking so I wasn't able to get a F seat on the final leg. I was already GS by then so I got on the plane and took a seat in E+. I refresh the app and lo and behold someone must have missed the flight as I had been upgraded seat 4A. I grab my carry on and head up only to find someone in it.
I politely say, 'you're in my seat'. He claims it his and whips out a boarding pass....with my name on it. I call the Purser over and she confirms it is the correct pass and person for that seat. I tell her to hold up and take out my NJ driver's license which obviously has my name and photo. She makes the guy hand over his (my) pass and sends him on his way back to steerage.
Turns out he grabbed it off the gate desk when the GA was trying to locate me. He claimed that he was me and probably figured I was a no show instead of having pre-boarded.
I'm sure you know the facts far better than anyone. That said, it wouldn't surprise me if the GA upgraded you, printed the BP, and noted you had boarded. Instead of stopping the usual frenzy as they are trying to get the flight out on time and going on board, they might have simply said to the Pass holder, "would you mind walking this on the plane and giving it to the upgrader and you take his seat in Y". That's happened to me twice in the last couple of years.