I sincerely wish it was...but it isn't from what I've experienced & seen, heard, & been informed of by fellow passengers' experiences...


Experiences--plural--has this happened more than once? What airport(s)?--I'd be stunned if it ever happened @ DTW. Was it a domestic flight?

I have no doubt it happens w/ operational upgrades on international flights.


The fact that it's been reported to occur @ all by many CO elites flies in the face of my experience w/ NW.

I have been told outright by a DTW NW gate agent that I have a CHOICE to make re: boarding prior to 10 minutes before scheduled departure (the timeframe they state & typically choose to stick to & prior to which they won't release whatever FC seats remain) or possibly getting an upgrade. I can understand the last minute release if they're waiting to see who on the waitlist checks in (prior to the timeframe @ which their seat can be sold to someone else)--but if they're not willing to accompany that with upgrading accordingly, REGARDLESS of whether the passenger happens to have already boarded (usually in addition to everyone else on the flight!), it's downright unfair.

I once even pre-boarded & exited to the gate area, to make it easier on the gate agent (i.e. she wouldn't have to go on the plane to seek me out), but was promptly greeted by an announcement-of-a-lie (for my benefit alone, presumably) stating that FC had checked in full (there was a seat which had not been released yet, & this was ~30 minutes prior to scheduled departure, & less than ~5 minutes after I had just been told by the agent that I'd have to wait until 10 minutes prior to scheduled departure)...interesting how the person who was given the seat didn't arrive on the plane until less than ~5 minutes prior to the door being closed, & after standbys had been processed...

[This message has been edited by ILTE_Miles (edited 06-08-2001).]