I requested an upgrade using an SWU from ICN-NRT-ORD. Originally, it was confirmed on the first segment, waitlisted on the long one. I got to the airport in Seoul and was told that the second segment couldn't be confirmed, and I was D/G to a "very nice E+ seat" so that I wouldn't use the upgrade for a two hour flight only. Made sense; I was grateful.

In the nice E+ seat, I was surrounded by three screaming babies. It was a bulkhead seat, and it was only two hours, so bearable. At NRT, I was ok, but I happened to be standing next to a deadheading crew of nine UA employees. A UA employee came out and told them that he had arranged for them to all be seated on the upper deck in business. I thought "cool," I'll probably get ok'd from the waitlist if there were that many seats still available. I didn't. At boarding time, I watched these people all head up the stairs.

I thought about all this and here's what I learned. Flight crews should get good treatment from their airline when they can. I think they work very hard. Second, I got all my miles and awards from flying domestically for a bunch of years. You guys who either work or sit in airplanes for these incredibly long flights deserve every perk you can get. You should fight tooth and nail to get them. I really think you're all a little "nuts," but if that is what your jobs require, you should get the best treatment. I was happy to give up the upgrade for you.

In the end, my coach seatmates were quite pleasant, and when I got to O'Hare, I was still breathing (that's a great thing). As miserable as the twelve hour flight was, I am going to see my family, so I am all right and happy.

Today, however, I noticed that the SWU had been deducted from my account. Oh, well. I'm still breathing.

Bye everyone and happy flying.


(P.S. This post is definitely not meant to be cycnical. You long-haul flyers are amazing to me.)