I went to London last week. It was my first experience with the NGBC, so I was excited. I had selected my aisle seat in the middle section because I was traveling alone and right up to the time I checked in, there was no one in the middle seat. When I'm alone, flying at night, I like to limit the amount of climbing over someone (or someone climbing over me). When I boarded, there was someone in the middle seat. No biggie. Imagine my unhappiness when nothing worked. As a matter of fact, when I asked the FA to help me (although it was becoming obvious that the entire middle section of my row's seats were not working), it was explained to us that there was a malfunction, the plane was safe to fly and the plane had come into ORD with this problem and had already been written up. In other words, they knew there was a problem with the seats and no one told us until we were in the air and we had complained.

They gave me an opportunity to switch with someone who had less status than I (to a middle seat that worked). I declined. (I was flying for pleasure and what kind of a jerk would insist that my comfort was more important than anyone else's once the plane was in flight?) The guy next to me, who was flying standby, was told he could take an empty seat in coach, if he so desired. We both elected to sit straight up all night.

To my questions. I used a VIP upgrade for this seat. Granted, they gave me an opportunity to have a middle seat that worked if I would displace someone else. Should I request that my VIP be restored? Should I request miles as compensation. Should I just complain and see what happens? If so, to whom should I write (I've never had occasion to complain about anything in business class on AA)? Should I just forget about it?

Oh, one last thing. The FA spilled someone else's hot coffee on me. It was not my night.