NickB

Commercial passengers routinely pay vastly different prices to be seated in the same cabin.. If it bothers you to be a passenger seated next to another that has paid a fraction of the price of his/her neighbour, then I suggest that you refrain from setting foot on a commercial aircraft even those of companies that have restrictive policies towards staff upgrades..

thibderoc

May I add : "and don't walk in any hotel?"

NickB

David Brent could not have said it better himself. Companies that have team members and not employees are great open door environments where everybody sings from the same hymn sheet and nobody is out of the loop (after all there is no I in team), where one feels free to take things offline with fellow team-members who all work hard and play hard, where all engage in value-adding though showers where we run ideas up the flagpole to promote blue-sky thinking after all the low hanging fruits have been harvested, resulting in customer-centric game-changing solutions which we can all double-click on. We can then high five each other for getting it in the back of the net.

Then again, some might think that there is some merit in avoiding corporate jargon so how about actioning the project of parking office speak in the long grass?

AF 001

As long the upgrade is processed at check in does not matter for me who gets an upgrade, there is no "right" for anyone, but it is simply annoying to watch the F&F game on board! And yes, I think it is an insult for everyone else in the cabin. The passengers travelling on staff tickets with Air France & KLM have the option to pay for a seat in BC for a very decent amount (if there is availability), so what is the point? AF don´t want upgrade Frequent Flyers, so they do not devaluate their product, fine, I can understand that. But don´t you think it will not devaluate the product if the half cabin is witnessing the movements after the doors are closed whilst the crew can upgrade their relatives and friends as they wish...?
Talking about quality, well, when those people then get on top First Class Food and Champagne served from upfront, yes, I agree, then the grass on that seat is obviously more green :-) ! Not to forget the mysterious filled AF plastic bags handed out to some of those "special passengers" before landing, stuffed with Champagne / Wine, Snacks and so on. I witnessed this couple of times already, it is a common habit. I simply think that’s not right versus the other passengers, regardless if they travel in a full First Class or in the lowest Economy Class Fare, because in the end all of us are paying for this 'special attention' to those exclusive circle.

AF 001

I hope my last post clarifies my thoughts :-)

NickB

It does. I must say that I could not care less that FnF get free upgrades and do not perceive even a figment of a fraction of a soupcon of an idea of a remote impression of insult as long as this is done discreetly, the upgradees behave themselves with proper decorum and discretion and the cabin crew do not neglect their duties to other passengers by looking after mates. When either of those 3 things to not happen, then it does become much more problematic.

johan rebel

Really?

I just got an e-mail from Team Torpedo's Scrum Master, inviting my to a Skype meeting to "Improve visual look of TTB Cow"

I know that our Scrum Masters have been multiplying faster than rabbits recently, but as for the rest I'm completely baffled! Not sure why we need torpedoes, or where that cow is.

Johan

julien2062

They do seem to upgrade easily, but only for the employee's family members who hold special "free" tickets, sometimes a box of chocolate to the pursuer is the key to their upgrades on board. A friend of mine married to an Air France flight attendant gets upgraded almost every time to business and some long haul even to the first class, and even with her 3 kids!!!

Compared with the experience of most actually paying elite/elite+ customers, myself included, I have NEVER EVER been upgraded by Air France alternating platinum and gold status for almost 10 years, NEVER! The only 2 rare times, when I got upgraded were with KLM long-haul flights, and I was at platinum.

Given the constant work strike situation of Air France, recent devaluation of the flying blue miles, the recent chaos they have created in award tickets booking system and purposefully eliminating the calendar view to discourage the client from searching the right tickets, I would be a masochist if I stay loyal to this company!

KLBGO

It's a complete disgrace. I am considering just buying a Priority Pass, to get lounge access, and forget about airline loyalty completely. The 2 minutes earlier boarding the plane doesn't really get me anywhere anyhow.

olivedel

Not only I see frequently the upgrade trick still in place and happening right in my nose, but staff members still seated in Y in medium-haul receive a way better treatment, such as a glass of champagne.
I do not see the efforts of the "Signatures de service" program carried over (no more nice welcome words to Platinum members for example in medium-haul).
Back to the older habits.

bodory

+1

My latest commutes on the so-called premium SIN-CDG route now look like a common (and GP-favorite) BKK one.

Zarmakuizz

I have been upgraded to Business once on a AMS->ORD flight when I was Ivory in 2016. I am now Platinum and just got upgraded from Y to Business on a short-haul AMS->MAN flight. We were (at least) 6 to get upgraded, we ended up being 7 pax in Business, Y was full.
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johan rebel

One of the KL cabin crew unions is complaining on its website that the airline's policy of selling any vacant J seat at a discount at OLCI, the gate or on board is greatly reducing the number of seats that non-revs can lay their grubby hands on.

Even worse, KL is now pre-assigning seats in economy to deadheading crew, instead of seating them in business. This, the union whinges, means the crew will arrive tired and unfit for duty.

Johan

bodory

Something AF cabin crew unions are not complaining yet, too busy they are striking.
Also the recent increase of OLCI upgrade prices might have freed some seats for them eventually.

Xizm