Do 4MM Milers Have Magic Seat-Grabbing Powers?
Nov 10, 2015, 1:50 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: SAT
Programs: AA EXP/MM
Posts: 84
Do 4MM Milers Have Magic Seat-Grabbing Powers?
Last Thursday, I flew YVR-LAX-SAT. I was upgraded a couple of days out on both legs. The LAX-SAT was an E175, and I was assigned 4A, which I like, because I can fully recline guilt-free, and I have no neighbor (it's 4 rows of 1x2 in First).
I received a boarding pass in YVR with this seat assignment, but when I attempted to board in LAX (being perhaps the 5th or 6th person to board after First was called), the scanner blinked red and gave the trademark "Wrong boarding pass, pal!" beep.
The GA looked at the boarding pass, wrinkled his brow, then looked down at the desktop, where he picked up and handed me a boarding pass that was already sitting there with my name on it for seat 4D. "Looks like they put you in a different seat," he said. I was confused, but went ahead and boarded the plane and saw that there was indeed someone else sitting in 4A. As this was the first time that I can recall such a thing happening to me, I decided that I was going to try to do a little investigative work.
When I got to row 4, I put my bags up, then looked down at the gentleman (and believe me--he was a gentleman) sitting in my previously assigned seat and, grinning, I asked him: "So--how exactly did you go about stealing my seat?"
"There's a very good reason...," he said and paused a moment before saying, "4 Million Miles."
"You can do that??" I asked.
"Sure can," he said.
I left it at that--far from angry, or even irritated, because what difference does it really make--it's more that I was intrigued.
Since AA went to only BIS miles, I realize that I'll never hit 4MM no matter how long I keep the schedule I've had for the past decade (I've been EXP for the past 8 or 9 years and am currently sitting on 1.3MM Million Miler and 1.8MM Program-to-Date Miles), but I can still dare to dream of wizard-like skills such as these.
So...finally, my simple question to you more extensively-traveled folks: Are you aware of any magic powers which allow someone to force the seat of their choice and/or reassign another passenger's seat assignment?
(Thanks in advance to anyone who DOESN'T tl;dr me!!)
I received a boarding pass in YVR with this seat assignment, but when I attempted to board in LAX (being perhaps the 5th or 6th person to board after First was called), the scanner blinked red and gave the trademark "Wrong boarding pass, pal!" beep.
The GA looked at the boarding pass, wrinkled his brow, then looked down at the desktop, where he picked up and handed me a boarding pass that was already sitting there with my name on it for seat 4D. "Looks like they put you in a different seat," he said. I was confused, but went ahead and boarded the plane and saw that there was indeed someone else sitting in 4A. As this was the first time that I can recall such a thing happening to me, I decided that I was going to try to do a little investigative work.
When I got to row 4, I put my bags up, then looked down at the gentleman (and believe me--he was a gentleman) sitting in my previously assigned seat and, grinning, I asked him: "So--how exactly did you go about stealing my seat?"
"There's a very good reason...," he said and paused a moment before saying, "4 Million Miles."
"You can do that??" I asked.
"Sure can," he said.
I left it at that--far from angry, or even irritated, because what difference does it really make--it's more that I was intrigued.
Since AA went to only BIS miles, I realize that I'll never hit 4MM no matter how long I keep the schedule I've had for the past decade (I've been EXP for the past 8 or 9 years and am currently sitting on 1.3MM Million Miler and 1.8MM Program-to-Date Miles), but I can still dare to dream of wizard-like skills such as these.
So...finally, my simple question to you more extensively-traveled folks: Are you aware of any magic powers which allow someone to force the seat of their choice and/or reassign another passenger's seat assignment?
(Thanks in advance to anyone who DOESN'T tl;dr me!!)
Nov 10, 2015, 2:04 pm
#3
Join Date: May 2005
Programs: AA, United
Posts: 280
I thought the GA was able to move people around. I have been moved in the past by GA when I got an upgrade. When I asked, I was told that two people wanted to sit together so I was moved away from the only open seat to free up 2 seats together.
Nov 10, 2015, 2:06 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: SAT
Programs: AA EXP/MM
Posts: 84
I don't know about you, but I've never had a gate agent modify the assignments in a fully-booked First cabin to allow my wife and me to sit together. They always say "I'm sure someone will move for you."
Nov 10, 2015, 2:13 pm
#5
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: New York, Paris
Programs: AA ExPlat 4MM, AA Life Plat, Lufthansa FT, Delta Basic
Posts: 1,593
Last Thursday, I flew YVR-LAX-SAT. I was upgraded a couple of days out on both legs. The LAX-SAT was an E175, and I was assigned 4A, which I like, because I can fully recline guilt-free, and I have no neighbor (it's 4 rows of 1x2 in First).
I received a boarding pass in YVR with this seat assignment, but when I attempted to board in LAX (being perhaps the 5th or 6th person to board after First was called), the scanner blinked red and gave the trademark "Wrong boarding pass, pal!" beep.
The GA looked at the boarding pass, wrinkled his brow, then looked down at the desktop, where he picked up and handed me a boarding pass that was already sitting there with my name on it for seat 4D. "Looks like they put you in a different seat," he said. I was confused, but went ahead and boarded the plane and saw that there was indeed someone else sitting in 4A. As this was the first time that I can recall such a thing happening to me, I decided that I was going to try to do a little investigative work.
When I got to row 4, I put my bags up, then looked down at the gentleman (and believe me--he was a gentleman) sitting in my previously assigned seat and, grinning, I asked him: "So--how exactly did you go about stealing my seat?"
"There's a very good reason...," he said and paused a moment before saying, "4 Million Miles."
"You can do that??" I asked.
"Sure can," he said.
I left it at that--far from angry, or even irritated, because what difference does it really make--it's more that I was intrigued.
Since AA went to only BIS miles, I realize that I'll never hit 4MM no matter how long I keep the schedule I've had for the past decade (I've been EXP for the past 8 or 9 years and am currently sitting on 1.3MM Million Miler and 1.8MM Program-to-Date Miles), but I can still dare to dream of wizard-like skills such as these.
So...finally, my simple question to you more extensively-traveled folks: Are you aware of any magic powers which allow someone to force the seat of their choice and/or reassign another passenger's seat assignment?
(Thanks in advance to anyone who DOESN'T tl;dr me!!)
I received a boarding pass in YVR with this seat assignment, but when I attempted to board in LAX (being perhaps the 5th or 6th person to board after First was called), the scanner blinked red and gave the trademark "Wrong boarding pass, pal!" beep.
The GA looked at the boarding pass, wrinkled his brow, then looked down at the desktop, where he picked up and handed me a boarding pass that was already sitting there with my name on it for seat 4D. "Looks like they put you in a different seat," he said. I was confused, but went ahead and boarded the plane and saw that there was indeed someone else sitting in 4A. As this was the first time that I can recall such a thing happening to me, I decided that I was going to try to do a little investigative work.
When I got to row 4, I put my bags up, then looked down at the gentleman (and believe me--he was a gentleman) sitting in my previously assigned seat and, grinning, I asked him: "So--how exactly did you go about stealing my seat?"
"There's a very good reason...," he said and paused a moment before saying, "4 Million Miles."
"You can do that??" I asked.
"Sure can," he said.
I left it at that--far from angry, or even irritated, because what difference does it really make--it's more that I was intrigued.
Since AA went to only BIS miles, I realize that I'll never hit 4MM no matter how long I keep the schedule I've had for the past decade (I've been EXP for the past 8 or 9 years and am currently sitting on 1.3MM Million Miler and 1.8MM Program-to-Date Miles), but I can still dare to dream of wizard-like skills such as these.
So...finally, my simple question to you more extensively-traveled folks: Are you aware of any magic powers which allow someone to force the seat of their choice and/or reassign another passenger's seat assignment?
(Thanks in advance to anyone who DOESN'T tl;dr me!!)
One thing I DO find though, is that by selecting the first or second aisle MCE seat as a guarantee while hoping for an upgrade, the GA unfailingly comes to fetch me if the seat opens after boarding. He/she probably would not do it if I were in 10E, too much disturbance in the cabin.
Another thing I find is that if I miss a connection or standby for an earlier flight, I usually easily get the first MCE row under airport control but I assume that it is more for being EXP than 4MM
Methinks the gentleman may have meant that he was CK but did not utter the words that few people understand anyways.
Nov 10, 2015, 2:32 pm
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: SAT
Programs: AA EXP/MM
Posts: 84
)
You're welcome.
Last edited by JY1024; Nov 10, 2015 at 2:38 pm Reason: merged consecutive posts
Nov 10, 2015, 3:02 pm
#10
Join Date: May 2005
Programs: AA, United
Posts: 280
It was some time ago and I don't even remember the rest of the segment other than disliking being changed.
Nov 10, 2015, 4:37 pm
#11
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Omaha
Programs: AA Life Plat 4mm, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,469
The only thing I can think of is it happened in a smaller city. I also have 4m and all the old time GA's in Omaha are aware of it, I know everything about their spouses, kids, ect. If I ever asked for a favor (never have) I think they would probably do it for me if possible; maybe that is why this gentlemen was able to get his favorite seat.
Nov 10, 2015, 5:06 pm
#12
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: South Park, Metropolis
Programs: AA LT PLT 3MM, Hilton/Marriott/SPG/Club Carlson GLD, IHG PLT
Posts: 4,610
The only thing I can think of is it happened in a smaller city. I also have 4m and all the old time GA's in Omaha are aware of it, I know everything about their spouses, kids, ect. If I ever asked for a favor (never have) I think they would probably do it for me if possible; maybe that is why this gentlemen was able to get his favorite seat.
Or, my thinking, he was just brushing you off, and gave you a BS answer that would have put you off. I mean, you bluntly asked him how he managed to take your seat from him? Not everyone would have been ballsy to do this, but you went ahead and did so. Retroactively, I guess you could have responded "so a 4MM gets to take the seat from a 6MM, is that so?", and then immediately pull up the phone and call the CK line and ask why? Reverse the attention back to him.
I'm 28k short of 3MM, and have not noticed any advantages, will be nice. I guess you will never known if any of this was true or not, but you have certainly given us some ideas to try.
Nov 10, 2015, 5:09 pm
#13
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: BOS
Programs: Recovering AA flyer, LT PLT 2.6 MM
Posts: 1,543
Back when I was EXP, I had a Qantas lounge agent move someone out of the upper deck of a 747 to put me in there. "It's no problem. The computer made the seat assignment. He never knew he had that seat."