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I paid for premium coach exit row - no one else did but moved there!

I paid for premium coach exit row - no one else did but moved there!

Old Nov 9, 2019, 6:08 pm
  #16  
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I was on a dead empty AA 695 today and the FAs did enforce MCE seating. Booted a guy out of the exit row in front of me.
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Old Nov 9, 2019, 6:19 pm
  #17  
 
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I'm not sure what the FA's are supposed to do about something that isn't against the rules.
As long as the folks who moved to the exit row met the exit row qualifications, the seat is fair game.
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Old Nov 9, 2019, 7:30 pm
  #18  
 
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Originally Posted by FAA1996
Who cares? Should I have a fit everytime I pay a premium of $4,500.00 for a J seat and someone else gets upgraded because of a SWU or an Op Up? They are getting for free what I had to pay for. Granted I was guaranteed a seat they were not...
Not a valid analogy. Using an SWU is paying something. Getting an OpUp is a necessity being imposed. Were talking about poaching.
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Old Nov 9, 2019, 7:53 pm
  #19  
 
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Originally Posted by reeg2
I'm not sure what the FA's are supposed to do about something that isn't against the rules.
As long as the folks who moved to the exit row met the exit row qualifications, the seat is fair game.
Strongly disagree. All American Airlines passengers have a seat assignment on their boarding pass. That is the seat they are supposed to occupy. They are NOT allowed to pick any open seat.
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Old Nov 9, 2019, 8:06 pm
  #20  
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They are NOT allowed to pick any open seat
where does it say that?
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Old Nov 9, 2019, 8:20 pm
  #21  
 
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Strongly disagree. All American Airlines passengers have a seat assignment on their boarding pass. That is the seat they are supposed to occupy. They are NOT allowed to pick any open seat.
Historically on AA it has been exactly the opposite and as long as in same cabin it was both allowed and encouraged. I am under the impression it still is withing the same seating class.
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Old Nov 9, 2019, 8:27 pm
  #22  
 
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Back in the day, on a red eye, Id get a whole row to myself and lie down. 5 across if I recall correctly. I guess I poached 4 seats.

often I moved to the empty row after take off.

Is that any different?

Last edited by beachfan; Nov 9, 2019 at 10:50 pm
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Old Nov 9, 2019, 9:37 pm
  #23  
 
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Flew on a red-eye from SFO to DFW on Tuesday. Seated in premium economy section sold as MCE. FA made a passenger return to his seat after he moved to bulkhead. So some AA FAs do enforce.
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Old Nov 9, 2019, 9:58 pm
  #24  
 
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Originally Posted by Uzzar
Strongly disagree. All American Airlines passengers have a seat assignment on their boarding pass. That is the seat they are supposed to occupy. They are NOT allowed to pick any open seat.
Not sure where you come up with this. I've heard announcements made often encouraging folks to "spread out" on lightly loaded flights or for passengers to take "any open seat" (often directed towards last minute stand-bys or dead heads.

The only issue I have with folks taking up the exit after doors closed is the requirement for the FA to do a safety briefing to all those in the exit row. If there are "new" occupants in the exit row, the FA will not have verified exit row eligibility and willingness to assist - per FAA directives.
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Old Nov 9, 2019, 10:12 pm
  #25  
 
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It is conceivable that the airline has a grievance. If people figure out that they can get exit row seats for free they will stop paying for those and the airline may lose out on that revenue. The OP paid for a guarantee that they will get an exit row seat. And they received what they paid for. If they also wanted a guarantee that the rest of the seats would be empty they should have paid for those remaining seats as well.
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Old Nov 9, 2019, 10:53 pm
  #26  
 
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Originally Posted by pfreet
The OP has a point the responders seem to be missing. The passengers did not get upgraded to the exit row, they just took those seats. If you paid for a first class seat and someone from coach who wasn't upgraded just walked up and sat in an empty first class seat, would you be as cavalier? I think not.
If they werent sitting right next to me, and therefore taking space from me, I wouldnt care at all, assuming they were well behaved otherwise.
Id expect the airline to care, but how does it impact me?

someone gets a free drink but I dont, how is that any different? If it was Macallan 25, it be roughly the same cost as a seat fee.
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Last edited by beachfan; Nov 10, 2019 at 12:03 am
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Old Nov 9, 2019, 11:05 pm
  #27  
 
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Originally Posted by pfreet
The OP has a point the responders seem to be missing. The passengers did not get upgraded to the exit row, they just took those seats. If you paid for a first class seat and someone from coach who wasn't upgraded just walked up and sat in an empty first class seat, would you be as cavalier? I think not.
Its the same cabin so to call it an upgrade is not correct. I often am on the hunt for a seat with one or two empty seats in a row and will move as fast as my legs will carry me to occupy and protect my new territory. Personally I dont covet exit row seats. I dont usually recline and if I nap it is usually leaning my head forward into the next seat.

On Air Asia they do evict people who try and jump the pay extra seats so its pretty much airline dependent.
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Old Nov 10, 2019, 12:20 am
  #28  
 
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Originally Posted by FAA1996
Who cares? Should I have a fit everytime I pay a premium of $4,500.00 for a J seat and someone else gets upgraded because of a SWU or an Op Up? They are getting for free what I had to pay for. Granted I was guaranteed a seat they were not...
But op-ups or elite instruments are not the same as self-upgrading. I'd be pissed if I watched someone from Y saunter up and self-upgrade to J.

Heck, the 18mo I was Plat, before BE, I found the middle between my wife and I in MCE empty 50% of our flights. I'd have been annoyed if after door closed someone from a regular seat moved themselves between us.
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Old Nov 10, 2019, 1:29 am
  #29  
 
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I was recently on a 737 from MIA-IAH in the 2nd exit row. The entire row in front of me was empty. The rest of the flight was completely full. The last 2 ladies to board tried to sit in the exit row and the FA came right over with her device and knew they werent in the right seats and told the out load that this was a seat that people pay for and please go to assigned seats. That is exactly what she should have done so kudos to the AA FA. Unfortunately, i doubt this happens often.
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Old Nov 10, 2019, 1:45 am
  #30  
 
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As long as it does not affect me in a negative way, I wouldn't have any problem with it. The only time I might get mad is if I were to lose an empty coach seat next to me and thus lose all that extra room to spread out. When I am in MCE, I can usually tell if someone was randomly assigned an MCE (not a poacher in this case) ends up in the seat next to me. (they are often in a middle seat). I always make polite and discreet conversation and make sure they know they can have a free drink if they want it.
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