Rant: Missed domestic F upgrade, not given empty PE seats, went to employees instead
Jun 18, 23, 7:17 pm
#1
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Rant: Missed domestic F upgrade, not given empty PE seats, went to employees instead
When will this stop? The news calls out unruly passengers but how about when it's the other way around?
My wife and I travel back and forth between Hawaii and the mainland on a monthly basis. We're both EP's as well. So we know the drill.
Today, we were #1 & #2 on the upgrade list but ended up in coach. There were 6 seats open in Premium Economy 30 minutes out, so pretty good odds for an upgrade, but then they disappeared off of expertflyer. I approach the counter and ask what happened to the 6 seats and am told, oh someone bought the seats because you know, it's an 8-hour flight. So we board and I casually ask the people sitting in the seats, how they ended up with the PE seats and they tell me, they are airline employees.
So an outright lie by the gate agent, but an easy answer to deflect any confrontation, with no consequences for the employee.
Now I know, that upgrades are only from coach to First, excluding PE. But in practice, if F is full, CK's and EP's are typically upgraded to PE as a consolation. PE is kind of an anomaly on Hawaii flights as it's the only domestic flight where PE is sold as a separate category. So they don't have anything specifically carved out to cover this in the upgrade process. But in practice, they do.
I wonder if this would have happened if we were CK?
On another flight, I was connecting via PHX to DFW to HNL with an overnight in DFW. So I had my garment bag and roller with me and was confirmed in F. I roll up to the gate and am told by the supervisor, you can't take that on the plane. I explain that I am spending the night at the minute suites in the airport and that I would like to have a change of clothes. I am told by this supervisor that if I don't hand over my bag, I will be pulled off the flight. So I give him the bag, while the employees around him are silently mouthing we're sorry. Of course, 1st had more than ample overhead storage space.
I wish Congress would give passengers a bill of rights with some teeth as they do in the UK. It stinks to be a domestic flyer these days.
My wife and I travel back and forth between Hawaii and the mainland on a monthly basis. We're both EP's as well. So we know the drill.
Today, we were #1 & #2 on the upgrade list but ended up in coach. There were 6 seats open in Premium Economy 30 minutes out, so pretty good odds for an upgrade, but then they disappeared off of expertflyer. I approach the counter and ask what happened to the 6 seats and am told, oh someone bought the seats because you know, it's an 8-hour flight. So we board and I casually ask the people sitting in the seats, how they ended up with the PE seats and they tell me, they are airline employees.
So an outright lie by the gate agent, but an easy answer to deflect any confrontation, with no consequences for the employee.
Now I know, that upgrades are only from coach to First, excluding PE. But in practice, if F is full, CK's and EP's are typically upgraded to PE as a consolation. PE is kind of an anomaly on Hawaii flights as it's the only domestic flight where PE is sold as a separate category. So they don't have anything specifically carved out to cover this in the upgrade process. But in practice, they do.
I wonder if this would have happened if we were CK?
On another flight, I was connecting via PHX to DFW to HNL with an overnight in DFW. So I had my garment bag and roller with me and was confirmed in F. I roll up to the gate and am told by the supervisor, you can't take that on the plane. I explain that I am spending the night at the minute suites in the airport and that I would like to have a change of clothes. I am told by this supervisor that if I don't hand over my bag, I will be pulled off the flight. So I give him the bag, while the employees around him are silently mouthing we're sorry. Of course, 1st had more than ample overhead storage space.
I wish Congress would give passengers a bill of rights with some teeth as they do in the UK. It stinks to be a domestic flyer these days.
Jun 18, 23, 7:41 pm
#2
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I'm sorry for your unfortunate experiences, but I'm not sure that EC 261 or UK 261 would have prevented any of these things from happening.
Was your bag at least short-checked for your overnight connection? Did you request that?
I trust that you were at least in MCE seats for all of your flights.
Was your bag at least short-checked for your overnight connection? Did you request that?
I trust that you were at least in MCE seats for all of your flights.
Jun 18, 23, 7:41 pm
#3
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Complimentary/status upgrades are far less common in UK EU. Not the way the airlines operate.
Does read as you badly treated
Jun 18, 23, 8:24 pm
#4
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How were you badly treated?
Given that , as you state, there is no upgrade entitlemeent to Premium Economy, once the flight was closed , it is perfectly reasonable that airline employees waiting to travel were ( assuming that they are entitled to PE ) given PE. It is hen perfectly true that these seats had been sold. It is nothing to do with you who they were sold to and for how much.
The carry on baggage allowance on AA is 1 carry on and 1 personal item. The agent was doing nothing wrong in not allowing 2 carry on bage - you could have checked a bag in and then no issue at the gate
Nothing wrong seems to have happened and any protections like EU261 wouldn't make any difference here. EU261 protects when delays/cancellations/downgrades occur and would be good to have in the US - it would , I think, discourage downgrades occurring
Given that , as you state, there is no upgrade entitlemeent to Premium Economy, once the flight was closed , it is perfectly reasonable that airline employees waiting to travel were ( assuming that they are entitled to PE ) given PE. It is hen perfectly true that these seats had been sold. It is nothing to do with you who they were sold to and for how much.
The carry on baggage allowance on AA is 1 carry on and 1 personal item. The agent was doing nothing wrong in not allowing 2 carry on bage - you could have checked a bag in and then no issue at the gate
Nothing wrong seems to have happened and any protections like EU261 wouldn't make any difference here. EU261 protects when delays/cancellations/downgrades occur and would be good to have in the US - it would , I think, discourage downgrades occurring
Jun 18, 23, 8:38 pm
#5
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So you didn't get an upgrade you weren't entitled to in the first place and an agent enforced the carry on rules?
I guess the agents could have been nicer in their attitude? Otherwise not sure what the complaint is here?
I guess the agents could have been nicer in their attitude? Otherwise not sure what the complaint is here?
Jun 18, 23, 9:14 pm
#6
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You keep referring to the upgrade to "F" - AA only has F on the 77W and 32B. Just terminology - but the class is J.
Did anyone get upgraded to J? I was last year moved to J on DFW-HNL around 4 hours before departure - before gate was open - and I wasn't top of the upgrade list - but I was only one on the list in PE. AA is tending to upgrade PE passengers before the flight goes to gate control and it won't show on the upgrade list.
Surprised if you are flying from PHX - you just don't take the PHX-HNL flight and get exit rows.
Did anyone get upgraded to J? I was last year moved to J on DFW-HNL around 4 hours before departure - before gate was open - and I wasn't top of the upgrade list - but I was only one on the list in PE. AA is tending to upgrade PE passengers before the flight goes to gate control and it won't show on the upgrade list.
Surprised if you are flying from PHX - you just don't take the PHX-HNL flight and get exit rows.
Jun 18, 23, 9:20 pm
#7
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So we board and I casually ask the people sitting in the seats, how they ended up with the PE seats and they tell me, they are airline employees.
I wonder if this would have happened if we were CK?
I wish Congress would give passengers a bill of rights with some teeth as they do in the UK. It stinks to be a domestic flyer these days.
Since youre not CK its not relevant.
You have a House member and two Senators. Email them and demand they support such a bill. Copy the Secretary for Transportation into your emails. Keep us apprised of their replies.
Jun 18, 23, 9:23 pm
#8
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You've posted this before, however I have not seen others with similar experiences. Not saying that it didn't happen, just that you may have been a beneficiary of rogue AA GAs making up stuff?
Jun 19, 23, 1:07 am
#10
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Now I know, that upgrades are only from coach to First, excluding PE.
But in practice, if F is full, CK's and EP's are typically upgraded to PE as a consolation. PE is kind of an anomaly on Hawaii flights as it's the only domestic flight where PE is sold as a separate category. So they don't have anything specifically carved out to cover this in the upgrade process. But in practice, they do.
I wonder if this would have happened if we were CK?
But in practice, if F is full, CK's and EP's are typically upgraded to PE as a consolation. PE is kind of an anomaly on Hawaii flights as it's the only domestic flight where PE is sold as a separate category. So they don't have anything specifically carved out to cover this in the upgrade process. But in practice, they do.
I wonder if this would have happened if we were CK?
In my opinion, this is a bit of hyperbole combined with DYKWIA, especially given that this is arguing over a free upgrade.
Jun 19, 23, 1:55 am
#11
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I would be personally hesitant to act as Magnum P.I. (despite departing from Hawaii) and to ask fellow passengers on the plane how they got their seat.
I would also believe that you as a seasoned frequent flyer do know on what routes you should buy seats instead of relying on what you believe is your entitlement.
I would also believe that you as a seasoned frequent flyer do know on what routes you should buy seats instead of relying on what you believe is your entitlement.
Last edited by Duck1981; Jun 19, 23 at 2:07 am
Jun 19, 23, 3:51 am
#12
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How were you badly treated?
Given that , as you state, there is no upgrade entitlemeent to Premium Economy, once the flight was closed , it is perfectly reasonable that airline employees waiting to travel were ( assuming that they are entitled to PE ) given PE. It is hen perfectly true that these seats had been sold. It is nothing to do with you who they were sold to and for how much.
The carry on baggage allowance on AA is 1 carry on and 1 personal item. The agent was doing nothing wrong in not allowing 2 carry on bage - you could have checked a bag in and then no issue at the gate
Nothing wrong seems to have happened and any protections like EU261 wouldn't make any difference here. EU261 protects when delays/cancellations/downgrades occur and would be good to have in the US - it would , I think, discourage downgrades occurring
Given that , as you state, there is no upgrade entitlemeent to Premium Economy, once the flight was closed , it is perfectly reasonable that airline employees waiting to travel were ( assuming that they are entitled to PE ) given PE. It is hen perfectly true that these seats had been sold. It is nothing to do with you who they were sold to and for how much.
The carry on baggage allowance on AA is 1 carry on and 1 personal item. The agent was doing nothing wrong in not allowing 2 carry on bage - you could have checked a bag in and then no issue at the gate
Nothing wrong seems to have happened and any protections like EU261 wouldn't make any difference here. EU261 protects when delays/cancellations/downgrades occur and would be good to have in the US - it would , I think, discourage downgrades occurring
The GA was not truthful with the OP. The Premium Economy seats were not sold to paying passengers; the GA gave them away to airline employees.
Lying is never acceptable and in my line of work, someone who lies to a customer could easily be fired.
Jun 19, 23, 4:50 am
#13
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I disagree with your first point.
The GA was not truthful with the OP. The Premium Economy seats were not sold to paying passengers; the GA gave them away to airline employees.
Lying is never acceptable and in my line of work, someone who lies to a customer could easily be fired.
The GA was not truthful with the OP. The Premium Economy seats were not sold to paying passengers; the GA gave them away to airline employees.
Lying is never acceptable and in my line of work, someone who lies to a customer could easily be fired.
Maybe the OP should have gone further and forced the passenger to produce a credit card receipt
Even if they were non paying employees, they were still entitled to be there. The OP was never entitled to a PE upgrade ; the gate agent perhaps should have been more curt with the OP and told him that it was none of his business who was sat there
Jun 19, 23, 5:16 am
#14
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This thread's title has been updated to more accurately reflect its contents.
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Jun 19, 23, 6:38 am
#15
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I disagree with your first point.
The GA was not truthful with the OP. The Premium Economy seats were not sold to paying passengers; the GA gave them away to airline employees.
Lying is never acceptable and in my line of work, someone who lies to a customer could easily be fired.
The GA was not truthful with the OP. The Premium Economy seats were not sold to paying passengers; the GA gave them away to airline employees.
Lying is never acceptable and in my line of work, someone who lies to a customer could easily be fired.
"Sorry, you have coach tickets and you're not entitled to a PE upgrade. You want a better seat, pay for it" ? Not speaking about OP but I can guess that most people would be even more mad after hearing that. Therefore the "lie" was probably the best way to keep the situation under control...
GAs are spending their day managing passengers thinking they are "better" than the other passengers. As long as everyone is in plane, on time, without a brawl, their job is done... Sometimes, they have to lie to make it happen. So be it...
