Corpt

I think the vast majority of people have never even heard of ExpertFlyer..

oceanscape

Yes, and the vast majority of people don't self-upgrade

JeffBHD

Self upgrader rumbled on this morning's LHR-BHD. Breakfast order taken. Crew came back from the galley sans tray and requested a look at the interloper's boarding card. Correct seat was a middle, behind the non-existent curtain. No walk of shame. No breakfast.

DXB2745

how cheeky! In fact this whole thread has had my jaw dropped at how people actually do this?!

sophiesophie

So he got to stay - just no breakfast? 90 min flight? I think that if the FAs don't start enforcing seat assignments, this will get out of hand! It may be a pain, but it seems there are way too many people pulling this crap!

TabTraveller

A small change to T&Cs to say that upgrades are available on the aircraft from Y to CE (meal not guaranteed). Fare difference will be from a deeply discounted Y bucket to full J. To accept this offer please simply take any CE seat which you see available after boarding is complete. The cabin crew will be along with a card machine to accept payment.

sophiesophie

Is this with all airlines? I love it, if true!

mrandery

With the lack of a curtain, there is no way to tell where CE ends and Economy begins.

Maybe said interloper just moved from a middle seat to a nearby empty aisle seat after the door closed?

JeffBHD

He chose to sit in CE (row 3) on boarding.

mrandery

That's different. FA should've sent him back.

volar

The CE seats have antimacassars (except the middle seats which are empty) - that should be a clue. Also usually tables fitted in the middle seats if it’s not a NEO aircraft.

Nimrod1965

Disagree, the best way to teach said grifter a lesson

Finland Station

Yes, this should certainly be introduced. The crew also need to be provided with the machinery to take payment. As I observed earlier, when this happened on a flight of mine the senior crew member bemoaned to me the fact that there is no way to take payment anymore. With a tweak to the T&Cs the self-upgrader finds him/herself contractually on the hook for the upgrade cost (which is likely to be hefty), and can be pursued after the event (should BA chose to do so).

richiejv

Flew ATH-LHR yesterday. Relatively empty plane, only about 100 pax, and CE was pretty quiet. One of the FAs was walking through the cabin whilst taxiing to the runway, and stopped at Row 3 to speak to the man in 3A. I tried not to be too obvious about looking back a couple rows to see what was going on, but it was a good chat between them.

"Sir, are you in the correct seat?"
"Yes I am."
"Could I see your boarding pass please?"
"I don't have it anymore" (convenient)
"Could you tell me your name please?"
"Mr X"
"... OK well according to my iPad of doom [I can't remember what she called it], you're supposed to be in 14F, so you'll have to move once we've taken off".

This led to much huffing and puffing, and apparently "the man in the airport" said he could sit here. No dice, naturally. Once the seatbelt signs were off, two of the cabin crew proceeded to stare at him until he moved - which he did with little fuss.

Very well handled by the crew who were excellent throughout the flight (apart from a brief issue where they tried to brutally end my life with a runaway drinks trolley, but we'll overlook that). 14F -> 3A. Nice little upgrade if you can get it.

corporate-wage-slave

What a way to go. Would have been a FT classic that.