My best guess is he ticketed two separate tix, he was Y + J, Mum was J + J (see baggage tags below)

And agree with mxr - during the flight he/his mum claimed he's a (medically?) necessary helper and SP/ISM allowed him through (or he begged, like the last video). Otherwise visitors in First will be exceptional?

Observations supporting my guesses:

• (2'37", or see screencap below) He's in 43K, so that corresponds with the window view. He was not op-uped.
• outbound flight CX252 scheduled arrival 07:06. Makes sense when he has to connect to CX785 10:10.
• BP shows 25 June. A little bit into uni summer holidays even if school holidays hasn't started yet, so mum had a good probability of scoring an op-up. I think his mum scoring an op-up but he didn't says something about his lack of status but probably mum has status.
• he put down no FFP where there should be FFP.. The only rational reasons I can come up with was a) He has absolutely no status and this is a redemption where he is not the FQTR or b) He's trying to back-credit into another membership year.
• saying good night in F, when he clearly had an Y seat is definitely disingenuous.
• when his baggage didn't make the connection they put it on 12:35 KA360 which was flying on 26 June.
• how did the baggage fail to connect? CX252 landed at 07:09 that day so there's just over 3 hours for the connection.
• he said he had to check in again at HKG...why? I think they baggage were checked thru given the bag tags they ended up in the hotel room (see below) but if CX LHR can check thru his bags surely they must have offered to print off his BP for the CX785 too?
• at 9'20" the recovered bags are shown - one bag has J tags, one bag has none (even tho the luggage tag and hotel delivery tag still appears to be on). This suggest one bag was an original J traveller from LHR and one was not status or J or F at LHR, which does suggest which classes they were originally booked. Had they re-checked in at HKG (whether they retrieved their bags themselves or had transfer desk did it for them) I think they would've had two J tags.

(Attachment too wide but you need full res to see all my points. I attach it here as a URL http://www.hongkongcard.com/webedito...4010_28984.jpg )

Oh well Vince only has 669 views (think we contributed a fair few?) compared to Neistat's 2M. While I'm not a fan of either of them, who do you think the social marketing geniuses at Cathay City will try to please?

Great CSI. I am just wondering if this would be treated as misrepresentation of information of some sort? Would CX request him to take down the video? Would the ISM potentially be runged for this?

Either way, while the SFO one as distasteful, this one definitely smelt dodgy.

There's one simple explanation you guys haven't thought of.

He's mom is a FA / industry ID90 ticket. Hence ticketed Y originally, J priority tags, and possible connection to talk into letting him sit in F for a few pics / cheese.

I can't see too clearly from Percy's screenshot, but looks like his SEC is 215? Or something in the very high range.

to reconfirm my above theory. Check Vincent's latest video "Next stop HK" at the 06:48 mark.

I know that Delsey luggage are a dime in a dozen....but coincidentally, that first bag he retrieved, is the exact same one CX's FAs use....

And how he doesn't know when he's leaving HK. "Maybe in a day or two" Suggesting again it's maybe a standby ID90 ticket.

makes a lot of sense. we should start a FT detectives business.

airshow
 

this is brilliant detective work.

Also same goes to percysmith, whose post was too long to quote from but darn good work! ha this is brilliant.

identical.

i'm going with the theory these are ID tickets (at least one), and mum knows someone and gets him to sit in F for a few hours.

point 1: Airshow

The airshow shot he has is moving from Lanzhou to Chengdu (see 5:47 mark). Given the lack of ambient lighting and general angle, I'm pretty sure that's a first class screen (vs economy). It's after that airshow mark when he says he's going to bed. Obviously, there is an edit there, but my guess is he wasn't even allowed in F the whole flight, and he probably didn't realize all of us on here would scrutinize that means he has about 1.5-2.5 hours max before landing.

Point 2: no lounge videos
It seems like no F nor J lounge access. You would think with the state of the CX lounges this year, an enthusiastic traveler like this chap would put them up.

Point 3: mom knows about the airbags in the seatbelt
6:50 mark, he is corrected by his mom who says the seat belts are big on the regional J because of the airbag. This guy seems like a pretty novice traveler, marveling at all the things he does across the video. Whereas mom knows the deal. I bet mom works at CX, in the industry or used to work for CX.

There are other things, like him fawning over the boring chocolate thing that comes at the end of your F meal, and I rarely..if ever...touch. For no other reason because I am always so d$@n stuffed after eating in F class and never have room. He wolfed down that cheese like he was starving. Definitely not someone who had eaten perhaps a soup, salad, something else, some caviar, and maybe a steak.

slight tangent
I can speak from both knowing folks at CX and first-hand experience in the F cabin, crew upgrade people on their own with surprising frequency. I was flying to ZRH last year and the ISM op-upped her husband from Y class to F. Really not cool, but what can you do? Pilots do it all the time as well for their family.

I have been the recipient of this once before, albeit less extreme: from MNL-HKG. The ISM recognized me. He moved me from Y to J despite neither being full. If this person or his mom knew crew, he has a very good chance of getting up there for an hour or two at least.

What can you do? ...

Ask the ISM for a compliment/report form, fill it out pointing out this awful behaviour. You could still accept Y to J but Y to F is ridiculous and disrespectful, especially towards fellow passengers who paid for their seats.

They already get ID90 etc where a J ticket is dirt cheap. 2500 HKD for a oneway long haul J ticket is more than enough.

Oh I like this explanation

That explains *a lot*:
- SEC 215
- no FFP on BP
- having to check in at HKG again, and baggage misconduct on a 3hr connection
- being able to visit F from Y

Plus the Delsey bag and mum's seat belt correction are additional corroborative factors for this theory.

As soon as I heard you all discussing how he was initially in Y and then appeared in F, my thoughts immediately turned to believing his mum or close family was a crew member. You're right QRC3288, it happens with amazing regularity. Although it happens with a lot less regularity with pilot's families, since it still all depends on the ISM.

I don't think this is allowed by their ID travel rules. If I were on the flight I would definitely have reported after the flight.

Your ticket entitles you to a seat on the class of travel you paid for, it doesn't say can have the entire cabin to yourself? How is it disrespectful not unless the husband was ill behaved.

To me its no different from an opup....I don't get upset with the airline if they decide to fill up my empty first class section with business class people.

This happened to me on several occasions, just as I was about to take my seat (normally 11 or 12), the SP2 in charge of the business class cabin would come up to me and move me to row 1 or 2.

Indeed, quite distasteful

I saw him once at the KLM Crown Lounge at Amsterdam in May and he acted arrogant & rude to the staff and other guests.

He had all his recording materials with him along with his electric skateboard (which I thought weren't allowed in planes anymore?).

Although he seemed a very disgruntled passenger, when he started his 'vlogging' he suddenly acted all positive which all seemed so fake. He also took pictures/footage of other passengers in the lounge and was very loud on the phone etc in the lounge.

Definitely can confirm he's a douche bag and don't get how he can get so many followers on YouTube.
Sunglasses and a hat inside a lounge. Really??

Not so much a narcissistic self-video, but this guy is a bit obnoxious the way he grabs the bread from the basket with his OWN hands!