ELR Seat Poacher Busted
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2008
Location: New Jersey
Programs: UA GS 1.7MM, Hyatt Lifetime Glob, Marriott Lifetime Platinum
Posts: 1,262
ELR Seat Poacher Busted
Flight 1702 this morning, EWR-SFO. I was sitting in 16D (exit row aisle with full recline - pretty good seat considering I was 23 on the UG list). Shortly before departure, this exchange happened between an FA and the man in 16B:
FA: I need to see your boarding pass.
16B: It's with my bag, back there. (He pointed towards the rear of the plane.)
FA: You need to move back to your assigned seat.
16B: (rising) But this seat was empty.
FA: You know, these seats have an extra charge. (
)
Former 16B collects his things and heads back. New occupant of 16B is an off-duty CO FA, with correct boarding pass.
Good move by the FA ^, but I wonder if she would have enforced the "extra charge" is the seat was unassigned.
FA: I need to see your boarding pass.
16B: It's with my bag, back there. (He pointed towards the rear of the plane.)
FA: You need to move back to your assigned seat.
16B: (rising) But this seat was empty.
FA: You know, these seats have an extra charge. (

Former 16B collects his things and heads back. New occupant of 16B is an off-duty CO FA, with correct boarding pass.
Good move by the FA ^, but I wonder if she would have enforced the "extra charge" is the seat was unassigned.

#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: DCA
Programs: Kommissar Giga-Posting Direktor, PWP; Fasano Nouveau Aristocrat; CO Platinum; BD Gold; MR Gold
Posts: 18,733
Good.

#3
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: New York, NY
Programs: UA, AA, DL, Hertz, Avis, National, Hyatt, Hilton, SPG, Marriott
Posts: 8,641
Odds are the F/A acted in this manner because the deadheading employee was to occupy the unsold seat. Apparently in all other circumstances it is policy for CO F/A's not to enforce ELR seats against poachers, at least for the time being.

#4
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 943
The F/A was correct. In the event of the seats being assigned, they most certainly are supposed to have the right butts in them - like any other seat. The current policy will assign non-revs the ELR seats if left otherwise unoccupied. So, because the seat was assigned to someone - non-rev or not- the F/A did the right thing.

#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: DFW
Programs: UA Pleb, HH Gold, PWP General Secretary
Posts: 23,172
Going from my brief experience non-reving, one sits in the seat the GA put one in.
The FA was well within their rights to drop the hammer on the seat poacher.
The FA was well within their rights to drop the hammer on the seat poacher.

#6
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: DCA
Programs: UA LT 1K, AA EXP, Bonvoy LT Titan, Avis PC, Hilton Gold
Posts: 9,447
^ - now this means the FA COULD do the same when the seat is empty - just bring the credit card machine like UA does!

#7
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2008
Location: New Jersey
Programs: UA GS 1.7MM, Hyatt Lifetime Glob, Marriott Lifetime Platinum
Posts: 1,262

#8
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 943
And then the FA would get called in and 1) asked why a customer complained about being charged onboard for an ELR seat when that is not the policy in place, and 2) why the FA charged 10 minis and 3 headsets on this customer's credit card...

#9
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2008
Location: New Jersey
Programs: UA GS 1.7MM, Hyatt Lifetime Glob, Marriott Lifetime Platinum
Posts: 1,262
I wasn't specific enough in agreeing with an earlier post. I would like to see CO institute a policy where FAs can collect the ELR charge onboard.

#10
Join Date: Aug 2007
Programs: OnePass
Posts: 195
Sorry, but the f/a in 16B WAS indeed ON DUTY, being positioned to work another flight an hour after they landed.

#12
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: TUS and any place close to a lav
Programs: UA 1.6MM
Posts: 5,420
^^^

#14
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: CLE
Programs: CO Gold - 1MM, IC Plat, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,644
On a full flight, is there ever a bidding war at the seat, for the seat???

Last edited by CLEHillbilly; Apr 19, 10 at 8:22 pm Reason: Add "for the seat"...

#15
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 1999
Posts: 24,156
I felt slightly embrassed. So what could I do I reached into my wallet and gave her my 1k Card, then I explained that I like aisles but all that was available when I boked was a window, and an asile never opened. Running late for the flight I didnt have a chance to check with the GA if there was an open aisle or not.
I also handed her my BP showing E+ window. She said no problem and excused herself as she went to the guy in my assigned window seat and said Credit or Debit, she got 1, the guy handed over his card and paid up.
