njcommodore

I actually prefer, "the most professional men, women and children in the industry"

Syzygies

As any dog owner knows, you can love a dog, and still need to suppress it ever now and then. Dear friends in face-to-face conversation find ways to keep each other from becoming bores, by useful feedback when someone really needs to find some new material.

Switch to media without immediate feedback, and these vital checks and balances go away. Radio commercials actually try to be annoying. Forum posts can get rather irritating.

Perhaps a catch phrase is a form of branding? I've learned a tremendous amount from reading channa's posts, so I'm puzzled why he would need branding. That other guy who uses "change" incessantly, I've learned nothing from any of his posts, so I really should figure out the forum tool for hiding posts selectively.

Nevertheless, I'd prefer we kept each other from becoming bores, like dear friends face-to-face. So no one needs to "chill", if they're just trying to help us from becoming repetitive.

Mary2e

My husband and I do it fairly frequently if his upgrade doesn't clear and he worked all day. Never had an issue.

gawhite411

[QUOTE=channa;14482659] they are the most professional men and women in the industry.

QUOTE]

Agree.

pptp

Don't bother saying anything. If someone asks (and that's very unlikely), just flash the boarding pass. All I want to see is a seat number, not worried about the name (no, it's not a security issue).

I know it's been debated on here but my viewpoint is, you've earned that upgrade. If you want to gift it to a family member, that's your right. If you want to give it to a stranger in order to sit with your family, you're using your hard earned upgrade as an incentive to bargain for the seat you'd like. Now, if you decide you want to lay down in an empty row of a wide open flight instead of sitting in FC, you should just give it up to the next one on the list.

guaCOmole

You, sir, are a true gentleman...and your wife is one lucky lady. Kudos

Ecuacoflyer

I always give it to my wife if just one upgrade goes thru but I do mention if to a FA because if the companion upgrade goes thru it does not confuse them if they come back to the seat and find a male that supposedly has a female name. Also, it makes them more willing to try to get us seats together up front.

By the way, we flew UIO-PTY-MIA and then FLL-IAH-LAS-IAH-MIA-PTY-UIO with four of the flights on Copa and four on Continental from June 22nd to July 11th and both got upgraded on all eight flights, with at least three of the companion upgrades happening after we were both seated on the plane.

ACYYZ/SD

As long as you stick to the "one bum - one seat" concept, don't think it's an issue on any carrier.

CSI#2

Last November I was flying CLE to LAS with my wife and 3 others, same PNR til I upgraded at airport check-in, an dput her on the Companion list.

Upon getting to PC at CLE she was still #1 with 4 seats or so available.

Upon arrival at the Gate, #1 with one available.

Boarding began, I took my F seat with the plan to switch with her if hers didn't clear.

Somewhere between the start of boarding, and her boarding (after me) someone got the 1 remaining seat.

While waiting to see if hers would clear, I was asked by the FA in F if I wanted a pre-takeoff drink. I indicated I was going to wait to see if my wife's upgrade cleared, or I was going to switch with her and she could chose her drink.

The indignant FA told me I could not do that, that if I didn't want to sit in F that she would have the GA give it to the next on the UG list.

She was very forceful and loud on this point. I mentioned I had done it many times on CO with no issues. She them mumbled something about numerous air marshals on the flight and they could not allow any seat swapping to occur.

Needless to say, I remained in F, rolled a cookie down to the aisle to my wife as we neared LAS.

The person beside me was travelling on some kind of pass that allowed her to grab the F seat from a connecting flight at the last minute (as she explained it to me).

No big deal on my wife not getting the companion, but the no-switch attitude/policy on giving to the next on the list took me by surprise.

Next time I'll grab the drink and switch when we are in the air.

OilFly

done this several times. Not an issue on CO and scores big points with Mrs. Oilflly. She does not care about the upgrade so much but knows that I do and accepts the gesture and sacrifice. I enjoy the upgrade vicariously.

bunnyt

Just did this Friday on DL. Was traveling with a friend with no UG and I got the battlefield UG. I expressed my intention to the FA that I would be moving back with my friend if possible. She said just go sit in coach and ask that seatholder if they would be willing to trade. I went and sat in my original seat next to my friend and when Ms. 22B came down the aisle I asked her if she'd care to take my seat in F. She was in uniform - all the sweeter. Mission accomplished - everybody happy.

mike_one2many

Likewise - I've done this a number of times on CO (and previously on US and UA) both for more-or-less significant others, as well as for service members in uniform. It's never been a problem if you're polite about it.

N9MD

Continental Airlines Policies and Procedures Manual Chapter 1 Page 23:
"Revenue customers seated in First Class/Business First are permitted to switch seats
with customers seated in the main cabin in-flight. Accommodate such requests and
ensure the exchange is discreet, does not disrupt other customers, nor affect the
integrity of the First Class/Business First cabin. Use your best judgment, keeping
the customers satisfaction in mind when dealing with gray areas such as this."

[An upgraded customer is a revenue customer.]

channa

Wow, might want to save this relic. It's the only place that CO employees are actually allowed to exercise judgment.

jlemon

Yep, and Gordon used to say it as did Larry.

Did it ever occur to you that CO simply never changed the script and was instead striving for continuity?

I'll say one thing, channa: at least we all know what to expect from you......