Swapping First Class Seat with a Stranger?
Jul 26, 2011, 5:52 pm
#31
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: NYC and SFO
Programs: UA 1MM (former 1K, Delta Platinum))
Posts: 1,244
My favorite was back in poor-man's first, exit row 757 EWR to Paris. Two French guys had the two middle seats, perhaps there was a language barrier involved, but they explained to the American in the aisle across from me, "Our policy is to sit together..." and the kid went for it. (I always suspect couples separated like this made a play at check-in, giving up perfectly good seats together in hopes of making some such plea work.)
None of my business, but then another French traveler tried squeezing her two loose bottles of wine between the overhead bin door and a duffle, over another fellow American's head, and I intervened. (I also started to question my "one world" world view and my choice of destination.)
None of my business, but then another French traveler tried squeezing her two loose bottles of wine between the overhead bin door and a duffle, over another fellow American's head, and I intervened. (I also started to question my "one world" world view and my choice of destination.)
Jul 28, 2011, 2:26 am
#32
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Houston
Programs: CO - Platinum and SPG - Platinum
Posts: 87
Perhaps you should look at it a different way. The seat belongs to the airline. They are offering it to you as an elite and if you cannot use it, they would prefer to offer it to the next elite. You have possession of the seat and certainly can give it to whomever you choose, but this does violate the spirit of the gift.
So obviously people can give their upgrade to some stranger, but it is certainly not the right thing to do. If I saw this happening, and especially if I was #1 on the upgrade list, I would point this out to the staff and complain.
So obviously people can give their upgrade to some stranger, but it is certainly not the right thing to do. If I saw this happening, and especially if I was #1 on the upgrade list, I would point this out to the staff and complain.
Jul 28, 2011, 7:36 am
#33
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 78
I'm just curious to see how common this is in general. Last night on flight 1512 from FLL to EWR I was upfront across the aisle from an empty seat. I overheard the FA say that a woman didn't want her upgrade because she preferred to sit with her hubby in the back (awwww). I asked the FA where my friend was on the list and he was #2 (another guy was #1). Instead of guy #1 a young woman sat in the seat and explained that the original woman just swapped seats with her. The FAs didn't say a peep.
Have any of you seen this happen a lot in the past? Seems unfair to the many frequent fliers who stay loyal so they can be bumped. This is the first time I've ever seen it happen though -- so maybe it was a fluke.
Have any of you seen this happen a lot in the past? Seems unfair to the many frequent fliers who stay loyal so they can be bumped. This is the first time I've ever seen it happen though -- so maybe it was a fluke.
Jul 28, 2011, 9:04 am
#34
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
I was doing it to be nice. I didn't want to be bought. There is no appropriate price for it to me, just a willingness of me to give. That's why I refused to accept anything from him.
Nope...it happened at boarding.
Find a different girl who is not so cling-y. 
Jul 28, 2011, 11:01 am
#35
Join Date: Jun 2007
Programs: UA Gold
Posts: 386
In the spirit of healthy debate....... All of our elite benefits are complimentary and "owned by the airline". Unless specifically specified once we earn it it's ours under the conditions we agreed to when we accepted them. We can transfer miles, reward tickets, Swu's, and even drink coupons. I can even walk up to the gate with a person and if the seat isn't assigned use my status to upgrade them. So when Continental puts my name on the seat I can do what I want with in reason. I can't sale it or trade it because that's clearly defined. However it doesn't state that if I accept this benefit of getting assigned a first class seat that I can't swap with another pax be it under the table or at the gate officially. The next guy in line doesn't have dibs on an assigned seat. He has dibs on the very next unassigned seat. If I ever get challenged for giving up my seat by the next guy, i would keep it for that matter. He still isn't getting "my" seat.
