It is a crime to not obey the instructions of a flight crew. Yes, the GA isn't the flight crew, but all s/he needs to do is get the captain involved. Plus, sitting in F when you're technically supposed to be only entitled to Y would be considered theft of services. That's a crime.

What do YOU think they'd do if you just sat there and refused to move? The airline staff is not going to physically move you (although the cops might...), and they're probably not going to "give up" and let you stay unless perhaps the other pax with the same seat assignment agrees to go back in Y (maybe for compensation). Although in that case, they may continue give you a hard time for spite, particularly if you're in EWR.

I had a situation happen to me last year where I was given the certificate. I had been confirmed for the upgrade at the time of purchase and somehow when I checked in my reservation had been cancelled. I was flying ORD-IAH-SAN Apparently someone with a similar name checked in at LGA and the agent in LGA cancelled out my PNR. I don't know how this could have happened since one could assume they would check credit card and OnePass numbers to see that they didnt line up. But somehow in the process of the agent attempting to rebook me on the flight (as now it was oversold), another OnePass member was upgrade (I was at a higher status at that time). I was upset not so much that I was downgraded, but that my ticket was cancelled because of someone not paying attention to what was going on. The agent in ORD was apologetic but I still was bothered that the return portion of my trip was cancelled and the flights were all sold out at that point.

I'll have to disagree w/ most on this topic. If someone's paid for 1st class, he/she's paid for 1st class. Someone getting upgraded is occupying a seat he/she did not pay for. If you're bumped back, CO is still fulfilling the terms of their contract w/ you, and with the 1st class fare bumping you back. If you are not bumped back, CO will not be able to fulfill it's contract w/ the paying 1st class customer. They would prefer to fulfill both contracts for obvious reasons. It's unfortunate there's a rare bump back, but it wasn't your seat anyway.

I once was on a plane from Boston connecting to houston on a 1st class fare. The plane out of Boston was late due to CO mechanical problem. The EWK gate staff (thinking we weren't gonna make it) upgraded some economy passengers. We ended making it and two people who had temporarily taken our seats were escorted back (of course complaining). Do you really expect CO to leave the upgraded cheap fare persons up front and put the 1st class fare people out back? Think real hard (using CO's perspective, not "what you want" perspective). The logic is pretty straight-forward. If I was bumped back, I'd be fairly understanding.

Cheap fare? I agree with what you are saying, but everyone who is upgraded is not on a cheap fare, what if the person upgraded (at gate or already on the plane) was on a "Y-UP" fare that wasn't able to upgrade at ticketing or via EUA? The person being upgraded, also might be platinum on a H fare. We know some of these "Y up" and "H" fares are pretty steep!

Again, I total agree that in any case a person who has paid for FC, should be seated in the First Class cabin, but the reason(s) a person is asked to move back to coach, after being upgraded, should be throughly explained by the Gate Agent. Examples like yours (CO thinking you would misconnect) I would think are pretty common, .... happens...well all know you gotta roll with the punches. However, as long as the GA takes control of the situation and explains what happened, I think "resonable" people would understand.

The GA should have explained thoroughly - I don't see why he/she wouldn't. Y-up is still a purchase of a coach seat. Assignment of a first class seat after purchase Y-up purchase means that seat is removed from the inventory of available 1st seats for sale. At the airport however, y fares are tossed in the cue for unoccupied 1st class seats. If the 1st class fare shows up and claims his paid seat, it technically wasn't really available to begin with.

I think the mis-misconnects (when the passengers actually DO make the flight) are the ONLY situations where it's reasonable to bump the Y upgraders back to coach. Presumably they only got the upgrades a few minutes earlier. Still, CO should do a better job of figuring out if a pax will make a connection, although I guess if it's an international-to-domestic one, there's no way of knowing how long it will take to clear customs.

But to think that a paid F passenger can just show up at a flight s/he is not confirmed on, and expect to bump even the cheapest of coach passengers who had received a confirmed upgrade, is just ludicrous.

I know that Y-ups are "coach" seats and agree with what you say, EXEPTThese fares are sometimes higher than first class fares and you stated "...upgraded cheap fare persons...".

Well, there was a problem with the service, and they are trying to recover from it, or perhaps recover your business which they might otherwise lose??

And I guess a "service recovery pack" sounds better than a "we screwed up" pack...what company wants to keep those in inventory?

CO does have some type of "service recovery" pack -- they handed them out to everyone on a LAS-EWR flight last year that was delayed several hours due to a mechanical. I don't remember what they called it, but I do remember it had a $100 voucher for future travel and a phone card, and maybe some other things. Actually I don't remember if the voucher was for a flat $100 or the "tiered" $25-$100 off depending on ticket price. One was in the pack, and one was mailed to me after the fact with an apology for the delay. In either event, I don't think this is enough for a downgraded passenger kicked out of his/her seat, but the infrastructure is in place.

Not to beat a dead horse (well, okay, to beat a dead horse), the flight crew or gate agents are not sworn officers nor are they legislators, nor are they little lords whose arbitrary commands we are beholden to obey under penalty of being locked up. While they may have absolute interim authority during a flight (and of course face the consequences if such powers are exercised sans justification), they are not the ultimate boss of us.

My question about what they would do if I refused to move is exactly that- a question about policy, to which I don't know the answer. So far I've heard speculation, but I am wondering out loud what would happen.

You are not squatting in a seat lightly or arbitrarily. You possess a legitimately issued boarding pass and a seat you earned through payment or whatever other consideration. You are not a thief of any services. The airline offered you the seat in exchange for your custom and in good faith you occupied it. You have the proof in your hand, your receipt and boarding pass.

Now the airline comes- no matter to you the reason- and tells you it changed its mind. Let's turn it around here- why can't YOU call the cops and tell them the merchant is now trying to change things after the fact?

I'm sure most people can come to a reasonable agreement. But the mistake is not the customer's, and in the end the airline needs to eat the result. What gnaws is the unnamed threats, the assumption of absolute arbitrary authority, the implication that your fate is entirely at the whim of some harried and uncaring and most of all unaccountable employee with whom you have never even exchanged a "good morning."

it is more of a "goodwill recovery" kit. there is no service to recover. that ship has sailed. it's goodwill that needs to be recovered.

for instance, if i am delayed 4 hours due to a mechanical, they are trying to recover goodwill which, conceivably, could be lost. they can't recover the service because those 4 hours of my life are gone.

Continental's only obligation is to get to your destination in the class of service you paid for. That is the only contract that exists between you and CO. Please provide any any other written contract terms you can find anywhere that support your argument. You do not have a contract with CO for a particular seat, no matter how much you think or wish otherwise. The seat number they give you is hardly a contract. The ticket terms are fairly explicit if you care to read them. CO has every right, and though the authority they give to their employees, to move you where they think they need to. In most cases, they try to do things systematically and fairly, but sometimes they do screw up and they try to right things in the most logical and fair way possible. If you want to be a cry-baby, go ahead and refuse to move. Under Federal transportation rules, disobeying flight crew instruction IS a crime. The pilot is the ultimate authority on the plane while he's on board, so that's your appeal. In the eyes of the police, you are disrupting the flight and a considered a potential menace to other passengers and will potentially be arrested if you want to play your little game. It's passengers like you who get all bent out of shape for reasons they have no real basis to grip about. Getting bumped back isn't what you want, but it isn't really the end of the world is it? There's more to life than crying about a seat that you didn't pay for in the 1st place.

Er, I did pay for the seat, and have the boarding pass to prove it. We are sitting at the gate so there is no absolute interim authority by the flight crew. Calmly awaiting transport, it's not me who is crying about it, rather it is the ones who, for obscure reasons I care nothing about, feel compelled to issue a second boarding pass for the same seat. Perhaps they should consider telling the second boarder that it's not the end of the world?

I know, I know, this would be a d***n fine airline if it weren't for those pesky passengers always gripping things.