Bonehead

There's F9 to IAH and AA to the northeast. UA is a no go for me, but these actions but rogue gate agents make CO seem UA-like (gasp). Hyperbole perhaps, but how much of this actually goes on??? It took a person with special access to the system to bust this agent...tip of the iceberg?

rlbmorton

This is of course upsetting and I hope that CO does fire the GA and reprimand those who took advantage of the illegal upgrades. But I am confused as to how a GA can do this? I thought that the new system was automatic and with the transparency of the pda site this sort of thing would not happen. I thought GA did not have the control to change what shows up on the pda. I guess I am wrong about this?

channa

Honestly, I've been the victim of it a couple times (that I knew about), and witnessed it a few more.

cova

Clearing the battefield upgrades is not automatic. We have suggested this before, but the feedback from GAs that post - is they need the flexibility and cite some examples.

However, I think it should be automatic. With the start of screen displays - the upgrade list will be more visible to the average passenger.

channa

This one is a little unusual -- it looks like the GA didn't clear the last of the upgrades. Of course when questioned, the GA will say it was that crazy weather day, needed to get the flight closed, sorry, or something like she did them manually, it was a hectic day. There's no way a GA is going to lose her job over this.

Typically what I've seen happen is that the GA doles out the battlefield upgrades, doesn't distribute them, and the seats either go out empty or are given away "under the table" to friends/nonrevs/etc. This way, the computer is right, if someone in Houston wants to audit them, and only if a customer complains will this ever come to the surface (and not many people check their online itin en route or after travel, so this likelihood is low).

rcherskov

It will be more visible but it certainly wont put an end to this type of thing. Delta agents in Atlanta work it all the time for their non-rev friends and every gate has a display. Solution? They just tell the computer not to display the upgrade list!

Bonehead

Any particular station seem to be more problematic than others?

pptp

The non-revs did nothing wrong. As non-revs we pretty much are herded like little sheep and go where we're told, when we're told to. If a gate agent says sit in first, we sit in first because we don't know what's happening behind the scenes that caused them to put us there. This one was 100% the GA's call.

That being said, I agree that this type of thing shouldn't be allowed to happen and I don't think it does that often since there are now so many eyes on the first class cabin and so many tools available. Everyone knows this and are very hesitant to pull any shenanigans. If one thinks of it as stealing money from the company, well, that's a pretty serious infraction.
non-rev = non-revenue PAX, It could be an employee or someone traveling on employee passes. It doesn't necessarily mean that zero was paid for the seat.

There's no such thing as a non-rev elite.

sbm12

So you don't believe the GAs' reasons are sound and don't want them respected? Why?

It can easily be argued that this sort of situation is what results when employees are given discretion to "make things happen" for customers, rather than rules being strictly adhered to. The question of rules versus flexibility so which one is better?

sbm12

The OP can travel either as a non-rev or as a rev passenger. They fly enough on revenue tix that they are an elite. Hence the handle.

Non-NonRev

During my dozen non-rev years on CO, I saw incidents like this far too often in the 1992-1995 period (especially ex-EWR). Thereafter, until my leaving non-rev status in 2001, CO management did a good job of greatly reducing, if not eliminating, these rogue practices.

It sounds like they may be creeping back - I hope CO will investigate and take whatever action is needed.

channa

DFW used to be a big problem, though I've seen it in various locations.


Sure there is. Someone who has non-rev ability and uses it at times (e.g., family member of CO employee) but also has reasons which require confirmed travel, so he buys tickets and earns status as well (e.g., a job which requires that he get there at a specific time, hence the need confirmed travel).

In this case it's clear he was on a revenue ticket and flying as a paying customer.

Weatherboy

My experience says standard compensation in these situations is 15,000 OnePass miles ...which is the value of the standard domestic upgrade.

IAHtraveler

If the non-revs were told to "stay quiet" about sitting in F, they knew something was wrong and they are also to blame.

knit-in

and in this case, it might have served them well to have adhered to instructions