MS02113

I think the extraneous printout is just a quirk of Shuttle flights. I'm generally upgraded at the DM window, and even then I sometimes get the printout when boarding though I've already been confirmed in F for days. I seriously doubt there were any "shenanigans" in play; I find that the gate agents in both BOS and LGA MAT are pretty much top notch.

BobRoss

Yeah, I seem to remember that happening to me. I flew the shuttle a LOT last year thanks to the 3xMQM promo and I recall the gate reader printing something out a few times. I'm pretty sure I was upgraded on all of em.

redlegsfan21

I've had it where I scan my boarding pass and the receipt comes out and it had the exact same seat as on my boarding pass. "You must of given me the wrong BP" says gate agent. Says me "I'm only going to Atlanta today." Hmmm.

DemonDeacon

Am sitting on DL 1046 ATL-GSO on a DC9. Was #1 on the upgrade list but was told first class had boarded full so I went ahead and borded. Walked onto the plane and there was a pilot in uniform sitting in 1D, not sure if he was delta or other. Do I have a legitimate gripe?

Deemus7

First of all, GO DEACS!!! Proud member of the Class of 2005 here...

Secondly, unless I'm mistaken (and FT vets, feel free to chime in if that's the case), there isn't really anything you can do about this. Non-revs oftentimes do take open seats in F/J. If the GA said that first class had checked in/boarded full, and he was already seated when you got on, he was confirmed in F for one reason or another.

GYEWorldTraveler

It appears that the person upgraded into 1D was a GM.....sounds funny that there is a pilot sitting in the seat though, most pilots I know aren't Gold Medallions. You could tell the FA to look at the passenger manifest and see who is supposed to be in 1D....

davisew

At least that's not as bad as my OH CR7 last week that had FC EMPTY except for four deadheading crew in uniform...

flightattendantsteve

I know a number of NetJet Pilots that are PMs... and even DMs...

localady

Could have been totally legit... I know that some Delta employees get passes where they can have guaranteed seating and do upgrades on them. I'm not sure what gets the employees these passes, but I know that in some cases it's performance related.

houserulz77

Others would have the full details, but I know there are some rules in the pilots contract that allows them to sit in F under certain circumstances. That being said, I think it has something to do with when they are going to be working on an int'l flight, and I don't suspect this guy was flying the GSO-NRT run!

This did bring up something I'm curious about.

If someone who is a non-rev has status, but they are not traveling on a revenue ticket, where do they fall in the u/g list?

My guess is after all the paid fares with the same status? In which case since OP is GM, then s/he should have gotten the u/g.

Or did you SDC or book after the 3 day window?

Duke777

If they aren't traveling on a revenue ticket, they shouldn't enjoy any of the benefits. Even when traveling on a revenue ticket (with non-rev privileges), I wasn't upgraded on another US airline even though there were seats open in first. In other words, by purchasing a revenue ticket, you forfeit your non-rev privileges on that flight and I believe it works vis-a-versa if you're non-reving with status.

GYEWorldTraveler

A non-rev does not get to use their status at all unless they are flying on a revenue ticket. If you fly NRSA, you are a non-rev and couldn't use your elite benefits to get upgraded before revenue passengers. As a non-rev on domestic routes or routes offering complimentary upgrades for elites, you fall after all elites and companions clear.

rearview

Some cargo airlines buy F for their pilots when deadheading (I know UPS does, obviously at very discounted rates)...maybe it was a cargo pilot?

GYEWorldTraveler

I know a few too..... And I fly non-rev occassionally and have elite status so sometimes the FAs are surprised if I am sitting back in coach since they mainly know me as a revenue passenger and it is rare that I ever sit in the back when flying on a purchased ticket. Generally speaking though, the percentage of pilots/airline employees that have GM, PM or DM status has got to be quite low. Heck the percentage of DL employees that actually use their travel bennies more than a couple times a year has to be quite low as well. My wife estimates that only about 5-10% of her office actually travel and use their benefits....many are too scared, many don't have time, many just do it as a job, many don't have the money for when they get to their destination.

GYEWorldTraveler

The OP said the person was sitting in 1D which as was mentioned earlier was a GM who was upgraded so it wasn't a purchased FC ticket.