rwoman

If seated in D1, I'd probably approach the purser and let them know an apparent seat poacher from economy had arrived up front.

Pharaoh

Unless the ticket is paid for in cash, travel agencies enter credit card information into the PNR and it's passed on to the airline, which pushes the charge. So the airline does have the card.

vgb2001

Flight attendants have a name for the curtain trespassers like OP: coach roach

hfly

I have witnessed it, I have informed the crew. Generally they are just ejected and spoken to harshly. I have however seen a guy who was drunk cause a ruckus and be met by police on the ground.

mcgahat

I find such entitlement interesting. So, nobody else in coach wanted a nap? Of course they did. They just preferred to do what is right which is sit in the seat they were entitled to not one they weren't. The idea that "nobody was harmed" is one that simply doesn't resonate with me as that is a slippery slope that could easily be applied to many areas in life and is subjective. Needless to say, you are not getting a pat on the back from me.

With regards to getting caught. My guess is the FA would ask you what your assigned seat is. After finding out you were in coach they would either inform you of the onboard upgrade cost and bring over a credit card machine to collect (if DL is setup to do so, no sure myself) or they will firmly insist that you go back to your assigned seat.

bubbashow

I'd report it as fast as I could walk to the galley

thesaints

Absolutely!

As for several other posters comments, now that we have agreed that criminal law does not cover seat poaching, civil law is also clear that a contract has to be accepted by both parties, implicitly or explicitly, in order to be valid and enforceable.
That's why the higher price has to be made abundantly clear to the customer, which a curtain does not.
If I set up a buffet, with bottles of vintage barolo and cheap house wine side by side, I cannot seek a price supplement from those who pour themselves the barolo saying "from the label and from the taste you should have known this was more expensive wine".

Finally, what is moral is not necessarily also legal. And vice versa.

GRALISTAIR

My thoughts exactly

flyerCO

In the buffet case there's nothing clear that the wine is added cost from the buffet. Thus if anything the person paying for the buffet could actually argue that they are entitled to the wine, even if you charge extra.

As for the passenger, it's clear that if you have a coach ticket that you don't get access to the business or first class cabin. 1st it's a separate cabin on the plane, and 2nd it's clear that you're not even in the same type of seat. Even if that perspn were to try and claim they didn't know it was a different service, the court would look at what a normal person would view. In that case i have a feeling the court would laugh at the suggestion.

An analogy closer to your wine and buffet is a passenger in Y taking a seat in Y+. In that case it wouldn't be clear to a normal person that it's a separate level of service. Thus pursuing theft of services would be nearly impossible without a warning by the crew.

One doesn't need to be told they're stealing, in order to be charged with theft of services.

Again generally if you get up when caught and or don't act like a jerk, then nothing will likely be pursued.

airplanegod

It's one thing if you are in your ticketed cabin and take a couple more seats that are empty (do this all the time), it is another thing to go into a cabin you are not ticketed in.

greycap7

I think that everyone is trying to do a white-knighting stance here. I for one think that if it didn't affect me and he/she was not invading my privacy/space. That person can do whatever they want. Passengers are not the policing authority in the sky.

indufan

YOU have agreed to that. I have worked in the law enforcement industry for 27 years and you and others agreeing to that doesn't make it so. The sitting in someones else car example doesn't cut it. People don't charge extra for sitting in their car vs. standing outside of it. The airline example clearly exercises unauthorized control of airline property with intent to deprive part of its use or value. This is, in fact, clearly criminal...at least in most states. Federally and internationally it would get more complicated. Now, whether the state finds out and elects to prosecute it is another matter.

skchin

I once gave away my trans pacific BE seat to a stranger, in order to sit next to my family, which was row behind the BE.

mayhem

I've had it happen and I've pressed the call button until the FA came out. It bothers me personally and directly that someone is now in the seat next to me of whom I know that he/she did not pay for the service.
To a lesser extent the same holds when I am on a paid (cash/miles/GUC) ticket and I know I could have gotten upgrades through OP-UPs.

Regard to the OP, I'd be embarrassed to come and report on such behavior here. What do you expect to hear here, that it's ok?

http://definitions.uslegal.com/t/theft-of-services/

mayhem

Have done the same TATL, the conversation is interesting when you see a skeptical look after "would you like to switch seats" go to "well yes of course!" when you tell them what seat you're switching with haha