Never seen this: Empty Seat In First Class
Nov 24, 2019, 5:54 am
#106
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: MCO
Programs: DL PM, UA Silver, Marriott Titanium, Hertz Presidents Circle
Posts: 4,318
Had to take a trip to DCA this past week. On my outbound flight from MCO-CVG, FC went out with 3 empty seats and my JFK-MCO flight right now currently has 4 empty seats with boarding rapping up. I haven’t had a flight with empty FC seats in quite awhile, let alone 2 in one trip.
Nov 25, 2019, 7:17 am
#107
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2000
Location: RDU
Programs: AA LT Gold, DL SM, HY Disc, Marriott LT Gold
Posts: 12,507
Saw it twice more in the last month: A mid-day SEA-YVR E75 that went out with 3-4 empty in F (and close to a completely empty C+), and an evening TLH-ATL 717 that went out with 1D empty.
Nov 25, 2019, 9:32 am
#108
Join Date: May 2013
Location: RMS
Programs: DL Plat, UA Gold, Bonvoy Titanium, Hilton Credit Card Diamond
Posts: 8,789
LAX-SAT went out with 2 empty in F on Wednesday. I was #2 on the upgrade list. I understand YBYL, but the door closed 6 minutes before scheduled departure. That's plenty of time for the GA to bring new BPs for the top two on the list.
Nov 25, 2019, 9:45 am
#109
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Dayton, OH/CVG
Programs: DA Diamond(1 MM), Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador/Charter Ambassador, Hyatt Glob, Hertz Presidents Circle
Posts: 885
yeah i don't understand. Im sure there are reasons, but unless there are NO medallions on the flight waiting for an upgrade, regardless of status, FC should never go out empty.
Nov 25, 2019, 10:18 am
#110
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 87
It is rare, but it seems this happens during holiday travel. I suspect it is because frequent flyers don't seem to fly as much during the holidays.
I have seen this happen twice now. First time was a couple years ago I was flying Christmas day out of my regional airport on an EM175. there were only 2 people in FC (for 12 seats!), and about 15-20 people total on the flight.
The only other time I have seen this was on an A319 about 6 months ago. I don't remember the leg, but somehow the seat next to me was empty.
I have seen this happen twice now. First time was a couple years ago I was flying Christmas day out of my regional airport on an EM175. there were only 2 people in FC (for 12 seats!), and about 15-20 people total on the flight.
The only other time I have seen this was on an A319 about 6 months ago. I don't remember the leg, but somehow the seat next to me was empty.
Nov 25, 2019, 11:13 am
#111
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: MCO
Programs: DL PM, UA Silver, Marriott Titanium, Hertz Presidents Circle
Posts: 4,318
Oh I didn’t clarify it in my OP above but there were no elites on the UG list for both flights.
Nov 25, 2019, 11:25 am
#112
Join Date: Feb 2019
Programs: DL PM, HHD, MG
Posts: 162
Noticed empty seat in FC on my ATL-TRI flight last week with 30 or so on the UG list. On the return flight the next day noticed empty seats again, and the guy next to me in Y started talking to the FA about not being upgraded despite being no.1 on the list.... turns out same happened to him on my outbound flight! He was a MM and DM, and needless to say he was not a happy camper having this happen on consecutive days/flights!
Nov 25, 2019, 2:37 pm
#113
Join Date: May 2011
Programs: Delta PM, Hyatt Plat-ist, Bonvoyyyyyyed, Hilton $15 Daily F&B Receiver, Food Lion MVP
Posts: 1,203
Noticed empty seat in FC on my ATL-TRI flight last week with 30 or so on the UG list. On the return flight the next day noticed empty seats again, and the guy next to me in Y started talking to the FA about not being upgraded despite being no.1 on the list.... turns out same happened to him on my outbound flight! He was a MM and DM, and needless to say he was not a happy camper having this happen on consecutive days/flights!
Feb 1, 2020, 1:00 pm
#115
Join Date: Dec 2019
Posts: 452
I am of the opinion that upgrades should happen prior to boarding or not at all. People paying for F or J don’t want to see upgradees being led up from economy and placed next to them. At least let them pretend everyone is paying a similar price...
Feb 1, 2020, 1:50 pm
#117
Join Date: Apr 2016
Location: San Jose, CA
Programs: Delta Diamond, Delta 1MM, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold, Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 166
What would be nice is if the GA would ask the person sitting next to the empty seat whether he prefers window or aisle, then letting the last minute upgrade take the other seat. While this is less of a big deal in F, I’ve had this happen in C+, where someone was brought up to the empty aisle seat whereas I remained stuck in a middle.
Feb 1, 2020, 3:33 pm
#118
Join Date: Dec 2019
Posts: 452
What would be nice is if the GA would ask the person sitting next to the empty seat whether he prefers window or aisle, then letting the last minute upgrade take the other seat. While this is less of a big deal in F, I’ve had this happen in C+, where someone was brought up to the empty aisle seat whereas I remained stuck in a middle.
Feb 1, 2020, 5:24 pm
#119
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: Tacoma, WA
Programs: Delta Platinum Medallion, Bonvoy Gold, Hyatt Explorist, Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 495
Feb 1, 2020, 5:26 pm
#120
Join Date: May 2011
Programs: Delta PM, Hyatt Plat-ist, Bonvoyyyyyyed, Hilton $15 Daily F&B Receiver, Food Lion MVP
Posts: 1,203
Yeah I could not care less what other people see. There are two ways to sit up front: pay for it outright (or via FCM) or fly enough so that you occasionally get upgraded to FC. Either way, you earn the right to sit there and the opinion of the other FC passengers matters as much as a hill of beans.
