On my flight from Dubai to Riyadh, I asked about the 'purchase of an upgrade'. They sent me to the ticketing office where the fellow took my dough (equivalent to $70US) and rushed me back down to the gate. I was told there was no time to pick up the new ticket. They crossed out Y and the seat #, wrote in J and the new seat number in pen. I asked for my reciept that he had written. But he claimed that it was needed to get the voucher from ticketing.... Yeah right :rooleyes:!

I didn't mind, I was in upper deck. But did they pocket the money or not..... Things that make you go HHhhhmmmmm....

I am very very curious re the forbes article, and i'm a little tempted to give it a go, just for the fun of it.

I have a comp upgrade on a transpac flight in a couple of weeks, but my partner will be flying in Y. I'm curious whether the $50 note in the ticket wallet at the biz checkin may just yield a biz class for my partner.

If anyone does try any of these, i am definitely curious to know the result and what the reaction of the agent was! - particularly the 'i know the CEO one...'

What's amazing is that someone actually gets paid to write this bull.

Does it happen .02% of the time. Probably, but that's such a low percentage that it doesn't warrant an article. I can just see some people trying this with AA, UA, US, DL, etc., agents. Not a chance. If anything they'll be reassigned to 31E next to the crying baby.

Int'l carriers...maybe it works but if you have some elite status (especially the higher ones) you'll get a favor anyhow in foreign countries without the bribe. Not to mention the fact that most sage, international travellers would ever engage in this behavior.

More nonsense from the media when there are other more important, yet difficult, things to report on.

LLZ, did you read the article? It was OBVIOUSLY satire.