Do cabin crew know you are flying on an award ticket....
 

....if you are in first or bussines class? If they do does if effect the service you get or change their attitude towards you?

If they checked your boarding pass they would know. But I have not had a need for that to happen in a long time. The crew would have no idea! You would be treated just as good (bad) as the rest of FC.

[This message has been edited by jimc_usa (edited 07-05-2003).]

On AA the cabin crew gets a Passenger Information Listing (PIL). PILs for first and business are usually posted in the galleys so the FAs will know passenger names. Each name has a series of two-to-four-letter codes that give the type of ticket (paid, paid in lower class of service with award upgrade, award, etc.), the passenger's AA or oneWorld partner elite level, Admiral's Club membership, and a host of others - there's even a code for "prisoner in handcuffs."

Most FAs don't know what the rarer codes mean, but the list is printed on the back of the meal request form. (Unless they're using photocopies; nobody would copy the back.)

They stamp your hand with a big black "X" when you board. This tells flight attendants that you can not order alcoholic drinks and you go last for dinner choices. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

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Going back to the bAAsics
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United's onboard manifests do not indicate what type of ticket you are flying on. So generally, Flight Attendants on United have no idea if you are flying on a Full Fare, Discount and/or upgraded ticket.

The UA manifests usually just indicate United Mileage Plus, United Global Services or Star Alliance frequent flyer status.

Alinlondon, welcome to FT. Since this forum seeks to connect FTers to get-togethers and the personal aspects of FTers, I'm going to move this topic to the more appropriate FT Miles Buzz. Please continue it there!
Thanks,
Ocn Vw 1K, Moderator, Community

If you're traveling on United in international first on an award ticket, the cabin crew knows you aren't an employee. So you don't get very good service.

<Duck>

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View from the Wing: A blog about Free Miles and Free Markets

On a flight from Frankfurt to Dallas, my friend and I got some pretty good prices on seats and then upgraded to business class. Being the miles monger he has been due to his love for flying, AND the fact that he ALWAYS asks about the possibility of being upgraded due to his status, the FA was extremely amazed that he flew in 1st class (when he purchased an economy ticket) because of him asking for an upgrade. It was a quiet flight for me in the (peon) Business Class seat. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

At least on AA, yes, the FA's know.

On BA they crew do not know if you are on a reward ticket or if you have used miles or a voucher to upgrade.

They do kow if you have been bumped up due to over selling.

Also according to NWA personel they have no clue either.

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Sorry mama i gots to get all the miles i can

Brian

I am in London right now, having traveled on United First Class on Mileage Plus points, in line with my "drain my United Mileage Plus account while they're still in business" strategy. (Sorry, Randy and any United devotees.) Service was excellent, with no apparent discrimination. I was surprised, however, that they didn't hand out any amenity packs to ANY First Class passengers.

By the way, gleff: I had to read your message a couple of times, but yes, I finally got the joke. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

They must've thought you were an employee, just not in uniform.

I fly international buisness class on UA about once a year on an employee buddy-pass, and they always know that i'm not a regular paying customer.

Ah, so you could theoretically upgrade twice (since they didn't know you upgraded the first time)? I mean that you could do an award upgrade ahead of time, and then the paid inflight upgrade on top of that? (My understanding -- correct me if I'm wrong -- is that each upgrade can only be used to take you up one class, so this trick would seem to be a way to upgrade two classes, tho of course only if each is available at their separate times.)

The ticketing and check-in staff can see exactly how you paid and upgraded. No double upgrades seldom happen.