It was operated by NWA. Not one of the regional airlines

Even if they did have status, there were plenty of seats up front. Why didn't I get brought forward as well? Should I be discriminated against because I am traveling alone? As I indicated, not a big deal...

If there were empty seats in the front & elites who were not upgraded, you need to inform NW of the situation via "Talk to Us". Otherwise there is little chance that the oversight will be corrected in the future.

That was a flight to Hawaii, elite status does not upgrade you on those fligths. (you need to read to previous post ;) )

Absolutely, I wasn't expecting the upgrade (the reason I brought a good sandwich along), but if we are being nice to newlyweds, why not be nice to me, too! Which is not to say that I've not had plenty of NW folks be nice to me at other times.
Tom

Maybe you were not as cute. :D

"Compare the worst of their days with the worst of your days..." (ahh, Morrissey)
 

Here's something else to consider: I've personally seen FAs have bad days that were far worse than how bad my days can get. Maybe the FA is on reserve, got a few hours of sleep the night before, and had a kid vomit down their uniform and it still stinks. Maybe the FA got screamed at by some disgruntled PAX and spent a flight crying in a galley. Maybe the FA just got furloughed that day. Maybe it was the FA's first day back from years furloughed and they had a rough time of it.

Alls I'm saying is that people in uniform put on their game face, most especially FAs sporting the polyester. We'd be the last to know just how bad their past few days have been. Perhaps the GA was being empathetic, and giving the FA a little help in staying collected.

Your thoughtfulness is very considerate, but the reality of the situation is if this did indeed happen this way, the GA was violating policy and should be disciplined. Flight attendants are compensated for their work. They work at the airline, at will, and are free to leave at any time. If they don't like the working conditions, the hours, the on-call schedule, the pay, the travel benefits, etc., they can tell NW to shove it and quit. Clearly not many think it's so bad, otherwise we wouldn't have people working in that position for the existing terms.

There are many more people who have nastier jobs, but they don't get upgraded. The trash collector hauls around stinky trash all day, but so what, that's his job that he get PAID to do. Someone who works the nightshift has crappy hours, but they get PAID to do it. Are they more worthy of an upgrade than someone who has flown the requisite number of miles or segments as published in the airline's own loyalty program guidelines?

While we don't know exactly what happened here, at the surface it sure looks like it's funny business. And I'm surprised at how many attempts are being made to justify it.

Did everyone miss this statement?
 

Four pages of whether the person upgraded was a FA or a pilot, an elite or not an elite, paying or being payed. But no discussion about the OP comment that he was not #1 on the list but #2.

I am not an expert on "the list" but I know there are many criteria for getting on it, and once on it the computer sorts you out by priority.

My take is that the person in uniform was #1 on the list and was not that concerned about the upgrade so when the agent asked her to board and take her seat since F had checked in full, she did just that. Boarded and took her seat. When the passenger assigned that seat did not show up than the agent "cleared the list" and went back and got the person in position one to take her assigned seat in FC.

We would all like to think that we are victims, and I am sure there are times we are, but I think that most of the agents obey the rules since they are audited very easily.

My belief is that you can not get on the list unless you are supposed to be on the list. Therefore I think the person ahead of the OP on the list is the one that got the upgrade.

Of course we can hypothesize about it for a few more months, but until the OP writes the letter and gets a reply no one will really know.

Is not also possible that the person upgraded was a FA for another airline that had to get to that city to bring a flight back. I think in that instance, just like if you or I are accomodated on a different airline a F ticket could have been purchased by her employer (the other airline) or at least a YUP since it was most likely at the last minute.

I don't know if the GA made a mistake or gave a favor or not, but I am sure it is documented in the computer. So write the letter and then let us know what if any response you get.

This is exactly how I pocketed $400 voucher on a recent DL SLC-JFK flight--they have to accommendate 3 deadhead pilots to JFK.

I doubt that NW would reply to the OP outlining what exactly happened.

But really, think about the likelihood that the deadheading FA is an elite. Think about the likelihood that the FA was on a purchased F ticket. Seriously, aren't these hypotheses rather obscure?

Most does not equal all. Most means that agents do disobey the rules on some occasions, right?

Sometimes I'm not sure what's more interesting, the FT related issues or some of their spinoffs. I found the thinking on men, women, and pay, fascinating, but ultimately entirely unconvincing. It may well be that women are discriminated against and earn less than their male counterparts. However, how does anything said above prove it? The answer is no.

The sample size of the test groups seems to be either 1 or 2 and what little legitimacy exists is overwhelmed by the tremendous bias of the tester being immediate family. Yet, the conclusion drawn is incredibly strong... sexism. After all, it couldn't be anything of the other few million variables, could it?

Uh, when any field gets more supply than demand, the pay is much less competitive and may sometimes, but not often decrease (except in the airline industry). In my field, law, many more women have joined over the past few decades than before, yet I'm pretty sure that pay is only going up. That doesn't mean that there is no discrimination, but it remains a very complicated subject and it ought to be treated as such. Men may often be in the "best" jobs, but they are just as often in the "worst" or most dangerous jobs. How many female coal miners and construction workers do you know?

I was a flight recently coming from CLT-MSP and a FA waited until everyone had boarded before taking a FC Seat. She was super nice to make sure everyone had been upgraded that qualified.

hear hear!!

well put

I dont make the rules in this world, I just call them when I see them.

This is incredible. Fire the GA!!!