Could you please help me understand this...

Old Nov 9, 2015, 8:40 am
  #1  
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Question Could you please help me understand this...

Curious fact happened on flight LX92 (ZRH-GRU) on day 6th nov 2015.
I am pretty curious to understand what happened and, maybe, turn this experience in my favour...

I got on the plane with priority boarding (due to *Gold status). I went to my seat (23D). The seat next to me (23E) was free during my check in and it remained free till almost the boarding was completed.

At a certain point, a pretty blonde young girl (in her 20s, probably, german speaking) came to the seat 23E. While still standing, she looked around for a long time. She left one of her two small hand baggages on the seat and went to seat in the rear part of the aircraft. Boarding completed, just before the plane began to move, the girl came back on seat 23D.

Apparently she was in friendly acquaintance with a lady member of the crew. After the dinner, as soon as the lights were turned off, the lady crew member came to us, talked with the young lady seated on 23E and, after a short trip toward the back of the plane, they both crossed me again and went into business class section.
The young lady never came back to her (her?!) seat in 23E. The next morning I saw her having breakfast in her new seat (8A or maybe 7B).

Well... I really would like to know how to "play" the same way to get a free business class trip, especially in the route ZRH-GRU as me, neither when I was Miles&More FTL nor now that I am a poor A3*Gold, never never never got an upgrade on this route...

Anyone could help to explain the facts?
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Old Nov 9, 2015, 9:09 am
  #2  
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I have seen that happen before, probably a crew member. Swiss has upgraded me 3 times already on the ZRH-BKK & SIN routes. You will not get an upgrade as a Star Gold unless the plane is oversold, there is no magical formula otherwise.
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Old Nov 9, 2015, 9:13 am
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Could you please help me understand this...

I don't think the young lady was a crew member. She seemed as without experience as I helped her to extract the monitor from the armrest and, later, the table from the armrest...
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Old Nov 9, 2015, 9:38 am
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Originally Posted by Giamasetti
Anyone could help to explain the facts?
You witnessed a "friends & family" upgrade to an empty seat in Business Class.

It happens. It does not create any sort of entitlement or opportunity for you.

It is not a strategy either, except for this: Make friends with people working at an airline you fly regularly.
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Old Nov 9, 2015, 10:14 am
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Originally Posted by airoli
You witnessed a "friends & family" upgrade to an empty seat in Business Class.

It happens. It does not create any sort of entitlement or opportunity for you.

It is not a strategy either, except for this: Make friends with people working at an airline you fly regularly.
Ahahah! Thanks for the explanation.
"Friends&Family".... better program than mine, for sure
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Old Nov 9, 2015, 10:24 am
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Originally Posted by Giamasetti
Ahahah! Thanks for the explanation.
"Friends&Family".... better program than mine, for sure
Having a pretty blonde young girl status certainly doesn't hurt either.
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Old Nov 9, 2015, 2:54 pm
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Originally Posted by Giamasetti
I don't think the young lady was a crew member. She seemed as without experience as I helped her to extract the monitor from the armrest and, later, the table from the armrest...
Why don't you ask LX what happened with your "seat partner" on this flight? Would wonder what answer (to be serious: lie) they will send you!
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Old Nov 9, 2015, 3:00 pm
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Act concerned that she may have exited the aircraft during the flight?
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Old Nov 9, 2015, 7:02 pm
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Originally Posted by Air Rarotonga
Why don't you ask LX what happened with your "seat partner" on this flight? Would wonder what answer (to be serious: lie) they will send you!
Or maybe they would just say that where other people sit is none of your business. As they should.
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Old Nov 9, 2015, 11:51 pm
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Originally Posted by airoli
Or maybe they would just say that where other people sit is none of your business. As they should.
I doubt that they would be this bold. So many people would love to have this is in written to stomp loose the Twitter mob avalanche.

Imagine the variation this would offer? "Our Business is not your business" etc etc.

Plus they'd basically officially sanction the crew and F&F upgrades. And that with the stereotypical hot blonde ... that sounds unhealthy.
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Old Nov 10, 2015, 2:26 am
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Originally Posted by Giamasetti
I don't think the young lady was a crew member. She seemed as without experience as I helped her to extract the monitor from the armrest and, later, the table from the armrest...
To be generous, the lady might well have been any SWISS employee, but not necessarily well-travelled. I'm used to seeing the facebook pages SWISS friends littered with photos from premium cabins.

I'm not sure how buying an upgrade onboard works, but could this be an explanation - or perhaps an upgrade (subject to..) clause in a corporate agreement being clumsily enacted?

But, yes, most likely someone employed by the airline, or related (even on a temporary basis ) to a crew member.

Don't be envious - who knows? one day your day might come ....
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Old Nov 10, 2015, 2:54 am
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So, basically, for what I have understood reading above, the practice to upgrade Friends&Family is not regular and could be sanctioned?

I paid for my seat in economy, so I do not expect anything more and I am grateful even if I find a nice crew and, obviously, I will not ask Swiss to explain this episode as, as Weero wrote, "Swiss Business is not my business"

The hypothesis that IAN-UK wrote could be the right explanation...

Conclusion: life is easier when you are young, cute and blonde ...
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Old Nov 10, 2015, 3:12 am
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Originally Posted by Giamasetti
So, basically, for what I have understood reading above, the practice to upgrade Friends&Family is not regular and could be sanctioned?
..
To the best of my understanding it is extremely regular but could be sanctioned.

So usually, employees try to put a modicum in camouflage into the operation.
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