I would never condone the practice myself, but methinks that you would have more luck with ticket counter/gate agents vs. FAs.

IF they have empty first class or business class seats, would they have the authority to 'give' you a free upgrade? or perhaps sell them to you for just a few more dollars?

I mean do you just come right out and ask the ticket agent when you check in? Also, the gate agent is the guy by the boarding area right? Does he have the same authority?

I was op. upgraded once on airtran to biz class, but I was dressed nice than post pax. not sure if that counts, but yeah it was the agent at the gate who did it for me.

book on tipping is Tipping for Success.

Its more about how to be effective when tipping, not how to bribe people. Its a concise book, and while much of the advice is common sense it is still worthwhile. I have to admit, I thought it woudl be a little more revolutionary, but still its a useful book.

Congrats on being to moved to J. I haven't received an op-up for several years but... hope springs eternal.

However, unless you tipped the gate agent to get your new seating assignment, it was just a plain ol' operational upgrade and not really relevant to the OP.

Operational Upgrade?

Sometimes when a flight is overbooked, the airline will move a pax (usually an elite) into a higher class of service at no charge. This is known as an operational upgrade or op-up.

It's a rare ocurrance nowadays, but it does still happen. :)

NW will sell FC seats if available on transatlantic flights and probably on TP's as well. You have to buy them at least 1 hour before departure the GA told me when I asked last week. Cost I am not sure but think $400.

Thanks for the title of the book. ^

If it's their business, it's their money........if not it's theft if they pocket the money.

Your examples are so diverse and have some similiarities, but not all are the same ethical or moral dilemmas posed. ;)

Save the money/embarrasment
 

Have your friend try this before departure:

Put a cast from shin to foot. [Zip-up casts are available from medical supply shops. Important: have an ace bandage correctly wrapped on the ankle before donning the cast, so that if TSA asks for cast removal (due to the zipper), your lack of infirmity is hidden under the ace bandage]

Wear a pair of dress pants (get from Salvation Army thrift shop) with the casted trouser leg slit open. Wear a sport coat and tie, and be well-groomed.

Get a cane, not a crutch, also from SA thrift store.

Rehearse a couple of stories about how the injury happened: in general, the stories should involve not being as young as you used to be and/or chivalry (carrying your wife/girlfriend because the beach sand was too hot for her feet) and/or pets (ask if the agent likes cats: if yes, then "slipped on floor trying to avoid stepping on the month-old kittens"; if no, then "slipped on floor when the damn cat got underfoot"). Choice of story depends on friend's and agent's ages and genders. Helps if friend has kissed the Blarney stone ;)

At checkin, explain the misfortune, be charming but not demanding, and ask if it would be possible to get an upgrade.

It would help if your friend has elite level in the airline.

If successfull, keep the cast on until leaving the destination airport. If not successful, go to restroom before TSA, remove cast, and ditch cast and cane

Cmon folks, the OP wants some ideas on how to get upgraded, not a discussion on ethics of bribery, TSA, etc... :)

yes, I was upgraded to biz class on airtran without even offering a tip. I asked the gate agent how much to upgrade, and whether I could based on my fare. I think I had a discount fare, and you could upgrade to biz from a full price fare for $25. She upgraded me and never asked for anything. I didn't tip her either. This is not relevant to the OP, but is relevant to people who say its impossible for the FA or GA to do this. I'm sure there are FA's who would upgrade you for a discrete $50 if they thought the chances of getting caught were low, and this is probably even more likely in other countries. But note tipping and being allowed to sit up front is very different from having a guaranteed upgrade wtih meal, etc. The main difference is once the plane pulls away, the airline has lost the revenue opportunity.

I was offered an upgrade on ORD-LHR last month for a mere $6,300! :D

Was that the price they gave you at the check-in agent? or the gate agent? prior to take off.

I've tried this to no avail.

M8

We were upgraded from tourist to biz on BA returning from London, but the plane was oversold.

What I can't get over is seeing and hearing an FA take someone they know or who knows somebody in their family or something from tourist to biz or first after the plane takes off. I understand it. After all, it's the kind of thing we experience in this world all the time. My problem is I don't know anybody to get that kind of gift when I'm flying!

And yet I've heard stories about a husband and wife separated due to different tickets and one is in biz or first while the other is back with the great unwashed. The FAs wouldn't let them visit or sit together even for a few minutes! How rediculous!