Can a gate agent upgrade someone because they like you or you tip them?
 

My father, who use to fly alot years ago, always told me that he had friends working for the Airline as a Gate Agent who upgraded him to Business or First Class because they knew and liked him. That might of been a story of a simplier time in Air Travel, or maybe not.

I always wondered if the Gate Agent can actually push the right buttons on his/her computer to upgrade their "friends or relatives" who bought a coach class ticket. Can this be done?

great question by the OP.

sometimes, maybe your dad dreamed that it happened, and sometimes it was a middle seat in the middle section of a 747 landing in Lima, Peru!!!

:D

Not as much as in prior years, but it still does happen quite a lot.

Who flies 747s to Lima? Never seen one there.

Just an FYI. They don't upgrade the kind of people who look like they are going to sit around and complain and annoy other passengers.

It isn't like the days when your father travelled. The airlines do a pretty good job of maximizing the revenue from the up front space.

It definitely can and does happen. If ever the 'first impressions' rule takes effect, that's the situation it applies to. You've got about 10 seconds to win the favor of a GA in order to sit in comfort. That's a lot of favor to garner in that short an amount of time. :D

I generally consider myself charming (when I want to be :p), even in the face of adversity (miss a connection, etc... - as it relates to flying) but it has only worked for me once that I got an upgrade just by being a nice guy. The stars really need to be in alignment for both the upgrade-hopeful and the GA.

Several years back on BA, my wife went up to the gate agent and asked any chance of an upgrade? He moved us both of to business without any charge. We never new why, he didn't say anything just handed her new boarding passes.

I know someone who this happens to regularly - he has a relative in the industry and gets upgraded fairly frequently (even with no status) when there is room up front.

Well, let me tell you what happened to me . . .
 

Two stories.

One: About 10 years ago I was visiting a friend in San Francisco on a US award ticket (coach, low mileage award). Her husband worked for an air freight company, and somebody at USAir owed him a favor. He called his friend that morning as I left for the aiport. When I got to the gate, I told the GA that I thought I was maybe supposed to be upgraded. In the usual harsh, sneering USAir way, she started to say, "No, that would be an extra cost . . ." then she saw something on the res, and I was in first. She didn't utter a word as she issued the boarding pass.

Two: Only last spring, on a cheap coach ticket to Madrid, I was sitting in the gate waiting for my PHL-MAD leg jabbering on the phone to a friend. I was right next to the podium. As I'm chatting the GA walks over and says, "Are you travelling alone sir?" I looked up and smiled and nodded. "Can I have your boarding pass, please?" I handed it over. I was having such a good time with my conversation that I hardly thought about it. Moments later she returned with a new boarding pass. It was like 2C or something. I gasped; told my friend with a chuckle, "I think I just got upgraded to first!" After I got off the phone, I checked with her, and thanked her. I think I was chosen because 1) the flight was full and there was one empty seat in first, and I was alone 2) I was conveniently close to the podium 3) I was dressed decently, in khakis and a dress shirt. This will probably never happen again, but it sure was nice on that long transatlantic flight . . . .

I've seen them in claustrophobic dreams, but only if I'm sober. To the OP's great question, the answer is yes.

Sure! Why not?
 

Back in Anchorage, when I was in elementary school, my very best friend was the son of an AS Senior VP. We always found ourselves upgraded when my family flew AS to go visit the "lower 48." ^

Even better was the fact that my family owned a Chinese restaurant back in Anchorage. Back then, Anchorage was an important gateway for flights to Asia. A lot of homesick Chinese would come visit the restaurant and socalize, including some China Airlines employees, who would come by and make themselves known to my folks. Whenever we went to the check-in counter, there was usually somebody there we recognized. They always gave us any upgrades, and I knew my folks never bought anything but economy. I thought it was the coolest thing when I was a kid! We were always seated upstairs in the 747s!


Steve :D

I dont know any gate agents, or related to any ... BUT

I probably get upgraded at no cost 1 out of every 3 Trans-Con flights just because I believe that I might be the most polite and pleasant traveler they will meet during their shift.

When I have the chance, I volunteer to bump, and even if there is room on the plane, they may upgrade me just for volunteering.

I am a pretty easy going traveler, and dont get upset at things they cannot control. Have learned that a positive attitude, no matter what the situation, is gonna be rewarded.

Gate agents can be your absolute best friends (which I prefer), or your worst enemy (if you treat them like $hit and have a bad attitude, then, thats what you get)

My question is.... does the gate agent have the authority to upgrade (to business or first class) someone (they know or like) flying on a low cost economy class ticket?

Years ago when I worked at a hotel, I was not able to assign a upgraded room to customers who paid a discounted rate, the computer would not allow me to assign a certain room without a managers overwrite code that I did not have access to.

I wonder if the Gate Agent needs a certain access code or management authority to give a low fare economy customer an upgrade (who is not using an upgrade certificate, miles or paying extra at the gate). ??

Yes.

No matter what the "rule" book says, almost anyone can do anything inside the system.

Many many years ago I used to date a FA - got a great inside look at the bidness.

My parents have gutten Lufthwaffe upgrades and they don't even have FF#'s for that airline - my mom has that attractivive grade-school fear-me vibe that all ex-teachers have and my stepfather is an inveterate upgrade grabber. They do better than I do, and I spend $100K/year on tix.

Look at it this way - if the cashier at Jiffy Lube can get you a free washer fluid fill-up at a franchise location, how hard for a GA to get you into business on an open seat?

But that's why GAs are audited for unusual transaction such as "comp" upgrades to those who don't pay or without status. I'm sure the occasional upgrade is okay, but doing this consistently without cause could get a GA in big trouble.