COEWR2587

I notice on many non-full flights the FA will come over the speaker and ask people to ring the bell if they are interesting in paying to move up into E+. Like always, no one seems to budge.

Has anyone seen people actually decide to upgrade once they are on the plane? Do the FA's or GA's make any comission on these last minute push for sell?

lax2010

I am thinking this is more like a (clever) way for the FA to tell passengers in the back NOT to move up. I don't believe they really expect people to buy up.

Sorry! This isn't answering your question.

ual744777sta

I've seen the opposite, people go invite themselves over and waive to their companions back in row 32 to come back up and no one ring the bell to tell the FA to charge them.

PV_Premier

i was on a very interesting flight a few weeks ago from DEN-GRR where every elite member on the plane was upgraded to F (waitlist had zero names and F was 5/8) and E+ was a ghost town with only two people in it after CPUs were processed. as best I could tell from F, E- was actually fairly full.

FAs were staunchly defending E+ seats during and after boarding, asking folks no less than three times to take their assigned seats unless they were interested in buying up. noone did, not surprising for the price they were asking (i believe it was $59 or 69 for that flight). for the record i commend the FAs for protecting the value of E+, but at the same time I dont remember these announcements on moderately full flights in the past, and certainly not with the frequency I have experienced them of late.

goodeats21

Last trip I saw something rather ingenious.

I was in 12A on ERJ145. I watched a passenger board at the very end of boarding and, after glancing around, took a seat in the unoccupied 12B/12C.

I then watched as he confirmed on the iPhone UA app seating chart...I assume checking to make sure no one was going to come on board and kick him out of the seat.

Slick...unless GA clears some standbys or something.

aacharya

Maybe many folks were trying to self-upgrade, so the FAs had to make more announcements?

SunLover

These days the FA's are requiring passengers sitting in an exit row to verbally confirm their understanding agreement to help out in case of emergency. So had the FA had look at a flight manifest they would have seen it clearly. UA seems loathe to put kettles in the exit rows unsolicited, and that is why many times seats 21B and 21E are the last filled.


SunLover

PV_Premier

i think that is right, and like i said, i have no beef with that...there is value there that has real monetary value. i just have been hearing those PA announcements about $$ for E+ a lot more since 3/3 (both pmUA and pmCO crews -- DEN-GRR was the former). previously the FAs would tend to approach the customer(s) directly and discreetly remind them there was an upcharge rather than blasting it over the PA.

dbaker

The manifest doesn't list exit row occupants or seat assignments in the non-premium cabins.

sbm12

I saw a bunch buy up on IAD-GRU a couple years ago. Probably a dozen or so.

docbert

I've used the mobile website more than a few times to "suggest" to the person in the middle seat next to me that they might find it more comfortable in the aisle seat 2 rows back, which is free at the moment and will probably stay that way...

So far I'm about 3/4 for it working.

mathgeek1978

FA: If you would like to upgrade to an economy plus seat, we have several seats available for $69. If you are interested, please let us know and we'll be happy to process your upgrade.

PAX on an exit row seat: It costs $69 to sit here?

FA: Yes, and I'll be right back to upgrade you, I'll just need your credit card...

PAX disappear soon after the conversation...

drewguy

That's what I figured too . . . it's a softer way to tell people those seats cost extra.

FlyinHawaiian

Yes, a few times. One that I clearly remember was on a LAX-IAD flight on a pmUA 757. A couple boarded towards the end on their way back to their seats at the back of the bus and noticed that there were empty seats at Row 20 so they decided that they would rather sit there. The FA came over, informed them of the upgrade fee, and processed it using the handheld card reader.

I've done that as well; a great trick when it works out for myself and the person no longer stuck next to me.

alex_b

More subtle that Comfort Class on TK where the crew put massive "Comfort Class Only" stickers on the headrest of all unoccupied seats. It doesn't stop people trying it on though.