Upgrade Shenanigans? [Consolidated] {Archive}
Oct 13, 2017, 9:54 pm
#661
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Miami, Florida
Programs: AA ExPlat, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Spire, Hilton Gold
Posts: 4,009
Just because FlyerTalkers are obsessive doesn't mean the average fly is too. I would venture to guess most don't check. Scammers know that. Takes what, 7 seconds to get your ID out of your wallet. I'll take that. Wonder how many things you have missed out on in life because 7 seconds is too much for you to make sure someone else doesn't take what is yours if you are not obsessive. And I would also venture to guess there are far ore than 1 scam attempt. But your good feelings about human nature are to be admired, if not misplaced.
Oct 13, 2017, 10:07 pm
#662
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: LAS
Programs: 3 MMer
Posts: 458
It is my opinion that handing ANY pax a b/p without verification is a major situation waiting to happen!
The 7 second concern about inconvenience may just bite someone in the butt when the fake person decides to take the plane to Havana!
Oct 13, 2017, 10:33 pm
#663
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 2,531
Every pax sitting in a seat MUST show their id at TSA to get on a plane. Should somewhere down the line should a seat assignment be changed then it is only proper that ANY person changing seats identify themselves to the g/a to make sure that the correct person is getting on the plane and in the proper seat.
It is my opinion that handing ANY pax a b/p without verification is a major situation waiting to happen!
Doesn't seem like a security lapse at all, and as a scam it seems like is has a low likelihood to succeed since even people who don't obsessively check for seat assignment changes on their phone probably do if they are #1 on the upgrade list. In fact, that's what happened here!
Oct 13, 2017, 10:39 pm
#664
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Ewa Beach, Hawaii
Posts: 10,909
You would be surprised at how many GS and 1K's have no clue of their benefits. You need to take your blinders off and see the bigger picture.
Oct 13, 2017, 10:54 pm
#665
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: LAS
Programs: 3 MMer
Posts: 458
100% of the time I fly domestic I have never been asked for my id.
All I'm saying, and you know what I mean, without being ticky tacky with semantics, is that any time a NEW b/p is doled out, the pax SHOULD cough up proof of who they are.
Pretty simple!
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Oct 14, 2017 at 1:50 am Reason: Overly personalized comment removed, FT Rule 12
Oct 14, 2017, 10:51 am
#666
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Miami, Florida
Programs: AA ExPlat, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Spire, Hilton Gold
Posts: 4,009
There's no "bigger picture" here. By your logic, every passenger should have to show ID and boarding pass while boarding, with a flight attendant verifying that each person sits in his assigned seat. There's VASTLY more of this type of seat-poaching in economy.
Oct 14, 2017, 11:38 am
#667
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: Ewa Beach, Hawaii
Posts: 10,909
And on International flights you DO have to show your ID when boarding.
Oct 15, 2017, 12:59 pm
#668
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: CO
Programs: UA OG-1K, Marriott Plat, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,360
1k with an RPU on a DEN-LAS flight. Just trying to burn them before the end of the year. There have been three people upgraded- so much for RPUs. The plane has been 12cap, 11 booked and 11 checked in since this morning. Now, hour before flight it goes to Booked:full, but still only 11 checked in.
So an hour before the flight someone gets rebooked, but isn’t checked in. Seat still open.
Frankly, for a Sunday afternoon flight, a CPU should be a good chance. When you can’t even burn one on a DEN-LAS flight? And some shenanigans have been going on.
So an hour before the flight someone gets rebooked, but isn’t checked in. Seat still open.
Frankly, for a Sunday afternoon flight, a CPU should be a good chance. When you can’t even burn one on a DEN-LAS flight? And some shenanigans have been going on.
Oct 15, 2017, 1:02 pm
#669
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: BOS/EAP
Programs: UA 1K, MR LTT, HH Dia, Amex Plat
Posts: 32,048
what evidence of that do you have? I have seen 20/20 booked on Saturdays with zero upgrades ... you know, some pax just buy First. And Sunday afternoon is not 'low' at all.
Oct 15, 2017, 1:10 pm
#670
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: CO
Programs: UA OG-1K, Marriott Plat, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,360
It isn’t the capacity, it is the way that the held that seats and now 15 minutes before boarding the person hasn’t even checke in yet.
Oct 15, 2017, 1:45 pm
#671
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: LAS
Programs: 3 MMer
Posts: 458
Oct 15, 2017, 2:18 pm
#672
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SFO
Programs: AC SE MM, BA Gold, SQ Silver, Bonvoy Tit LTG, Hyatt Glob, HH Diamond
Posts: 44,331
Happened to me twice today --- BOS & EWR --- #1 on the list with 2 open --- last min --- cheap-o buy-up's, with 15/30 mins to go, I'm think-in?
I'm sure it appeared like what you described, and it certainly wasn't expensive, but it was not a "buy-up".
Some people just buy last minute tickets.
Oct 15, 2017, 2:35 pm
#673
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: BNA
Programs: HH Gold. (Former) UA PP, DL PM, PC Plat
Posts: 8,184
If a person takes someone else's upgraded BP then boards, which BP do they scan?
If they scan their own, the upgrade shows as not boarded and someone else is upgraded into that seat.
If they scan the upgraded BP, their own BP isn't scanned and they show as a no-show and the rest of their itinerary is cancelled.
If they scan their own, the upgrade shows as not boarded and someone else is upgraded into that seat.
If they scan the upgraded BP, their own BP isn't scanned and they show as a no-show and the rest of their itinerary is cancelled.
Oct 15, 2017, 3:05 pm
#674
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, UA Gold, WN, Global Entry; +others wherever miles/points are found
Posts: 14,414
SDCs are also a very common cause. If my original flight has a delay, I might go to the airport early and SDC at the counter to another flight ~60m before it departs.
Oct 15, 2017, 3:19 pm
#675
Join Date: Jan 2016
Programs: UA 1K; *G, AA Plat
Posts: 1,700
Recent recollections come to mind where I've SDC'd and that grab a CPU around ten minutes later.