FA given upgrade over CPU?
#32
Join Date: Feb 2014
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Gosh, I don't know where to start - but everything here is untrue.
OP: why didn't you say something to the GA if you saw this happening? You missed the upgrade because the GA was lazy and didn't want to bother, but you should have hit your call button or spoken up if she was nearby and told her you were next on the list and she needs to clear the list.
OP: why didn't you say something to the GA if you saw this happening? You missed the upgrade because the GA was lazy and didn't want to bother, but you should have hit your call button or spoken up if she was nearby and told her you were next on the list and she needs to clear the list.
#33
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Denver
Posts: 451
I saw something similar happen on a flight once. GA came on to upgrade someone into the last first class seat because there was a no show. She went to the right row, but asked the person in the wrong seat. The person she asked seemed confused as to why they were being upgraded, but didn't question it and got up and got their stuff before the GA realized her mistake and asked the person next to them. Made for a bit of an awkward situation, but at least the pax who got bamboozled ended up with an entire row of E+ to themselves as their seatmate vacated to first. And at least it was corrected before they actually got to the seat and settled in.
#34
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I'd prefer they not clear the last seat (or several) until boarding is complete, if those seats are booked but not checked in, until they fix some issues with their PSS. Since 3/3 I've had a couple boardings where I was told I was not checked in when I scanned my BP at the gate and I wouldn't want to introduce another way to lose confirmed upgrades over IT glitches.
#35
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i had it happen to me at ABQ one time -- GA calls me up to give me the upgrade, prints out the boarding pass and realizes that it doesn't have my name on it but someone else's. not as awkward as it going on within the tube, but same concept, and i lived through it and really didn't upset me that much. GA profusely apologized and asked the FAs to give me free drinks in coach (this was pre-3/3). with the huge snowstorm blowing into IAD, i would have taken a seat in the cargo hold to avoid being stuck in ABQ.
#36
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The one time, many years ago PMCO, when I did remain quiet and failed to speak out aggressively, I ended up screwing myself and 3 other people on the list when a GA came on board and moved a father and his mentally challenged son up and ignored the remaining passengers on the list - and F went out with one empty seat to boot.
I won't be doing that again - every time I smell shenanigans or laziness, I will be punching the call button or offering a loud "excuse me" in order to clear up any "misunderstanding".
#37
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Chicago, IL
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pilots are confirmed in First Class. As for other employees on company business, they are booked in coach and behind revenue passengers waiting for complimentary upgrades.
#38
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I had a slightly odd variant of this last night.
2-class 763 swapped for 3-class 763. First not for sale as I asked at the lounge when I got my new seat.
At the gate employee +3 family members (they were listed on both the standby and the upgrade to Business lists), asks Gate Agent about First. Agent says they are not selling it, and the system shows no availability to sell - zero'ed out.
Passenger explains she knows how to do that - goes around the desk, taps the computer and 5 minutes later she has four F boarding passes.
She, her husband and her two teenage kids enjoyed their seats in F whilst the other passengers were squeezed in to the tiny seats on the 3-class 763.
2-class 763 swapped for 3-class 763. First not for sale as I asked at the lounge when I got my new seat.
At the gate employee +3 family members (they were listed on both the standby and the upgrade to Business lists), asks Gate Agent about First. Agent says they are not selling it, and the system shows no availability to sell - zero'ed out.
Passenger explains she knows how to do that - goes around the desk, taps the computer and 5 minutes later she has four F boarding passes.
She, her husband and her two teenage kids enjoyed their seats in F whilst the other passengers were squeezed in to the tiny seats on the 3-class 763.
#39
Join Date: Jul 2010
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I was on a flight last year going from EWR to SFO. There was one empty seat and I was #1 on the list. I was waiting for them to upgrade me but they didn't because we were 1 hr late. They just closed the doors and that was it. I was pretty ticked off but I just got over it.
#40
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A 1K on an M fare should have trumped a CPU in any event.
But, the fact is that once you board, you have lost your place on the UG list unless you have made specific arrangements w. the GA and the GA has specifically agreed to come find you if you make it.
What you saw here isn't likely shennanigans, but rather exactly why it is a bad idea -- other than for the pax who misses the UG -- to disrupt the boarding process for UG's. Messing around finding people on a list as the clock ticks down is exactly what delays flights.
This is one where, had OP waited at the gate because F had not boarded full, he would have been standing there when the seat came open (and presumably #1 had boarded or not and lost his slot).
But, the fact is that once you board, you have lost your place on the UG list unless you have made specific arrangements w. the GA and the GA has specifically agreed to come find you if you make it.
What you saw here isn't likely shennanigans, but rather exactly why it is a bad idea -- other than for the pax who misses the UG -- to disrupt the boarding process for UG's. Messing around finding people on a list as the clock ticks down is exactly what delays flights.
This is one where, had OP waited at the gate because F had not boarded full, he would have been standing there when the seat came open (and presumably #1 had boarded or not and lost his slot).
#41
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#42
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#44
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Good. Part of the evil effect of Shena happening for the SWU/miles upgrades on flights like SIN-NRT is that people will have already burned SWUs/miles for the TPAC segment in most cases, so that when their upgrade is unfairly denied, they get no form of refund.
#45
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: DFW
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I had the same thing happen to me on a flight from SFO-PVG, and I got an "apology" email, saying "we are sorry you did not get your upgrade." I was first on the waiting list all day, then while boarding was still going on, number 2 on both the first and business upgrade lists (same person) was upgraded and moved to business. My itinerary on my mobile app showed me in business, but I could not refresh my boarding pass. I showed the purser who said not to worry, that I really was not upgraded. On arrival in Shanghai, I complained and got the aforementioned email, and it took three more emails and a fax to get my upgrade returned. The service reps kept arguing with me that I got my upgrade, so why was I complaining.