BigBossman

flying with family and have four tickets for four passengers, including my 18 month year old. We boarded first, but near the end of boarding a passenger came on with a seat assignment for my 18month year old's seat.

Boarding passenger was stand-by (I asked her) and I told her the seat was already taken. FA came by and asked if that was a lap child, and I said no he isn't, GA came on too and I had to show my boarding passes. GA stated that the computer must not have scanned the one boarding pass and then left me and my family alone.

i had noticed the FA looking for empty seats earlier in boarding as well. On my return flight today, they then again asked if my son was a lap child or not during boarding. I also overhead the FA ask a young family the same question a few rows back too. It is almost like they don't even look at the manifest. My children even have MP FF accounts too.

Allan38103

Some opportunistic FT reader is probably thinking right now, "How can I get a free $1000 ticket like this lady did", or "How else can I game the system?"

Would you sit with a two-year old on you lap for $1000? A lot of passengers do that. There's even a name - lap children.

You will need to have a legitimate Boarding Pass to start with, but figure a way to get on the plane without scanning it. Then, when the computer gives away your seat to a standby, you can object, complain, threaten, or do whatever works depending on the situation.

Just for the sake of being cynical, how do we know that the mother even scanned her child's BP?

blueman2

It is not the responsibility of the passenger to scan a boarding pass. It is the responsibility of the airline. If it was not scanned, it was the airline's fault.

And, just what does the mother gain by not scanning the child's boarding pass on purpose? Seriously, you are overthinking this one. UA screwed up. It does not seem like some dark, sinister plot by the mom to somehow get money from UA.

CodeAdam10

When corporations become reactive instead of proactive, and apologizes become the norm with missteps taking place time after time across the board -- it is time for that company to rethink it's culture and values at the bitter core ... not just on the surface.

Kmxu

This is true. Eventually, the pax had to suffer for the mistake of GA. Two weeks ago, I boarded for a delayed flight as a standby pax. My ticket was cancelled because United's system treated me as a "no show" on the originally booked flight. It took me 30 min to get my ticket back, fortunately.

Allan38103

$1000 (and a voucher)

blueman2

So you are saying the mother planned all of this out? Interesting assertion. Outlandish, but interesting!

Duke787

No I didn't miss any of that but again good luck with disobeying an FA even if you are in the right. Seriously let me know how arguing with an FA turns out in today's world. She did say something, was told basically to shut up and decided not to push it for fear of reourcussions. That's a pretty rational train of thought in this day and age where FAs and airline employees have all the power and we collectively as consumers have none.

I'm not saying it's right but it's roughly as stupid as arguing with a cop when you are in the right - there are some instances where you are better off letting events unfold and getting them handled after the fact.

mauve

If pay you $1000 for something, and then you take it back and return my $1000, I don't gain $1000. I break even. Actually, I'm behind since I just wasted my time.

This sounds very much like the argument I've seen here that I should be grateful to take the cash downgraded from F to Y, even if it's less than the fare difference if I booked Y originally.

denuaflier

Here we go again blaming the victim. United needs to retrain their staff and emphasis the fact that they are in service business (whether they like it or not) and they need to stop blaming their customers.

I seriously think it is time to #LiquidateUnited

These people have no business staying in business.

johnden

IME, having possession of the seat and a boarding pass is enough.

A number of passengers have approached my seat with a duplicate boarding pass. Sometimes it is a standby passenger, other times the GA changed my seat and never told me (I always keep a snapshot of my boarding pass just in case).

If the GA really wants to IMDB/offload me, to involuntarily re-seat me, or to involuntarily downgrade me, they will come on the flight and ask. I'll ask for compensation and the conversation usually ends there. If not, I'll move.

However I will never leave a seat I posses only because another passenger has a duplicate seat assignment. The 2nd passenger will need to fetch the GA and start the discussion. I see no need to make it easy for an airline to inconvenience myself.

MatthewLAX

One word: IAH.

Flagonwithdragon

"United gave toddler's seat away — and made his mom hold him for 3-hour flight"

http://www.chicagotribune.com/busine...705-story.html

A paid seat, no less, and contrary to safety recommendations. Oh well...

howahya

"Yamauchi is unsatisfied with the explanation. “I saw them zap both tickets. There was no issue, no problem. They let us through. It just doesn’t add up. It’s very weird,” she said."

Someone posted that ^^ on page 2. Weird indeed, how little potential lap toddlers keep being the ones that are mis-scanned.

Could the FA have gone through the plane and done a head count and told the GA that a certain seat was probably available? Maybe s/he didn't see the toddler's head, or was just being wishful about the open seat.

I was a standby on a WN flight a couple of weeks ago and I was the last one on the plane. My boarding pass gave a weird beep and the GA sent someone to run off and get a new one so it would give the proper beep. They didn't let me move until the proper beep was emitted, even though the flight was already delayed and it was just a formality getting me on.

jphripjah

I agree, it seems she let the guy sit in her kid's seat and then complained.