tale

Last night I was coming back from LAX to EWR on a UA PS flight. I used an instrument to upgrade my flight (as there are no complimentary upgrades). When I went to bed the seat next to me was empty.
When I woke up there was a young lady sleeping in it, a little while after that FA came by to talk to her and I noticed a strong resemblance between the two. So I figured that they were related.

I thought that it was sweet that she upgraded her daughter, but when I asked how often does she get to fly with her mother (in a friendly manner ) she became very defensive.

I am glad that someone got to use that seat and it didn't really affect me (other than having to step over someone) but thought that the whole thing was strange...

jp12687

man people should just mind their own business.

nomad420

Don't know what exactly happened here but I have been upgraded literally in the air very recently. It wasn't a PS flight but it was a TCON. At push back they said I was upgraded and after seat belt light went off I was allowed to change my seat. This happened a few weeks backs and was probably the "latest" upgrade I have experienced. Can't comment on whether this was a upgraded NRSA pax but just say'n late upgrades do occur.

mahasamatman

Not as bad as asking a woman if she's pregnant, but still pretty intrusive and presumptive.

prncess674

I was thinking the same thing. The OP has no idea how or why the person was upgraded and assumed because she was young that she must be her daughter is rude.

jhayes_1780

And depending on how young.... the question can very well sound creepy.

And if it wasn't actually a relative, I can also see why the defense mechanisms kicked in.

tarheelnj

I've seen this from the other side as well. I was flying EWR-HKG on a 772 in 8E with 8D open. As soon as the flight took off, I spread out between the two seats, opening both tray tables, so I could have my laptop on one and work documents on the other. After the bell sounded, an FA came over and told me they were upgrading someone into 8E. Appeared to be a business flyer (maybe a GS?) who must have seen the open seat and complained about it. He didn't seem happy and I didn't ask. I usually like to say hi to the person I'll be sitting next to for 16 hours, but sometimes your instincts tell you MYOB.

COSPILOT

I've learned over the years to never make assumptions, ever. Late 40's now, and I stink at assuming age, and I stink at assuming anything not sales related to my industry. Could have also been a broken seat in the back, an awkward moment with a stranger and the FA decided to move her. Who knows, and it doesn't matter.

Heck I still suck at assuming what my wife is thinking, and we have been together for more than 18 years.

zombietooth

I once had a young minor placed next to me on a NRT flight and I was very uncomfortable talking to the kid for that very reason. But she just wouldn't leave me alone and I didn't want to seem mean. After takeoff, the father came up from the aft J-cabin to apologize for the situation. I asked if he wanted to swap seats so he could sit with his child, but he declined, saying that each parent was sitting with a younger child in different locations and that it would have to be a complicated swap involving 3 seats in order for it to work out. He asked if I wouldn't mind having his daughter as a seat mate and, if not, that he could get another NR friend of his to sit next to her. I decided that the situation seemed low risk, with her in the aisle seat (2-2-2 PMCO config), and kept my original seat. She did talk incessantly but was intelligent and precocious and actually understood some of the science involved in my business, so the flight went OK.

HoustonConsultant

Do you like movies about gladiators?

Just no way to do anything other than being quiet to avoid coming across as creepy.

cerps343

It's a shame that in today's society just trying to have a casual conversation comes across as creepy... You can learn about other people, cultures, ways of life etc. just from striking up a random conversation.

drewguy

If I were #1 on the list and the GAs didn't process the upgrade until after the flight took off (i.e, didn't process it) I'd be somewhat annoyed too at having to move at that point, rather than while still on the ground. (Although I'd probably get over it quickly with a post-PDB.)

HoustonConsultant

There are a few hundred different ways to strike up a casual conversation in today's society.

Asking a young woman you do not know how often she gets to travel with her mother (who you do not know if they are related at all) is probably not one of those ways.
.

COEWR2587

tale

I could not agree more, what has the world come to. This was not some creepy come on it was a single question. It was because I noticed that FA was coming to her exclusively, and even placed a fruit bowl at her seat while she was asleep, so I assumed that there was some connection between the two.

The only reason this whole situation struck me as strange is that I was in a number of situations where I was on the upgrade list and my upgrade did not clear, however when I checked a seat map when the door was closing there were open seats. So age-old question comes to mind, who comes first rev or non rev preferential treatment for friends or family members