JAXPax

Yes, this happened to me once (though I'm only a Gold) last September. Flight out of JAX to CLT was late... was connecting to PHL. Pulled into the gate about 3 minutes after the PHL departure time, came up my jetway and saw the PHL flight with jetway door still open directly across. Gate agent told me they were just waiting for a couple of people, and me and one other were allowed on, however told me that my First seat was "no longer available" and told me just to take like 6A without a boarding pass. Got down to the plane and of course overheads are full. I just had a rollaboard with me. Flight attendant said I'd have to gate check, and I refused, as I had a laptop and other electronics in it. Said that was fine, they'd just put it in the closet in that case. So I removed the laptop and went back to my seat. Same F/A came back to me after pushback and said they ended up gate checking the bag and which point I said something to him about doing so without my consent, and after assuring me he wouldn't gate check it.

Long story short.... digital camera busted by the time it came down to PHL bag belt 45 minutes after arrival. Bag service wouldn't do anything... didn't even want to take down a claim. Got into a shouting match with them after they informed me that a B737 is an RJ and that as a Preferred I should know better than to bring a rollaboard into the cabin of "such a small plane." DOT complaint, airport authority complaint, and three registered letters to US, I got $450 in travel vouchers over 3 months later, after getting the "not responsible for damaged items poorly packed in checked luggage" line over mail, email, and phone for that entire time.

ripvan

only ever been downgraded once, but I will not complain about it. (this was a few years back) connection into PIT ran late, ran to the gate only to find they had just closed it up. they went ahead and opened the aircraft back up for me, but my seat was gone. still thankful that i was able to get on that flight instead of waiting for the next.

MapleLeaf

I was on a paid F fare yesterday... aircraft was switched to an E70, I was downgraded to Y... asked about any sort of compensation, told sorry

US AIRWAYS FAN

Sorry???? You need to call consumer affairs 866.523.5333 don't just lay down....fight to get some kind of compensation.

TPA us ff

Were you connecting to another flight with F or was this your sole flight?

MJonTravel

If this was a real paid F fare, you are entitled to at least a refund of the fare difference for that leg.

gsupstate

Pardon me for asking (I didn't have time to skim all 4 pages of this thread), but what is an "A" fare. Is it one of those things where you pay full coach, and get space-available FC seating? Thanks.

phlwookie

Fares in the A fare bucket are priced like refundable coach fares, but get you a seat in first if there's availability there at the time of booking. Otherwise, you sit in coach. Basically, it's a cheaper way to get a seat in first.

Generally you won't get compensation on an A fare and something happens to disrupt your itinerary (cancellation, reroute, etc) that causes you to take another flight without first, or without availability in first, since you're really paying a coach fare.

gsupstate

Wondere if my trip to Vegas last spring was an A fare? It was like $500.00 and change from GSP-LAS roundtrip. Didn't get bumped, though! ^

planeluvr

It was a F8 fare from LEB. Mapleleaf would have to pay them.

ibrandsguest

I am a CP and am taking a US 737 tomorrow on a business trip. I called last week to get upgraded, and I was given a seat in FC. Then I checked in online this morning and was back in coach- not even an exit row. There are 3 seats in FC left, according to the CP desk, but I cannot get upgraded until possibly at the airport now, as the CP desk told me.

Any advice to get my upgrade back before tomorrow (as it's a very early flight and I am already getting up at 5AM) would be most appreciated! Thanks.

ClueByFour

Check in online right now. Call the CP desk back and ask for a supervisor to review the record and fix it for you if possible.

Lane412000

Mine was somewhat like the OP. I had A fare PHL-CLT and was sitting in my seat (2D) when someone shows up with the same seat assignment. The co-pilot was standing in the galley and took the other passenger's boarding pass and said he would find out what is happening and went to see the ga. He returns and tells the FA to tell me to get out the seat as it belongs to this other passenger. I begin to quietly make a fuss and the co-pilot tells me that if I want to fly to CLT on this flight to take my new seat assignment in Y and goes back to the flight deck.

I emailed customer service three times before receiving a response which basically said sorry and really nothing else. Two weeks later I received a certificate for a flight upgrade. Not sure what to do with the certificate as I am CP so have no need for the certificate. Did take a long hard look at United though and might still make the jump starting in Feb.

longing4piedmont

Then your a better man than I. Hell would have froze over before I would have moved on a "A" fare and I would not have been quiet about it. And I don't care if it was a sky marshall who wanted the seat. The plane would have sat there until they carried me off....

ibrandsguest

Thanks for the advice. Earlier today- between check-in and the time I called- even my coach seat vanished. Now it is fixed- took 3 calls to the CP desk.

What happened was that I bought the ticket through a travel agency, and I was upgraded when I called the CP desk, before the ticketing was final. Thus the upgraded fare code wasn't allowed by my travel agency and its computer apparently kicked me back to coach. I have no idea how I even lost my coach seat, but now it is fixed. Lesson learned- do NOT upgrade on a business trip ticket until the ticket has been issued.