bscheffel

Luckily this is the first time this has ever happened to me and I fly every week. I had already boarded the plan for a transcon flight in seat 3D when an agent came on board and said they needed to free up my seat and the seat behind me for a “reason they can’t discuss” (aka. air marshal). They gave me a window seat in coach and apologized but not much else. I was traveling on a paid first class fare (discounted first but first nonetheless) and I was a bit peeved that they didn’t downgrade someone traveling on an upgrade or miles but they wanted my seat specifically and since the flight was close to departure they weren’t going to shift people around.
My question is obviously I am owed the fare difference (doesn’t benefit me though, goes to my company) but has this happened to anyone before and what were you offered? I flew over 250,000 last year always on paid first class tickets so to say I am a good customer would be an understatement. I sure will try to avoid aisle seats in rows 2-4 in the future and I’m a little offput by the fact that I have to take the initiative to get any kind of compensation.

AA-Flyer-SAN

They should put them in jumpseats as mock FAs.

Often1

There is no compensation for a DG in the US (even had it not been for a FAM). You are due a refund of the fare difference. In addition, if you send in a note, you may see a smallish customer service gesture such as some miles.

When this happens at the last second, as it apparently did and rarely does, there really isn't time to start musical chairs. Thus, they bumped the people in the seat they need. If in advance, US will generally DG in reverse order such that a full paid F would be the last ticket DG. You would have been moved to another seat in F and that person would have been punted to Y. Alternatively, given time, US might have sought volunteers even though it is not obligated to do so.

mh4ll

If you send a very short, friendly but firm email to customer relations you have a good chance of getting some small customer service voucher/miles. Don't be afraid to push back a couple times if the initial response you get is canned and unhelpful.

Also, I believe you can request the fare difference be issued as a voucher instead of to the original form of payment. That way you can use it instead of it going to the company CC. Just call and ask.

bscheffel

I did send an email to customer service and received a canned answer acknowledging receipt. I'm pretty resigned to getting nothing in return since they will undoubtedly calculate the fare the difference between my discounted first class ticket and FULL coach and determine there is very little if any fare difference. Hopefully I will get something in return like miles as I did lose out on the first class bonus miles.
The whole experience has been eye opening as it boils down to "even if you buy a first class ticket you can get downgraded at our discretion with little to no compensation owed because we base refunds on ridiculous full coach fares".

Colin

I believe I would have the gate agent think twice about selecting me.

With departure time at hand, I would have told her to reissue my eticket in coach & provide a new eticket receipt - a step that is quite important in getting a refund post hoc.

Or, I would have told the gate agent that I will not be flying in coach & will deplane when advised that I am being IDB, am presented with a new boarding pass for the next flight in first class & am given the applicable IDB compensation, while reminding the agent that the airline will need to find my checked luggage before the current flight can depart.

MCOGUY

I would ask for the $200 change fee they charge for reissuing a ticket plus the fare difference. And then extra miles for the inconvenience and embarrassment, especially since you were already seated. That's why I always avoid the last row of First, also due to last minute aircraft downsizing.

FWAAA

The gate agent didn't "select" the OP; the marshal with the gun selected the OP's seat. I agree with the others that the agent made the right call in not opening up a musical chairs situation and moving people about the cabin. Two people were going to be downgraded thanks to DHS, and the OP was one of the unlucky.

IDB? Not applicable, as the agent had a seat in economy ready for them. IDB is when you're denied boarding due to an oversale, not when sky marshals tell you (indirectly) to switch seats with them.

GNRMatt

When they do this, reply back saying you do not accept that. Tell them you want a refund of the difference between your ticket and the lowest priced coach ticket at the time of purchase (if you happen to know the price, that would be helpful). Tell them this is required because that is what it would've cost you if you knew you were going to be sitting in the coach section.

3Cforme

A cabin downgrade doesn't entitle one to IDB compensation under DOT rules.

Colin

You feel free to be as cooperative as you want to be, under threat from a law enforcement officer with a gun. Come now.

Me, I wouldn't be flying in coach under these circumstances. I'm fine with the next flight and the delayed departure that will result on the not-my-problem flight.

Or, the gate agent can move along to the next sucker.

Or, the gate agent can offer a $400 voucher to a volunteer, keeping everyone happy.

milesandmoremiles

This is a bit of dream world you are posing. If you refused to move or created an issue, you'd probably be denied boarding and then would be entitled to nothing. Also, they would not delay the flight to locate a bag especially for domestic flights. There is no positive bag matching on domestic flights.

Colin

It's not my first rodeo, toots.