Buh, bye first class?

[lasttoboard]

Not to drift off topic, but the US policy originated with PI before the US/PI merger - before that US didn't have F/C. The exceptions are company business travel or US has a deal where employees pay 80% of the applicable fare and are treated as revenue passengers - baggage fees and all - so anyone buying those discounted F/C tickets would be treated as any other revenue passenger.

Jim

Jim, point of confusion here? I thought you said US would bump revenue F/C passengers. How is it that you now infer they will be treated as any other revenue pasenger?

 

[BoeingBoy]

Jim, point of confusion here? I thought you said US would bump revenue F/C passengers. How is it that you now infer they will be treated as any other revenue pasenger?

Sorry, I should have probably stayed with just the non-rev part instead of also getting into the employee revenue travel program. US offers a fairly typical non-rev benefit for employees/retirees/dependents, and also an employee revenue travel benefit.

US non-revs are at the bottom of the pecking order and have to pay an upgrade fee ($20-100) per flight to get into F/C even if there are seats available after all regular passengers have a shot at it (paid F/C, upgraded with miles, elite free upgrade, F/C award ticket, etc). Don't want to pay the upgrade fee and you sit in coach (if there's a seat available).

US also has a revenue travel program for employees/retirees/dependents where you pay 80% of the applicable fare and you're considered just another passenger with all the benefits/fees of a regular passenger. So I could pay 80% of the F/C fare and have a seat in F/C as a regular passenger, earn FF miles, pay baggage fees, etc.

So for US there's two ways to get into F/C - pay the upgrade fee and only get a F/C seat after all regular passengers or pay 80% of the F/C fare and be a regular passenger.

US does NOT bump regular passengers (I hate to say revenue passengers because they could be getting a free upgrade to F/C as an elite) to put non-rev employees in F/C.

Jim

 

[Travel Is My Life]

So tell me o'wise one, which of the majors bumps revenue paying employees or retirees in favor of no revenue club member upgrades?

First off, an elite upgrade is not "no revenue"!!! The elite member had to pay for that plane ticket and is being rewarded with a complimentary upgrade for their loyalty to your airline.. While airline employee have been "dumped" on for years, many airline employee continue to forget its the customers that keep the airline in business.. no customers, no airline, no need for employees....

Also, your original post was about S/As never having the opportunity to ride in first class again. Your post stated nothing about one group "bumping" out another group. If an employee or retiree has paid for their ticket via a discount program such as BoeingBoy has mentioned, then an upgrade shouldnt trump their ticket. But if its just an employee thats just a non-rev then an Elite upgrade should always take priority over a non-rev upgrade.

 

[madhatter]

So tell me o'wise one, which of the majors bumps revenue paying employees or retirees in favor of no revenue club member upgrades?

US employee travel policy states any elite should be upgraded prior to boarding any nonrev in F.

 

[BoeingBoy]

So excuse me for not having a ton of sympathy when I, as a revenue-paying passenger, get upgraded before an employee.

To be fair, I can understand how having a benefit taken away is more disappointing than never having had that benefit in the first place. Apparently UA offered that benefit while I never worked for an airline that did, so the concept of bumping a "paying" passenger is foreign to me, especially out of F/C.

There's also the "have's vs have not's" thing - I'd about guarantee you that Board members and top execs (and their family/friends) can bump "paying" F/C passengers at will, including as part of their severance package. I do know that's standard at US. So some "employees" continue to get that benefit (and pay/bonuses/etc) as others are asked (told) to make sacrifices - not the best way to foster good morale but standard in corporate America so trying to fight it is futile.

Jim

 

[Travel Is My Life]

To be fair, I can understand how having a benefit taken away is more disappointing than never having had that benefit in the first place. Apparently UA offered that benefit while I never worked for an airline that did, so the concept of bumping a "paying" passenger is foreign to me, especially out of F/C.

There's also the "have's vs have not's" thing - I'd about guarantee you that Board members and top execs (and their family/friends) can bump "paying" F/C passengers at will, including as part of their severance package. I do know that's standard at US. So some "employees" continue to get that benefit (and pay/bonuses/etc) as others are asked (told) to make sacrifices - not the best way to foster good morale but standard in corporate America so trying to fight it is futile.

Jim

The thing is UA is not "bumping" employees out of first class. They are upgrading elites before giving employees the opportunity at an upgrade and thats not "bumping". Its just showing priority to who it should be shown to.

With regards to your statement about execs/board members bumping people out of FC, that does not happen and is not a "benefit". These executives and board members have the ability to confirm their travel into first class in advance but not bump people out of first if its sold out. On flights I've been on I have seen US execs (and board members) sit back in coach before. Also in cases where there was a downgrade of the plane, I've seen US execs give up their seats in first for the benefit of a paid passenger.

 

[BoeingBoy]

The thing is UA is not "bumping" employees out of first class. They are upgrading elites before giving employees the opportunity at an upgrade and thats not "bumping".

True and that's my loose use of the industry jargon. I meant giving it to non-rev employees before upgrading elites. Technically not bumping, but keeping the elite out of F/C while letting the employee have access.

Read the compensation description for top execs/board members at US - they are entitled to positive space first class travel for themselves, their family, and a number of friends. It says nothing about "If seats are available". Whether they use that perk or insist on exercising it is up to the individual and no doubt some are more relaxed about it than others. Ask around among the agents - they'll tell you about the times that first class passengers have been bumped back to coach because some of those entitled to that benefit insist on exercising it. To be fair, many times it seems to not be the exec/board member but a family member/friend that insists on sitting if F/C. A play on the DYKWIA using "Do You Know Who I Know" form of self-importance.

Jim

 

[lasttoboard]

To be fair, I can understand how having a benefit taken away is more disappointing than never having had that benefit in the first place. Apparently UA offered that benefit while I never worked for an airline that did, so the concept of bumping a "paying" passenger is foreign to me, especially out of F/C.

There's also the "have's vs have not's" thing - I'd about guarantee you that Board members and top execs (and their family/friends) can bump "paying" F/C passengers at will, including as part of their severance package. I do know that's standard at US. So some "employees" continue to get that benefit (and pay/bonuses/etc) as others are asked (told) to make sacrifices - not the best way to foster good morale but standard in corporate America so trying to fight it is futile.

Jim

Many thanks Jim for your objectivity, it is refreshing...