Passengers of Size Upgraded before US2's

[john john]

I place the root cause of the “pig incidentâ€￾ at the feet of the ADA.

And guess were they sat

 

[N965VJ]

And guess were they sat

Roger that.

Let’s legislate courtesy, decency and common sense.

 

[SKY HIGH]

As a Frequent Flyer I tend to agree with you. But, NEVER is to strong a word and as another poster pointed good communication is the key in these situations.

sky high states: Yes, One can communicate that fact that a empty seat in first class is NOT an invitation to complain, rant or demand it. Years ago, that's what airline employees did, they used empty seats in first to appease the masses.

You hear it all the time, coach passengers see the empty seat in first and ask if they can sit there. I say, NO. People have PAID or earned the right to sit there with upgrades or miles.
And you're right, Piney. NEVER is strong. I've upgraded a freq. flyer without any expectations. I know some FF's by face, they travel so much.

 

[SS255]

I just spoke to my parents for the first time since they arrived home. They filled in a few blanks they hadn't mentioned before:

1) My father checked after zone 2 was called, and again after zone 3 was called, and the gate agent kept telling him not to board.
2) As they were walking to their seats, my mother heard the FA say to the woman "It's much more comfortable up here, isn't it?"
32) The companion went to the back of the plane to use the bathroom. (That's not typical Preferred behavior.)

I know this is all only "circumstantial evidence" that they were given free upgrades - they could have legitimately paid in advance for their F seats or been CP's/Platinums - but I'm just suspicious as to why my parents were told 3 times not to board if the gate agent hadn't planned to issue them new boarding passes.

Anyway...if I've learned anything from Flyertalk and lurking on this board it's that free preferred upgrades are just that, and should never be viewed as an entitlement. I've told them to move past the incident and get on with their lives.

 

[N965VJ]

Thanks for the update!

<SNIP> 32) The companion went to the back of the plane to use the bathroom. (That's not typical Preferred behavior.)

It's not always how you look, but how you act.

 

[flytchick]

As I have elderly parents who travel - I am always aware of boarding and their priority. Also, as a flight attendant with 21 years, I have NEVER upgraded a "passenger of size" to first class because it would be more comfortable. In this day and age of denied boardings and s/a seats that are at a premium, I say be glad they got on the flight. We are leaving tons of non-revs behind because of the flight loads.

 

[US1YFARE]

just how fat were they?

 

[flytchick]

just how fat were they?

just how fat were they?

Are you really posting this??? Is this a PWI? (Posting while intoxicated)?"??????

 

[N965VJ]

<SNIP> Also, as a flight attendant with 21 years, I have NEVER upgraded a "passenger of size" to first class because it would be more comfortable.

Good.

I hate to see some poor soul in an unfortunate situation be made comfortable.

 

[Dog Wonder]

My parents (both US2) flew from PHX-PIT this afternoon. They checked a few times at the Club (and at the gate), and were repetitively told they were #1 & #2 on the upgrade list. I also did a dummy booking on-line, and saw that seats 1C, 1D & 1F were still open. (I know that's not necessarily an accurate indication of availability.) They and one other person were told by the gate agent to wait while they boarded the plane. After the entire plane was boarded, they gave the other guy a new boarding pass, and my parents were told to take their original seats in Y. As they did the perp walk, they saw that the other guy was seated in 1C, and an "extremely large" (those were my mother's words) woman who pre-boarded in a wheelchair and her companion were in 1D & 1F. Also in my mother's words "They did not look like Preferred's." Our guess is that she didn't properly fit into her Y seat, so the FA moved her and her companion into F. I am also speculating that the elite who was upgraded after boarding may have been lower down on the waiting list than my parents, but was upgraded first because there was one seat left and he was a "single" (even though my father told the GA to upgade my mother if she could only clear one of them).

This isn't meant to be a "whiny elite rant." (I haven't had enough posts on this board to earn that privilege.) I am just curious to hear from the GA's and FA's on this board as to what the proper protocol is for upgrading POS's (and their companions) before elites in situations like this.

Your parents have no class, and they taught you well.

 

[marco90821]

I believe your post is a fraud, although I do believe you should dress and present yourself in a certain manner when flying F.

Pineybob,it may be trivial, but you really need to learn the language; where did you go to school man?... "to", "too", and "two." Please respect the language you deadbeat.

 

[PHL BULL]

My parents (both US2) flew from PHX-PIT this afternoon. They checked a few times at the Club (and at the gate), and were repetitively told they were #1 & #2 on the upgrade list. I also did a dummy booking on-line, and saw that seats 1C, 1D & 1F were still open. (I know that's not necessarily an accurate indication of availability.) They and one other person were told by the gate agent to wait while they boarded the plane. After the entire plane was boarded, they gave the other guy a new boarding pass, and my parents were told to take their original seats in Y. As they did the perp walk, they saw that the other guy was seated in 1C, and an "extremely large" (those were my mother's words) woman who pre-boarded in a wheelchair and her companion were in 1D & 1F. Also in my mother's words "They did not look like Preferred's." Our guess is that she didn't properly fit into her Y seat, so the FA moved her and her companion into F. I am also speculating that the elite who was upgraded after boarding may have been lower down on the waiting list than my parents, but was upgraded first because there was one seat left and he was a "single" (even though my father told the GA to upgade my mother if she could only clear one of them).

This isn't meant to be a "whiny elite rant." (I haven't had enough posts on this board to earn that privilege.) I am just curious to hear from the GA's and FA's on this board as to what the proper protocol is for upgrading POS's (and their companions) before elites in situations like this.

From a F/A IMO if you can't fit BUY TWO FLIPPING SEATS!!!think of all the xtra fuel burn...it's not fair to get a freebe...kinda like it's not fair to breathe flippin smoke when you go out to eat...don't make others pay for your issues...

 

[US1YFARE]

32) The companion went to the back of the plane to use the bathroom. (That's not typical Preferred behavior.)

I love to use the rear bathroom and stink up the back of the plane when the Y's are using "our" bathroom. Why should I poison the FC cabin? It's so elegant, I wouldn't want to spoil the FC image. I also like to walk down the aisle to see how crammed and miserable everyone is in the back of the plane...I usually carry a glass of champagne and some caviar with me to make them jealous.

 

[IMisstheAladdinTrays]

I just spoke to my parents for the first time since they arrived home. They filled in a few blanks they hadn't mentioned before:

1) My father checked after zone 2 was called, and again after zone 3 was called, and the gate agent kept telling him not to board.
2) As they were walking to their seats, my mother heard the FA say to the woman "It's much more comfortable up here, isn't it?"
32) The companion went to the back of the plane to use the bathroom. (That's not typical Preferred behavior.)

I know this is all only "circumstantial evidence" that they were given free upgrades - they could have legitimately paid in advance for their F seats or been CP's/Platinums - but I'm just suspicious as to why my parents were told 3 times not to board if the gate agent hadn't planned to issue them new boarding passes.

Anyway...if I've learned anything from Flyertalk and lurking on this board it's that free preferred upgrades are just that, and should never be viewed as an entitlement. I've told them to move past the incident and get on with their lives.

And we are sure they didn't have a higher Fare ticket to start with?

 

[mbmbbost]

A few years ago, I sat next to a woman who told me she'd just been upgraded by the flight attendant, or gate agent, as a courtesy. She never asked for it. She was middle-aged, and average looking..very typical, and pleasant. Anyway, we got to talking. It turned out that while driving in Maine on vacation, the car she and her husband were driving in struck a moose, and the husband was killed instantly. She was carrying his cremains with her and had to get some kind of clearance for it, so that's how the agents knew about it. I thought it was great that someone had been kind enough to upgrade her and I'm sure it made a good impression on whoever heard about it afterwards. Nobody here knows all the circumstances of these people that got upgraded.