Alot of the time it is hard for ground staff to do "dodgy" upgrades in the check-in system as the management at some airlines will check the system, we can only do authorised u/g's if it is already in the booking so it depends on the gate team/dispatcher/csd all working along the same lines to do the unofficial ones, as has been mentioned there are too many spies out there now.
At my previous airline however, we pretty much had free reign to u/g whoever we wanted, but as it was only shorthaul at the time it wasn't a massive difference in the seat.
I'm just lowly ground crew, but I've had the "your duty free is in the locker above you Mr L/j" - thinking, I don't remember buying anything, then a nice
from the crew member. Got to the hotel and opened the bag to find a bottle of wine and a bottle of champers too - all because me and my mate got the last 2 seats on the a/c, and were in the middle of the middle on a 2-5-2 config UA 777 and they were unable to u/g us !!. Thanks for that UA
I hate being unable to u/g people freely now. It is such a shame when the big seats are empty anyway - but too many spies. When I travel, I don't care about the service, I just like that bigger seat for the space and comfort. I'll just happily sit there, as long as I have my bottle of water, I'll have whatever food is left or even go without and I'll go to the galley myself for another re-fill.
Once had an
moment at my previous airline - moved a very pretty girl on staff travel into C. Didn't realise the guy that was a few paces behind was her b/f, so had to u/g him too !!.
