Upgrades

[Covenant]

The following story occurred recently on a flight from Europe to the USA on a large American carrier. Exact details withheld to protect the innocent (and guilty!).

My fiancee had been in said European city on a business trip and was travelling business class. I joined her at the end, and since I was paying for my own flight, was travelling coach class. We took the same flight together back to the USA.

After we had boarded, it became clear that the flight was not full, and there were at least ten spare seats in the business class section. My fiancee asked one of the stewardeses if I could come and join her in the business class section. She was told, in no uncertain terms, and quite shortly, that it would not be possible, as business class travellers have paid a lot more for their tickets (you don't say!) and expect privacy. Well, anyway, we were disappointed, but accepted the decision.

So, just after take-off, one of the ladies sitting right next to my fiancee (in business class) was led away into the first-class section by one of the stewardesses. My fiancee questioned this, and wondered whether the rule for upgrading from coach to business shouldn't also apply to upgrading from business to first. The answer to this was that the lady in question was a stewardess from that airline, and had the the special privilege of receiving such upgrades. While this seemed a bit inconsistent, you can't really blame people for giving their colleagues special treatment, so no more was said.

About ten minutes later, my fiancee came back to the coach cabin and was giving me all the details of what had happened, and why it was that I wouldn't be able to join her in the business class cabin, when lo and behold! The captain breezed into the cabin and beckoned out a lady sitting not 3 seats from us. She duly followed him, picking up her carry-on luggage, and proceeded to be ensconced in one of the spare seats in business class.

My fiancee only needed to look at the stewardess to whom she had spoken earlier, and who witnessed this most recent event, for her to understand that she had been put into a very difficult situation. Apparently, and I don't know exactly what happened, she went to the captain and explained the what had gone before, and the predicament she was in. I believe that once the captain had given the go-ahead, and had taken responsibility, the path was cleared for me to be invited into the business class cabin and I sat with my fiancee for the rest of the flight.

I should add that for the remainder of the flight I was treated very well by all the cabin crew I had contact with, and I have no complaints with them about what happened. However, it does raise some questions which I hope some of you can answer and/or discuss.

1) What are the policies of the different airlines with regard to giving free upgrades to passengers when there is space in the relevant cabin? I've had free upgrades from BA a number of times in the past, but this US carrier seemed to imply at all stages, starting at check-in, that such a thing is unheard of and out of the question.

2) To what extent do the cabin crew have the authority to grant such upgrades during flight, and does the captain have the final authority, or is he just taking taking the risk himself by authorising it?

3) What does an airline stand to lose by allowing suitable (and I know that is a very subjective word) and deserving pax to occupy otherwise empty seats if they request it? I know that if it was my airline, as long as the pax in question weren't loud, disruptive or improperly dressed, I would consider it to be a small but tangible boost to advertising. After all, I may well have been (and am) a frequent business traveller who normally uses another airline. At no real extra cost, I could have been persuaded that this airline provided better business class travel than the one I use normally.

4) (This is possibly my most contentious one, but what the hell?!) :) It is my belief that Americans in general, acting as officials in some capacity or other, are less inclined to bend the rules to help people (strangers) out than are the British. What is often known as the "job's worth" attitude seems to be more prevalent this side of the Atlantic. This isn't really meant to be yank-bashing, but I've lived here in the US for four years now, and I can't help but notice it.

Comments, answers, replies welcomed!

[Pandora]

Have just returned from the States last week. As an airline employee I travelled out in business, with my mother. On the way back my mother travelled back on a different day to me and no amount of extremely polite cajolling could persuade check-in or gate staff to allow an upgrade. The excuse given was that the club class section was catered to an exact number of booked passengers. When I fly to Man from LHR even with the barest minimum of passengers we always allow spare catering so I think porkies were being told here. My experience is that the Americans are much more likely to fall into the jobsworth camp with regard to upgrades than Europeans.

[Dea Certe]

Covenant,

I'm sorry you were not accomodated. Many US carriers will not allow upgrades (for free) or even if the fee is paid in advance if a meal is not available. This is the company policy at my airline. Even if economy is full and it means the non-rev gets bumped, the agents cannot allow the upgrade!

Unfortunately, some US carriers have "ghost riders" on board. That's a pax flying undercover who reports on everything from check in to baggage claim. We never know when they are around and what it is they may see. Maybe a good idea from a quality control point, but it does make us a bit nervous to try to help some one out as much as we want to. Does such a thing exist on European carriers?

Since most of the flights I work F/C is usually full with upgrading frequent flyers, I don't have the opportunity to extend this courtesy to my coworkers from other airlines. It's a shame, I think.

[comeflywithme]

Covenant
Im sorry you didnt get your upgrade but if you or you fiancee are crew you would understand why certain airlines do not upgrade.
To answer your first question, upgrades are generally given to pax when 1. there is an overbooking, 2. if they are frequent flyers and have the necessary air miles for an upgrade.
To answer your second question, Crew (the senior) do have the authority to upgrade depending on the situation, yet as Dea Certe has pointed out there could be "ghost riders"and you should have justification on why the upgrade took place. Otherwise the crew themselves could end up paying for the upgrade. Not just because someone wants to sit with there fiancee. It is the Cabin Senior who has the last say, not the Captain of what happens in the cabin. If he does he is taking the risk himself.
To answer your third question, if airlines were to upgrade pax just because they are dressed nicely and there is space available, the airline would be out of business. How can you justify that people pay for the privelige of Club class and because 10 other people are dressed nicely in a suit they get upgraded. So why should I pay for club when I could have spent it on an Armani and turned up to check in and I would have got upgraded. You sound like you are trying to get blood from a stone. You get what you pay for.
To answer your fourth and final question, I tend to find that American airlines do upgrade more than others (not being American myself). I think you are taking it personally.
Covenant, this is not meant to tell you off but merely show you that you shouldn't expect more than what you pay for. To tell you the truth they only upgraded you because they didnt want to be reported by you and your fiancee about the other upgrades (luckily you didnt eat anything,right?). Yet I think that you shouldnt have questioned why and why not you were not upgraded to the crew. Some people actually pay for upgrades in-flight. Sometimes you put crew and check-in in awkward situations by asking for the upgrade in the first place. As crew I am just glad when I get on the plane.
I would like to hear what other think as well.

[This message has been edited by comeflywithme (edited 06 March 2001).]

[This message has been edited by comeflywithme (edited 06 March 2001).]

[Covenant]

comeflywithme
It's not so much that I expect to get what I haven't paid for, rather that I am confused about the different policies across airlines. As I said, I have been given free upgrades by BA a number of times, mostly at the check-in gate, and so I can only conclude that it is BA policy to allow it under certain circumstances. I am interested to find out what the policy is at other airlines, and what rationale is given for or against the policy.

I must say, I don't understand your suggestion that if all airlines did it, they would go out of business. If they have a flight with spare seats and extra food, then it is costing them absolutely zilch extra to accommodate an upgrade (except maybe a few glasses of wine). As I say, I still don't think I understand why it is that certain airlines don't allow it.

I'm not saying that everyone who dresses nicely deserves an upgrade. Simply that if there is a genuine reason for the request, they are going to fit in with the cabin without disturbing the other pax who have paid full fare, and they can be accommodated without extra expense to the airline, why shouldn't airlines allow it?

One of the answers I was trying to elicit was whether some airlines have strict policies against it. From what Dea Certe says, it appears this is true, and not only that but the airlines spy on their employees to ensure compliance with this and other rules. This, I believe, is at the root of what I was saying in my fourth point. Americans appear to live in fear of their jobs much more than do their European counterparts. It starts with company interference in your personal life before you are taken on, and continues to the frequency and ease with which US employees are fired by their companies. I can fully understand why this would engender more the 'jobsworth' attitude, especially if they already know that they are being spied upon.

[comeflywithme]

Covenant
O.K NOW I see your point! To tell you the truth Covenant in my company as I said it boils down to wether it is justified and a report must be written. There have been many occasions where I have upgraded passengers just on the pure fact that they are nice to the crew and other times Ive upgraded because they are fellow collegues. Lets face it we all like to extent our collegues a nicer ride.(this is all done obviously on the sly). Yet unfortunately it is some of our crew members on the flight who would like to be promoted a bit quicker than the rest that report these upgrades to our superiors. I personally know a few Pursers who have been ratted on and now refuse to give ANYONE a free upgrade.One bitten twice shy hey.
As for different airline policies I can only tell you our one which I outlined to you before. Fair enough as you said if there is enough catering why not. But airines for some reason dont see it that way.
Look I know what its like when i travel with my wife and she is in a different class than me. What I tend to do in these kind of situation is explain to the cabin staff that I will downgrade myself in order to sit with her. Every single time they have been nice enough to say "dont do that, we will bring her up here". Im not saying i do this as a trick but crew a very sympathetic to legitimate reason and will help wherever they can (as long as your nice to them).
I hope i have filled in some gaps to some of your questions and maybe given you a tip on your next flight.

Enjoy