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Blagging it into 1st/Business class!?

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Old 30th Aug 2003, 09:45
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Blagging it into 1st/Business class!?

Guys

A friend of mine last year hopped into an empty first class SAA flight from CPT to LHR - not a problem. The same guy did it again on a Singapore Airlines flight from LHR to SIA, went to bed for an hour and was woken up and booted back to economy.

Now in your professional opinion, and excuse me being cheeky whats the best way to do this? Board at the end and just plong yourself down near the front? wait until after take off and then stroll up and jump in?

I'm off to JNB with BA in 2 weeks and would dearly like to get a good nights sleep up the front, rather that then drooling over some nun whilst I sleep and god forbid start mauling her like I have done to people in the past yep, did that once, dreaming of my woman and lets say re-enacting some gestures on the poor bloke sitting beside me

I've given enough away here, answers appreciated, referrals to the funny farm not welcome.

Thanks
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Old 30th Aug 2003, 10:51
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Hey if you can get away with it why not!!!

Don't expect to stay there long though. An expectation of J or F class crew is to address their customers by name, and the way they do that is to look at the passenger manifest. If your not listed, you're out!!

I know it's easy to do and they wont charge you the difference in fare, but i would be more worried about the embarrasment you will feel when they publicly escort you back to economy.

Did you ever see that Seinfeld episode when Elaine tried to do the same!! That curtain is there for a reason. It's a no go zone. Keep out!! You're not welcome, unless your name is on the boarding pass. Squatters are not welcome and you will be shamed!!
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Old 30th Aug 2003, 16:09
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Irishwingz despite your appalling confession about your activities with other passengers while sleeping, I am unclear why you feel you should receive something that you have not paid for. In a shop, this would be known as theft: for some reason with an airline you feel that it is acceptable. It's not "cheeky": I'd describe it as rude, inconsiderate and selfish.

Just as interesting, is why you feel you should get an upgrade in preference to other people. No doubt you feel that you are more "important" or more "worthy" than the others who use the product they have paid for.

I could go on, but this may be just a troll so I'll leave it here. Passengers with your attitude (mercifully few, thank God) are one of the main reasons that I periodically consider giving up flying.

And by the way, if you do occupy the seat for the flight, or a large part it, the airline is entitled to have you met by security, pending payment of the fare differential. I know this because I have seen it happen, twice. I hope you get to enjoy this kind of attention in the future you
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Old 30th Aug 2003, 18:35
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Unclear?

TS

If you are considering giving up your job for the sake of a couple of people with 'attitude' then.......I'll say no more. Every job has its hassles. I'm not about to get personal like yourself.

Have a great day and hopefully we'll see each other sometime!!

But be nice if you're escorting me back to economy
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Old 30th Aug 2003, 18:57
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TightSlot, lighten up!! Maybe you've been doing this job too long!!
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Old 31st Aug 2003, 04:47
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Lighten up? Why? Look at what he's advocating. Anarchy; sit where you want, whether you've paid for it or not. Give the crew the problem of sorting it out. I don't see it as clever or funny - if it helps, imagine this happening on your flight and having to sort it out.

The surprising thing (to me) is that he wants our advice as to how to achieve it. Clearly I'm just an old dinosaur, out of touch with what is going on: Don't worry, I'll retire one day soon and then you youngsters can enjoy this brave new world that you've just created for yourselves.

I'm sure that BA will have a sense of humour about this that is much better than mine, so you go right ahead and try it down to JNB. Give it your best shot and good luck. Do tell us all what a good laugh you all had when you get back won't you.
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Old 31st Aug 2003, 23:41
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Talking

Troll Alert....!!
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Old 1st Sep 2003, 00:09
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So Tightslot, I presume you hand your boarding card back when upgraded by staff travel or by charitable ground staff. Or maybe pay the difference!
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Old 1st Sep 2003, 00:16
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jdoe I tend not to get upgraded, as crew - remember us, the people who actually work on the aircraft? If you wanna get smart honey, then be smarter!
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Old 1st Sep 2003, 01:31
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There are upgrades, which are given freely by the airline and then there's deceit which in this case is either obtaining goods or services by deception or downright theft. I'm with Tightslot on this one.
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Old 1st Sep 2003, 02:37
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Lets hope BA give you the welcome you deserve if you try this one,-by handing you over to the Customer Services Department of the South African Police,- not generally known for their sense of humour,- on arrival, and let the law take its course. I suggest that you do not buy a ticket that has an unalterable date of return as you might find your stay longer,- and less comfortably,- than you had originally planned.
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Old 1st Sep 2003, 04:18
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How many people can afford £1500 for a seat to go on holiday!!?, I asked for a an upgrade when i went to cyprus at checking they said yes and then the worman looked over the counter and said "oh no sorry you are wearing trainers" what a disapointment. I was traveling alone as my mum and dad were coming out a week later, I waited untill every one had lined up and waited at the back, my seat was behind the curtain, I simply smiled at the cabin crew and sat down as if I had paid for the seat, I enjoyed the comfort of first class for 5 hours. Nice food, good service no one even asked if im spose to be in this seat, Every one should try it if you have the chance, but we have a problem if a few people have the same idea,
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Old 1st Sep 2003, 15:24
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I totally agree with Tightslot. I hate dealing with those absolute idiots who try to get into Business Class without payment etc its just a pain having to deal with it and takes me away from premium paying customers (and of course staff travel pax's) that are more deserving of my attention. If you want to fly Business or first get a job where the company will pay for you or you can pay for yourself or work for an airline.
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Old 1st Sep 2003, 18:41
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I'm with Tightslot too. Completely pi$$es me off when idiots like Irishwingz think it is their god given right to sit in business, when they haven't paid for a seat. People pay good money to sit there so why should they have to put up with some pleb who just parks themselves there and seems to believe they're entitled to it.
If you want to sit in business or first - PAY FOR IT! Simple as that. Don't be a smarty pants and just go and sit there. We KNOW how many are supposed to be there and where they are to be seated and we know them by name too, so it's certain you'll be caught.
Have a nice flight in economy where you belong!
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Old 1st Sep 2003, 19:53
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or like me ask nicely in checking in, i am 15 and was wearing trainers but i just went and sat there didnt take advantages, if the fa asked me and i spose to be here id just say i dont know and give her/him my ticket and go where im spose to be, not a problem.
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Old 1st Sep 2003, 20:15
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Talking

All,

I did not mean to piss you off, the last thing I want to do is make someones life difficult especially you guys who are working away. I'm not a difficult passenger, rather I am envious of you folk who are jetting around every day feeling the thrust to V1 every day.

My posting was in jest, a sort of "could I ...maybe ...perhaps"
I was not aware one could be arrested upon landing. As far as paying my way, that will be some way off......

Back into my shell now

Happy flying

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Old 2nd Sep 2003, 00:52
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Oh come on, on BA a good percentage of club is occupied by crew on ID 90's!!
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Old 3rd Sep 2003, 20:38
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I remeber once actually being downgraded! I was flying internally in the Us on United. I used my vouchers to upgrade. Got a nice seat in first class. Then about ten minutes before takeoff, I was asked if I could move back to business class. They told me that the seat was double booked. I had no choice but to do so. And who do you think got my seat? A united Cabin crew! Obviously business class was just not good enough for him.
This is one of the reasons I now give my business to BA.
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Old 3rd Sep 2003, 22:01
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When flying back from JFK a few years ago on a full fare Club World ticket I was delayed for 24hrs due to mechanical failures, ATC computer problems etc. When a flight was finally going to leave I was told with profuse apologies by the ground staff that the only seat available was in economy and I could choose to take that or wait for a later flight. I took the economy seat and found myself in the back row between a puking toddler and a senile elderly woman, oh what joy. About an hour into the flight I decided to take a stroll around the aircraft to escape the smell of vomit. Who did I encounter in club class but four cabin crew who I had befriended at JFK and who were all travelling on ID90s.

Tightslot et al, I don't know how you can be so against a passenger who has paid maybe hundreds of pounds for their ticket trying to push their luck a bit when you as crew regularly take as much as you can - upgrades, drinks, washbags - in addition to already generous travel perks and cost your struggling industry thousands each year (and this is not a personal attack, I mean cabin crew in general - yes, a sweeping generalisation, but not all that far from the truth for the majority).
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Old 4th Sep 2003, 04:29
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The issue of staff travel is in fact unrelated to the issue raised at the start of this thread.

1. An airline seat is a commodity, a product: The airline owns it, and as such has an absolute right to sell that product to whomever it pleases, at a price that the airline determines. As part of their employment package, airlines may offer their staff the option to occupy a seat at discounted rates. This package will usually be of financial benefit to both parties, that is why it is in place. The same holds true for supermarkets that offer employees discounted shopping, automobile manufacturers that sell vehicles at discounted prices to staff, cinemas that discount seats etc. etc. etc. The fact that Ford may sell a vehicle more cheaply to a staff member does not entitle a commercial customer to insist on the same price - they may of course ask, but should not expect as of right, and certainly may not drive the car away on the assumption that the price will be discounted. Some may not like this situation, but it is simply capitalism in action. If an airline decides, for whatever reason, that a staff member will occupy a particular seat, then they have the right to do so.

2. Not all staff occupying cabin seats are on leisure travel. Airlines may position their crews as part of a rostered duty. By positioning staff in this way, they may be returned to their home base, and therefore become available for further duties, faster and more economically than by leaving them in hotac away from base until they are able to operate a duty sector back to base. In order to achieve this, there may be union agreements in place that entitle crew members to seats in other cabins. Therefore a crew member in business class may have an entitlement to that seat that exceeds that of a commercial customer in the eyes of the airline because the financial savings exceed the possible ticket revenue.

In view of the two points raised above, G-DESK may wish to reconsider the idea that staff travel costs our "struggling industry thousands each year". G-DESK also asks why "a passenger who has paid maybe hundreds of pounds for their ticket" should be so discriminated against - the answer is of course that there are other people who have maybe paid thousands for theirs who might question why others should be allowed to upgrade themselves.

Staff travel is a red herring on this particular thread: What was originally proposed was an anarchic system under which customers should feel allowed to take a product for which they have not paid and have a zero entitlement. This is viewed as pushing your luck, or blagging, as if it is some sort of cheeky little adventure: It is not. Any aircraft cabin would very quickly become unmanageable were all passengers to follow this procedure: The success of such an endeavour in fact relies on the majority of other people behaving in an acceptable, agreed and courteous way. The question should be why those who feel the behaviour to be acceptable view it as being so for themselves, at the expense of others.

If you wish to occupy an upgraded seat on a particular flight, then you should pay the appropriate price. If you don't like the price, don't travel or else find a cheaper option. Many do so, hence the success of the LCC's. There is no more effective way of influencing an airline seat price than by travelling with the competition.
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