Free upgrades... for the brazen
 

I was on KLM from Zurich to AMS, then AMS to GVA last week. On the Zurich to Amsterdam leg, while the cabin crew was not looking, two separate passengers moved themselves from economy to business while we were still on the ground in Zurich, but after the headcount had been done. Both were then given the upgraded service. I have not seen that trick before. I think this could only happen on the CityHopper type runs. On the 737s, the crew seem to have a list of names of C passengers and use your name when serving you. Anyway, what do you think of this upgrade method?

Can they be so desparate for a free piece of bread ? Thought there was no extra legroom on the KLM feeders?

Or maybe they were friends of the crew :) Seems KLM staffers have a reputation for looking after their friends and family more than other carriers, much to the chagrin of many forced to endure KLMs hospitality.

Just don't try it inflight, there might be a sky marshal onboard.

Happened once on a BA flight back from Toronto. Staff did a headcount and realised one too many in Club. Then went for the likeliest person in scruffy dress (i.e me) and asked for the boarding card, which I had by that point mislaid. Once resolved, they discovered its was the besuited gentleman in the seat behind and politely threw him out.

Many folk try this and many folk get thrown out. Mostly, the CC will notice that an empty row is now occupied or other signals. IMHO, it's not an issue.

Did it myself couple of weeks back on Lufthansa flight from FAM to EDI. I was in the middle seat of the first economy row. It was a very full flight but when the doors were closed the row in front, business class, was completely empty.

As there was three of us in my row I asked the guy to my right if he wanted to move forward and give us all a bit more room. Being German he was mortified at the thought so I skipped in myself figuring that the worst that could happen would be that they relegate me back to my own seat.

CC never turned a hair but, for my own conscience, I didn’t take the meal etc. that was offered as all I wanted was a bit more elbow room and space to set up the laptop.

Seen it happen recently on a BA flight. One pax was allowed to stay in club, although he didn't get the meal. As I was paying out my own pocket, it pissed me off. Part of my reason for using club is more leg room. It seems you can get it free on BA, rather than paying.

MOMO, to my knowledge KLM CityHopper do not provide a C class service. Your post is a little confusing so I'm not sure if you were on one of the B737 flights or one of the F70/F100 flights.

Yup -
 

Yes they provide C class prices on some flights operated by City Hopper aircraft. There is no divider. The C-class seats have red headrest covers and the Y-class seats have blue covers. There is no difference in the seats, and not much for the meals either.

Copy and paste from my reservation below


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AIR - Wednesday, October 25
KLM Royal Dutch Flight 1964 Business
Operated by KLM CITYHOPPER

From:
Zurich Airport
2015 hrs, Wednesday, October 25
Unspecified Terminal
Equipment:
Fokker 100

Duration:
1 hour and 40 minutes

Meals:
MEAL

Status:
Confirmed

To:
Amsterdam-Schiphol Airport
2155 hrs, Wednesday, October 25
Unspecified Terminal

Seats:
7A
NAME Confirmed

YOUR FLIGHT NUMBER IS KL1964

I don't fly the ZRH route, so I can't compare directly. However, on the CityHopper routes that I do fly, their is no real Business Class as such. What you get for your Europe Select fare is ticket flexibility, double points, and, yes, they will seat Europe Select passengers in the front section of the cabin. There is, however, no upgraded in-flight service.

That is so unfair to say! And that is NOT the norm!

You should have said something, the CC usually can count (I have 10 meals and 8 passengers....) and have a good look at the P.I.L. but some passengers are really stubborn and try the old trick regardless.:= Guess what, doesn't work with me! We have some "voluntary upgrade forms" which include taking details of the credit card to take payment for the upgrade. One way for a short flight is £100. It can be up to £500 on some long flights for WTP. When I notice people trying to jump class I present them with the form. They usually decline and go back to their seats.

If the CC saw it and didn't do anything it might have been that they had enough meals and couldn't be bothered to create a possibly embarassing situation. This, in my honest opinion, is wrong and doesn't show good authority and assertiveness, and after all the person who should be embarassed by all of this should be the passenger themselves. I have seen many saying "Oh sorry I read my boarding card wrong!" to try and save the situation and go back to their seat with their tail in between their legs. :rolleyes:

Speak up next time, make the cabin crew aware next time. It is your right to have the space and the quality of service you paid for!


(As for staff sitting in club, it's very complicated, we have different staff tickets, and with some we are indeed entitled to Club or even First.)

Happened on my flight VS012 BOS-LHR yesterday (actually dep BOS 1/11 1940hrs arr LHR 2/11 0710). Chap went from Economy into Premium prior to the doors being closed - not exactly sneaking as he was about 6'3" and wearing a bright blue do-rag, and straight to the front of prem centre row.
I was initially a bit miffed as the only discernable on board difference between VS economy and premium is leg room (so he couldn't turn down any real additional benefits like an upgraded meal) but then decided I was being a bit poh-faced as it didn't affect me in any way and just left it. (For all I know he asked the CC before doing it.)
Maybe I am jealous 'cos I am not sure I would have the brass-neck to do it myself! :rolleyes:

Saw it done once when on a Lufthansa Frankfurt - Washington Dullas A340 flight in Business class with my two boys . Very light Business load , stewardess just checked our boarding cards as the tally didn't match and hoiked out some guy sitting next to someone else chatting away , obviously hoping to get away with it . He was asked to go back to Economy . Very nicely done , I must say . I know my lads would never do that now !!! Don't people understand headcounts ?

Hey Zed, your kids are spoilt. They should ride in the back and see how the real world lives ;)

Please remember that at the end of the day you have commited theft by chancing your arm by sitting in a vacant seat like that. Im sure you are all law abiding citizens, a faceless crime is still a crime!!!!

I'm not sure why it's unfair to say, as it really happened, but to be fair to BA, it's only the second time I've seen it, in many years of travelling.

The guy involved knew EXACTLY what he was doing, and was on arrival almost first off the plane.

Although it pissed me off, I probably would feel a bit churlish to raise it with CC. Part of me thought why worry?, the other part thought 'cheeky B******'.

10seconds, this was the unfair part. By reading something like that it looks like it is the norm in BA. For the rest, I absolutely agree with you.
I would challenge that, especially if I am sitting in Club. If I am sitting at the back......well, that's another story, although after the doors close anybody would be equally entitled to that upgrade. Rest assured that when I am the boss ;) nobody can sneak under my nose (I sound like an old dragon:E, but I promise I am not, it just annoys me too much when I see that happen).

FBW

I've seen a lot of people try but I've never been aware of anyone actually getting away with it.

A guy tried it on a flight I was on from MUN-SXB last week, there were only two of us in business class and as soon as the door was closed a guy move with lightening speed into the row behind me, the CC immediately noticed and told him to go back into economy class. It was all a bit pointless because it was a 40 minute flight on a CRJ200 and there were only about 15 people in economy. All the seats are the same, no-one was sat next to anyone else in either class and there was hardly a lot of difference in the food.

I've heard of a guy doing this before, and being told to move back by the crew and refusing.

The c/crew carried on with the service, as normal and served the offending passenger, who took all that was offered thinking he was getting a free upgrade.

On arrival the Police were there to meet the a/c.

The option for the passenger - pay the difference in the fare or spend a night in the cells and end up with a criminal record. Guess which option the passenger took !!.

:D

Hahahaha Leezyjet, that is a true first class crew ;) :ok:

Now now , Avman , I call it education , life experience , call it what you will . They now know if they work hard they too can have the nice things in life . Uurm ..... and your boys/girls/offspring ? :)

Today on British Airways BA2226 ATL-LGW.

I was in Premium Economy, and after takeoff a few pax moved from Economy into Business. I think they must have been friends with the crew as nothing was said.

Bit annyong if you have shelled out on a business ticked only to see other people getting free upgrades due to being 'pally' with crew.

Salusa, that shouldn't happen once the dorrs have been closed.
However that person might have been a staff passenger, you never know. It's one of the perks of the job, similar story if you work in Boots you get 40% off your purchases. If you know the owner of a restaurant you might get a free meal.
I can understand it can be annoying, but it's just how the world goes!! It's not somethign that happens only in the airline business!!
If an upgrade is agreed by the senior crew member is one thing, if somebody jumps classes trying to cheat the crew (and the airline), it's a totally different story!!

Free upgrade
 

I did it once but by pure chance. I was boarding an AA flight to POS and my client was in first. I stopped to chat with him and sat down to keep out of the aisle.
CC came by and offered us both a drink, which I took. Amazingly I seemed to have plonked in the only empty seat in first class. By the time boarding was finished I just stayed put and enjoyed the meal and the booze.
First time I ever flew in fist as well.
Sometimes you just get lucky.
20driver

Crikey, how the other half live eh!:p

I think you are right, they seemed very friendly with the crew as if they knew them.

Doesn't only happen on a/c. On the train today from Southampton upto Manchester we paid the upgrade into 1st, but at Birmingham at leat SIX passengers wandered into the carriage muttering about how they were going to sit up here anyway and it's not like they would be thown out.

Well done to the Virgin train crew for not checking any tickets past Southampton Parkway and blatantly ignoring those who hadn't bothered to pay, on their subsequent walk throughs. :ouch: :D

KLM Europe Select
 

Just flew them again, this time GVA/AMS/GVA with an F70 on the way there and a 737 on the way back. The service and food are indeed different between Select and Economy, though not much. You get food in a blue box that is quite pretty. I estimate that it costs almost as much as what is inside. Free papers. I could not say whether there is increased seat pitch towards the front, as you have on airlines with convertible seats.

The KLM description is here>

KLM Europe Select

Check in at our dedicated desks and head straight to the lounge – KLM Europe Select is our premium product for flights within Europe. You’ll enjoy fully flexible booking, advance seat reservation, extra baggage allowance, priority boarding and disembarking, and meal service on board. Plus, you’ll earn double Flying Blue Miles with every flight!

FWIW

Flew Lufthansa Beijing->Frankfurt in First earlier this year. About 1 hour into the flight I noticed a chap in the cabin who hadn't been there previously. Turns out he was a close friend of one of the CC. Kept himself quiet though and spent most of the time in the galley area chatting with the CC.

More unusual was a chap sitting across from us. Had the meal and then perhaps 4 hours into the flight his wife and young child appear upstairs too. They sit, chat and again keep themselves to themselves. Enjoying the service.

Chap then goes downstairs (to biz?) with child and his wife remains upstairs and proceeds to get the later in-flight meal service. Afterwards she goes downstairs leaving the seat vacant. Finally he reappears in time for landing. I guess it's one way of both of them getting the first class treatment but only paying for 1 first + 1 biz fare!

The outbound flight was much quieter. Just me + wifey with the whole of the cabin to ourselves with 3 CC. :ok:

I flew to Hawaii once with my parents. My folks flew in first while I flew in 'hospitality' (my folks had to pay for my ticket, plus dad is 6'7). My father came back to visit me in steerage several times to stretch his legs. Since he is quite gregarious, he took it upon himself to distribute first class amenities to other passengers and later tried to initiate a sing-song. I'll bet there are several passengers out there who are still scarred by the experience.

Slightly different tack - a couple of years back Mrs spiney was travelling LHR - HKG on BA World Traveller +... Plane was full-full. The guy sitting next to her (it wasn't me I hasten to add) was absolutely honking... don't think he'd washed for a week.. well ripe he was... Before departure my wife asked to be moved - anywhere. The CSD (Lady) questioned her motives saying WT+ and Economy were both full - until she smelled the guy... Mrs s was upgraded to Club.... Nice.

Thanks for the hint, Lexxity. My wife often gets on the Manchester train at Southampton Parkway - now we know she doesn't need to pay for an upgrade:)

But, she would - We wuz brought up properly!

Was it in a way of "oh dear god, I had no idea they let people live like this! I'll start a campfire and we'll try to keep our spirits up!"???

(I'm sure, of course, your father did not then procede to light a fire in the cabin; please don't assume I'm accusing him of being a vandal :p)

I frown on such things. I have been upgraded courtesy of the airline before, upgraded myself on miles, upgraded by paying a little extra at the airport and been upgraded after being rebooked onto different flights, but I have never been so brazen to sneak into a class I shouldn't be in.

I'd be mortified, and I'd be one of those raising it with the c/c. There are instances where I can understand it (sportsmen being injured and flying economy - and being moved to business for their comfort - no-one wants one of those to die of DVT related causes).

S.

Many years ago while travelling on a token price ticket I noticed the crew counting and recounting heads while referring to their list at an intermediate stop. I was fully prepared to be bumped off when I heard the conversation they were having. "Oh no, not him, he's nice, lets bump that pig of a drunken travel agent".

Flew out of CDG 2 couple of weeks ago on a B777, guy boards and selects seat in Business Class, put his bag above and placed his jacket neatly folded on the seat, he then wandered back into the economy cabin. I guessed that he was heading to the mosque......

Last 2 passengers to board came to that seat, started asking who owned the jacket, at this stage business was full, no one close to the seat claimed the jacket, then the original guy wanders back from Economy and took it......

I guess that his plan was to wait until the door closed and then quietly wander back to his "business seat"...... neat plan, but i guess that he didnt know that the crew have a list of passenger names/seats....


Mutt

Was travelling on a BA flight from LHR - NBO in WT+ a few yrs ago, boarded the plane and found a woman sitting in my seat. The cabin was 3/4's empty, so decided not to make a fuss and moved 2 or 3 seats back. Doors closed, plane was pushed back and then 1 of the CC came over and asked to see my Boarding Card, I showed it to him and explained why I wasn't in my assigned seat.
Turns out the woman was traveling in WT and had just taken the first seat that she passed, regardless of cabin! The CC left her for take-off and then firmly escorted her to her correct seat.

Flying on a SE Asian carrier I used to regularly "grease" the head honcho down back $50-100 for an upgrade on a 7 hour overnight flight (success rate 90%++).

In fact it never used to get that far, as the check-in staff could usually be greased for around the same amount (success rate 75%).

In fact I knew the staff at one airport so well due to this fact that when I returned later as a line Pilot to the said airport the look on their face was priceless.

So which seat did they upgrade you to after that? ;)

In flight upgrades?

Excellent, I must try that: do all airlines do it?

Just ask the purser?