Upgrade Ethics - Travelling Companion Stays

[muppet]

Hi everyone,

This is question is very subjective, but I'd love to read some discussion on it.

I have a return SYD - ASP. U class availability both ways and I have a flexi fare so I'm willing to burn the points.

Is it unreasonable for me to confirm an upgrade given
a) one way my boss will be with us (in Y) and;
b) I'll be travelling with just one colleague on the way back who I presume will stay in Y

Is it rude? I just can't take longish flights squashed in anymore. Under 1.5 i'll suck it up, but not 3 hours.

m.

 

[Homer]

I’ve only ever really been a boss so my opinions are likely skewed, but if you have to ask the question it’s perhaps indicative that you think it’s not such a great idea to plum for the upgrade...

But since you’ve asked, I wouldn’t do it to my boss or my colleague for something as short as a three hour domestic flight. If it was a much longer flight then it might be worthwhile having a conversation with your boss to gauge his or her feelings on the topic and it seems likely to me that they wouldn’t care or at least that they wouldn’t want to express that they cared. But for a three hour flight I would personally just suck it up and sit with the team.

 

[muppet]

I’ve only ever really been a boss so my opinions are likely skewed, but if you have to ask the question it’s perhaps indicative that you think it’s not such a great idea to plum for the upgrade...

But since you’ve asked, I wouldn’t do it to my boss or my colleague for something as short as a three hour domestic flight. If it was a much longer flight then it might be worthwhile having a conversation with your boss to gauge his or her feelings on the topic and it seems likely to me that they wouldn’t care or at least that they wouldn’t want to express that they cared. But for a three hour flight I would personally just suck it up and sit with the team.

Yeah I think you're right, and I'm sure I won't ask. If I did it, I would be sly and I'd lag behind so hopefully they don't notice.

But we don't sit together. I'm WP, they're NB and PS. And the bookings are never on the same PNR. So do you also think I should be choosing seats next to them as well? I def would like a break after 3 days with them! Haha.

 

[Homer]

But we don't sit together. I'm WP, they're NB and PS. And the bookings are never on the same PNR. So do you also think I should be choosing seats next to them as well? I def would like a break after 3 days with them! Haha.

I don’t think it’s necessary to go to the trouble of organising neighbouring seats if you all check-in separately. On the rare occasions when I’d fly with a few of my team I would choose the same airline and flight as them (usually DJ) and we’d check in separately but I’d be relieved to be in the same general area and often behind one or more of them. However if you all happened to check in together at the airport then, personally, I’d be sacrificing my forward-aisle seat in order to sit in the same row as the others if the opportunity arose.

 

[haydensydney]

You could just act surprised at the business class seat allocation when your given the boarding pass?

But - it could also be a good idea to sit next to your boss and "bond" - its not often that you get that much airtime with the guy who pays your wage. Could be beneficial.

 

[muppet]

You could just act surprised at the business class seat allocation when your given the boarding pass?

But - it could also be a good idea to sit next to your boss and "bond" - its not often that you get that much airtime with the guy who pays your wage. Could be beneficial.

Ahhhh the "bonding". As long as you don't mean talking actual work!

We usually bond over red wine and roulette .... hence it's hard for me to suck up and pretend I'm good.

 

[bkv]

Keep in mind that after a three day trip your boss may want to have a bit of space from you and may be pleasantly surprised that he won't need to sit next to you and talk 'shop' for three hours.

 

[Moopere]

I'd view this as an opportunity to have the boss rethink his Y only policy. I'm assuming such a policy as he/she is travelling Y as well.

Outside of work travelling though, this question has come up for me in leisure travel as well. I'd try and judge my travel partner to see how important it seems to them that you sit together. Personally speaking, I couldn't care less if I sat next to my travel partner or not as I sleep pretty much most of the time anyway and wake time is unlikely (for me) to be spent engaging in interesting and thought provoking conversation.

So for mine, not important at all, therefore if my partner wanted to upgrade I'd be happy for them. If my travel bud didn't care and I was given the opp up I'd take it also.

For some weird reason I view lounge access slightly differently and feel _really_ uncomfortable when I have lounge access but a travel buddy doesn't (and I can't comp them for one reason or another).

 

[TonyHancock]

Keep in mind that after a three day trip your boss may want to have a bit of space from you and may be pleasantly surprised that he won't need to sit next to you and talk 'shop' for three hours.

If only this could be true for me!

Take the upgrade!

 

[ozbeachbabe]

Just checking that when you say your boss is travelling with "us" do you mean there's three of you: yourself, boss & colleague who are PS & NB?

If us means "SWMBO" is joining you that changes the ballgame.

Being WP you can take 2 guests into the lounge so you could guest your boss & colleague in on the outbound sector which would be a good start to the trip & great opportunity to earn some brownie points & demonstrate the art of being a team player.

I don't think you need to sit next to each other on the plane as that would be overkill when I'm sure all of you just want a bit of me time to listen to your ipod, sleep or read a book rather than having to try and make polite conversation.

As a WP I'm sure you could select an exit row seat at the time of booking so why not do that on the flight your boss is on then do the upgrade to J on the way back when it's just your colleague on the same flight.

You could also encourage your colleagues to pre-allocate their seat ahead of time via the Manage My Booking (MMB) facility on the QF website as they probably don't know they can do this eg. SO was able to do this & he's only NB & his number wasn't even in the pnr. He was able to allocate 42A on a 767 BNE/DRW 7 days prior to travel & an exit window BNE/ADL at T-24 when he did OLCI.

If you do end up in J on the way back obviously you would need to guest your colleague into the lounge as you have set a precedent but you could always duck off to buy a magazine at the last minute & say "I'll see you onboard".

It might be easier to be up front & tell him you've used points to upgrade on the return in case he boards after you & sees you in J or casually asks in the QP "what seat are you in"? He shouldn't be too miffed as he's just got into the QP again thanks to you.

 

[russ]

muppet,

This question is one of etiquette rather than ethics. Fortunately, I am an expert on both.

The proper etiquette in this situation is to:

• upgrade oneself
• board early
• raise your glass to your boss as he/she does the walk of shame past you

Regards,
russ

 

[BAM1748]

It is rude, if you want to do this go on another flight than people you work with.

 

[Ghostdunks]

Personally I don't think it's rude if you upgrade yourself. I already spend majority of my time at work with these same work colleagues, I don't feel the pressure to spend more of my time out of work with them.

On a similar note, if you all checked into same hotel at same time, its not like you'd ask for rooms right next to each other....unless there was some hanky panky involved, but that's a different story altogether

 

[opusman]

If you wont be sitting with them anyway I dont see what difference it makes if you're in row 6 or row 2. Just make sure you board last and they wont even notice!

 

[Reggie]

I'd take the upgrade.

Many a time I have been in a paid J seat on the same flight that my boss has sat in Y, as in my contract I fly J East/West, he can but chooses no to.

No guilt or embarrisment on my part.

 

[ozmille]

Someone at work got an OP-UP on DJ and was sitting there when our MD walked on board, coleague had no idea that the MD was on the same flight. MD said enjoy your flight and went to the back... No hard feelings... Personally when travelling with people from work I don't 'have' to sit with them. Bit of me time after a couple of days can be nice.


Sent from my iPad using Aust Freq Fly app

 

[haydensydney]

The proper etiquette in this situation is to:

• upgrade oneself
• board early
• raise your glass to your boss as he/she does the walk of shame past you

russ - love your style...! though the glass of QF orange juice doesn't carry the same weight as say, a glass of 2000 DP :mrgreen:

 

[quark]

Just get the upgrade. If anyone asks - say it was an op-up!

I have been on planes with my old MD several times and always had a better seat than him, including one or two J seats.

He wouldn't want to sit next to me anyway unless it was in a bar with a good bottle of red.

Only time I wouldn't take an upgrade was if I was traveling with more junior staff than me.

 

[Princess Fiona]

muppet,

This question is one of etiquette rather than ethics. Fortunately, I am an expert on both.

The proper etiquette in this situation is to:

• upgrade oneself
• board early
• raise your glass to your boss as he/she does the walk of shame past you

Regards,
russ

Are we related ?

 

[muppet]

I'd view this as an opportunity to have the boss rethink his Y only policy. I'm assuming such a policy as he/she is travelling Y as well.

Outside of work travelling though, this question has come up for me in leisure travel as well. I'd try and judge my travel partner to see how important it seems to them that you sit together. Personally speaking, I couldn't care less if I sat next to my travel partner or not as I sleep pretty much most of the time anyway and wake time is unlikely (for me) to be spent engaging in interesting and thought provoking conversation.

So for mine, not important at all, therefore if my partner wanted to upgrade I'd be happy for them. If my travel bud didn't care and I was given the opp up I'd take it also.

For some weird reason I view lounge access slightly differently and feel _really_ uncomfortable when I have lounge access but a travel buddy doesn't (and I can't comp them for one reason or another).

Definately lounge access. He's QP so can take one extra on the way there, I can take two in. (I'll go QP to ensure we're together - all 5 of us) so 5 there. 2 back. Lounge is covered.