One of my activies, is volunteering with the emergency services. A guy I know from a neighbouring unit to mine, just happens to be a supervisor of Qantas staff at Sydney International.
My wife and I were about to board a QF flight to Singapore one night, when I had a tap on the shoulder. It was my colleague from the SES. He said out aloud: "Excuse me sir, I'll have to ask you to step aside, and may I have your boarding passes".
Well, I wasn't quite sure what he was up to, but of course we did. He told us to wait until everyone else in the queue had gone through. He then spoke quietly with the other staff, who looked up at my wife and I, and then began using a computer terminal.
My SES friend walked over to us, and said: "we're trying to fix your seats up for you". "You beauty, thanks". I knew exactly (or hoped I did) what he was talking about...... trying to get us upgraded. Not to Business.... he was trying for FIRST!
Unfortunately, a more senior supervisor turned up, and there was an exchange of words. My friend then came over and broke the bad news..... "sorry, I tried to get you better seats, but the boss said no way.... not anymore".
He later explained, that it was a computerised situation that can't be manually adjusted at this point.... due to security precautions. "We have to know exactly who is in what seat", he said.
I understood. The date of this trip was 19th. September, 2001.
He told me, if it was last month, I could have done it for you..... "but that's all gone now!"
'Close, but no cigar!'