Involuntary seat change

[legroom]

I was once moved at the gate by a surly person who said to the FA 'this is one of the ones who has to be moved', and was ejected from 4A into 29A.

The reason proferred was load management, which I was quite happy with (although not the attitude of GC) but when I boarded, 4A and 4C were taken by someone else.

Not quite sure how that works but the two gold passengers in front of me had been moved from row 7

Annoying !

(about to write something else but do not want to be moderated )

 

[Flying mermaid]

It really depends on what part of the public service you are in and your role. Some of it pays better than the private sector or has a nice cushy job, and other parts pay much worse.


About 8 years ago I joined the PS as a just-out-of-Uni graduate doing IT. At the end of our 12 month "gradate" program we were APS6, which is the highest non-management band. Want a pay rise more than the small increments or a promotion? You have to move to EL1 which, even if it's "technical EL1" and has no management responsibilities loses you paid overtime (work weekends for free), flex time, etc.

This has been a problem for as long as I have been in IT and not just in the public service either. Contracting/consultancy has solved some of the problem, as you can still stay technical but get bigger dollars. It does come at the cost of security, but if you are good you stay employed, even in down turns. Many years ago Computer Sciences of Australia delinked salaries from management responsibilities. I actually had a manager who was getting paid less than most of his techos.

Or do what most people do, and quit to go to the private sector. I think from my graduate intake, there were only 40% of us left in the public service after 2 years (12 months after the end of the grad program). Myself, I lasted 2.5 years before I left for a job paying 40% more than my public servant salary.


The bad thing about the public service is that it's almost impossible to get fired, which is why you get the lazy wankers who coast by for years on an average wage. If you're good at what you do, the public service isn't the place for you

Most of the overly high salaries I see are not from people with degrees, but more in the really quite large support structures. Many of these people have no degrees, but get paid big $ relative to their skills. I saw in todays paper that they are planning to return to a single range for a category, so a 6 at say Finance is the same as a 6 at environment - the interesting question is will they all go to the highest range, or will there be a median - I am betting on the highest prevailing There are some very good people (and very hard working) in the public service and also some total waste of space people - private enterprise has them as well but PS more. When I want something done/sorted out I first work out who the do-er is in the area and then ignore the others who are there for the ride and latch onto the good person Anyway we are now totally off topic and will probably get our fingers smacked by a mod if we continue.

 

[JTB]

It would make sense they would bump someone traveling alone just as they are more likely to upgrade someone who travels alone.

 

[JohnK]

It would make sense they would bump someone traveling alone just as they are more likely to upgrade someone who travels alone.

I think most agree with you on that point.

Why move someone back from the front of economy to accommodate others at the front instead of moving someone forward from the back of economy to accommodate others at the back?

 

[legroom]

I think most agree with you on that point.

Why move someone back from the front of economy to accommodate others at the front instead of moving someone forward from the back of economy to accommodate others at the back?

"Move forward" - for both the displacee and the displacer.

Everyone feels better, no bruised feelings.

The ruckus starts when the opposite occurs.

 

[JohnK]

"Move forward" - for both the displacee and the displacer.

Well that would be an even better solution but unfortunately op-ups like that are not that common.

 

[Bad Seed]

I have no status because I don't fly often enough (but do like to sit with the kids when I do) but I always do OLCI and often pay for a premium seat if the flights long enough to warrant it. I have only been bumped once from a very ordinary seat towards the end of the plane to the very back row. Couldn't work out why until my seat companion sat down -an unaccompanied minor of about 10. On looking around, most of the flight was either men or couples and I seemed to be pretty much the only single female in the back half of the plane. Didn't really worry me but did make me wonder how they would deal with this on a full flight if all the single females had paid for premium seats or had upfront status (given they don't tend to seat unaccompanied children next to men -which I know is a whole 'nother debate!)

 

[SeatBackForward]

Got onboard MH122 today, I was seated in 1A. The CSM came over to me all discrete like and said that the Passenger in 2K had requested to change to 1A. I asked if there was a reason for the change, and the CSM told me that he wasn't given one, so I politely turned the request back. The CSM didn't seem to want to try too hard, so I imagine there wasn't much of a legitimate reason.

As we were leaving the 2K passenger shot forward to the door, was basically some DYKWIA type so didn't appear to have any reason for the seat change, so I'm glad I stood my ground.