Should he get a free upgrade?

[ashleyn]

Loving the comments, what a tosser !

 

[Isochronous]

He should have paid for a J seat. Idiot.

 

[QF WP]

A numpty, completely devoid of reality

 

[serfty]

There is an acronym that is becoming used more and more on flyertalk forums at a time where the number of status based free upgrades being granted is diminishing.

WFBF ....*

To adapt to the subject of this thread ... WBBB ...

* Want First? Buy First!

 

[anat0l]

There is an acronym that is becoming used more and more on flyertalk forums at a time where the number of status based free upgrades being granted is finishing.

WFBF ....*

To adapt to the subject of this thread ... WBBB ...

* Want First? Buy First!

A timeless piece of advice. Doesn't seem to dampen much the whole "I'm loyal to your airline, your lack of respect of that demonstrates an absence of customer service," and, "The customer is always right".

 

[knasty]

Related question, when it comes to op-ups due to overselling Y, who 'deserves' it more, a top-tier elite travelling on a heavily-discounted Y ticket, or someone with no status who paid top dollar for a ticket in say Y, H, B class etc? I've been the beneficiary of the first type of op-up quite a few times but it does make me wonder if it's really 'fair' given there would be some travelling who paid significantly more for their ticket (of course I wouldn't say no...) Either way, both categories deserve it more than this category of whinger...

 

[ComeFlyWithMe]

I'd suggest that nobody *deserves* an op-up, and going by this guy's sense of entitlement, if they did, it would most certainly not be him.

 

[juddles]

I agree this is just another imbecile, but just a couple of points to highlight:

I am tall, and economy is hard, and it is even harder when you get placed between other pax. Yes I know that it is best to plan ahead, arrive early, etc etc, but sometimes things go wrong and I have ended up getting stuffed between two others, which makes long haul absolutely miserable. If this guys story is true, that he was put between two kids and their family refused to swap one with him, then I understand that he had a flight from hell.

But the rest of his tirade shows he is, as someone has already said perfectly, a ¨tosser¨.

I agree with this:

....Compassion for height is providing an exit row at check-in, not a free upgrade ...

That is the best I ever hoped for, an exit row seat! When they started charging for these seats I thought that was great, as for a small fee I could ensure my stupid long legs would have somewhere to go.

And when I am a paying J customer, the last thing I want is for peasants from Y to fill my cabin for free

 

[11sjw]

Related question, when it comes to op-ups due to overselling Y, who 'deserves' it more, a top-tier elite travelling on a heavily-discounted Y ticket, or someone with no status who paid top dollar for a ticket in say Y, H, B class etc? I've been the beneficiary of the first type of op-up quite a few times but it does make me wonder if it's really 'fair' given there would be some travelling who paid significantly more for their ticket (of course I wouldn't say no...) Either way, both categories deserve it more than this category of whinger...

I'll go with status, due to the fact that over the year (or preceding one in my case!) the $$ would've been there due to the amount of flying. Non-status customer paying full Y fare might be a one off last minute type of flight.

As for the person in question, GFY might have been the appropriate response.

 

[ozbeachbabe]

So using 'Professor logic', which is an oxymoron in itself, SQ giving him a business class seat and economy meal & service doesn't cost the airline anything.

Well what about the passengers who have paid for J seats and services? How would they react to a freeloader lobbing in a cabin for which he hasn't paid? What would that cost the airline in terms of the ill will created? People would think all it takes is a sob story in order to get a free pass to a premium cabin when they've paid thousands of dollars more for the privilege.

I guess it also demonstrates that SQ doesn't have a waitlist system whereby people who have registered for points upgrades are granted them closer to departure should there still be unsold J seats on the flight.

As for the middle seat that the professor got of 31E, it's not clear whether he allocated that ahead of time or asked for it in CPH and that was the only seat left. The centre seats 31DEF are bulkhead whereas the seats on the side aredesignated exit rows.

I tend to think he didn't bother to allocate a seat at the time of booking although he may have booked the ticket well in advance as he probably assumed that the J waitlist would clear to didn't pay too much attention to the whY seating not factoring in the prospect of travelling in the ticketed class.

 

[defurax]

This guy is really an idiot. Research academics are almost always travelling in Y (university policy, no money, whatever). Some very successful academics manage to get J tickets (keynote speaker at meeting, consulting contract). Real frequent flyer don't get a middle bassinet seat if that's not what they want. Just another prick with an inflated ego.

 

[JohnK]

He says in the FB post to SQ that he had 31E which is an extra row seat middle. He probably didn't get his act together at the time of booking to get himself an aisle or a window exit maybe because he assumed his upgrade request to J would come through.

After reading the above it sounds like he was more annoyed with not being able to swap his middle seat for an aisle as a couple with infant toddlers had booked 31D & 31F hoping the middle seat would stay free but refused his 'offer' of 31E as they wanted to both keep their respective aisle seats.

Row 31 was a bassinet row even thought the toddlers wouldn't have a hope in hell of fitting into a bassinet.

I laughed at his thinking he was entitled to business but the couple in this situation gambled and lost and should have given up one of the aisle seats. It is rude and totally inconsiderate to be constantly passing things to one another over/through/around another person.

 

[maninblack]

I laughed at his thinking he was entitled to business but the couple in this situation gambled and lost and should have given up one of the aisle seats. It is rude and totally inconsiderate to be constantly passing things to one another over/through/around another person.

Agree. Despite what people may think of this fellow and his upgrade gripe, the cabin crew should have moved the couple to be seated next to each other. They have that power.

 

[Archphoto]

I've had 2 knee reconstructions that give me absolute hell when I'm cramped in a Y seat for anything longer than 3 hours. Most of my flying is for clients, who aren't willing to pay extra $$$ for J seats, and points upgrading is a gamble, but that's the way it is.

In no way do I expect to be upgraded because of this - if I can't foot the extra cost, or my request is declined, I ensure I walk around the cabin to try to alleviate the pain the best way I can. I book an aisle seat so that I can get up whenever I need to without disturbing others, and sink a few beers in the lounge beforehand to try and help me crash. NeurofenPlus helps to some extent, but not always, so I've learned to deal with it and manage the pain the best way I can.

If I want to be sure of a (relatively) pain-free flight, I know I have to book J. Expecting an airline to give it to you gratis, is ridiculous and this jerk got exactly what he deserved for being such a tosser - nothing except the seat he paid for originally.

 

[Julesmac]

Well I hope the toddlers screamed all flight!!! I'd have thought it would have been easier for the parents to sit in adjacent seats though, even though Prof was a Tosser

 

[defurax]

Well I hope the toddlers screamed all flight!!! I'd have thought it would have been easier for the parents to sit in adjacent seats though, even though Prof was a Tosser

Well, one can only imagine how nicely and politely he asked the couple if they wanted to move...
"give me your seat I'm very tall and I'm a professor".
This guy should have taken a position in Germany where he would be called Dr Professor by his building concierge. I think he will suffer with the egalitarian spirit in Australia...

 

[TomVexille]

Well, one can only imagine how nicely and politely he asked the couple if they wanted to move...
"give me your seat I'm very tall and I'm a professor".
This guy should have taken a position in Germany where he would be called Dr Professor by his building concierge. I think he will suffer with the egalitarian spirit in Australia...

I hope he doesn't fly VA and the FA calls him "mate"

 

[anat0l]

Is the thread still there on the wall or has it been deleted?

You get all manner of reactions after a lot of critical comment here. Sometimes the thread gets deleted (viz. the recent thread of that marketing guru who couldn't prioritise his own time to save his life), sometimes you get a lot of critical reactions from the OP to other posters, and sometimes it just fizzles out. And of course, there's a chance that the airline in question actually - but "wrongly" - kow tows to the passenger.