a kinder - nicer Airline is needed ...

[GregGH]

Hi

read this ... http://consumerist.com/2014/12/24/united-passenger-sues-airline-says-she-was-arrested-for-changing-seats/

This just doesn't see right at all ... there is no way this should have ever gone this far ...what are air line employee's thinking ??? A kind but firm suggestion to take the original seat maybe ... but not this ...

"Just about anyone who has had the luxury of flying on a plane with several empty seats has probably moved to another seat to gain a few inches of personal space. But a passenger on a United flight says she was removed from the flight for wanting to relocate within the cabin and jailed for then trying to remain on board."

Greg

 

[DeniseM]

My guess is that there is more to this story: Based on her description, and the fees, it sounds like she moved herself into first class - not just to a slightly better seat.

That is more significant than just "moving to an empty seat." Moving yourself to first class is pretty nervy.

Also - the fact that she struggled with the police is a huge red flag, in my opinion. Who in their right mind struggles with the police? Her story doesn't ring true...

After one such stop in Seattle, during which the flight crew was switched and passengers were allowed to temporarily deplane, the plaintiff says she first sat down in her assigned seat. But then after noticing that there were numerous empty seats on this final leg of the trip, she took it upon herself to move.

However, a flight attendant then told her that if she wanted to sit in this seat, she’d have to pay a premium of $109.
“So I went forward and then another stewardess came along and said ‘Give me your credit card,’” she tells CBS 2 in NYC. “At that point I decided no, I’m not paying $109 and I’ll go back to my seat.”

The complaint states that once the passenger became aware of the upcharge she ““without further discussion, immediately and peacefully returned to her assigned seat.”

She admits to having resisted police efforts to remove her from the plane,

On a recent flight that we were on, there was a young couple on the flight, and the young woman was in coach and the young man was in first class. (I don't know why.) The young woman was quite put out that the flight attendant wouldn't move her to first class with her boyfriend. The young woman was kind of whiny and the flight attendant was busy, and she finally told her that she didn't pay for a first class seat, so she could not move there. I didn't appear that they offered to upgrade her for a fee.

 

[wilma]

My guess is that there is more to this story: Based on her description, and the fees, it sounds like she moved herself into first class - not just to a slightly better seat.

That is more significant than just "moving to an empty seat." Moving yourself to first class is pretty nervy.

according to the discussion on flyertalk she moved into the economy plus section of coach, and tried to get an exit row seat. you can try and get those seats at check-in but United charges $80-100 bucks and that's what they were trying to collect.


http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unit...ted-her-arrest-after-trying-poach-e-seat.html

 

[DeniseM]

Thanks for sharing that link - it looks like there is more to the story.

It sounds like the critical point is that the first time she was told to pay or go back to her seat - she did not do so. One witness says she said something along the lines of, "make me." The witnesses also say that she sat in the 2nd seat for a long time - not just long enough to make up her mind.

Then when the police told her to get off the plane, she refused to stand up, and had to be dragged off the plane - really, really stupid….

 

[Sea Six]

I wish an upgrade to first class only cost $109!

 

[Ken555]

I'll bet that as soon as that flight was airborne, they allowed others to move around to any empty coach seat...as they've done on all other United flights I've been on in recent years. This passengers mistake was to do so without checking with the staff nor waiting till after takeoff. That said, I've never heard of a flight attendant trying to charge a passenger for a seat in these types of circumstances...new policy perhaps? Or, United not earning enough from bag fees? Lol


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[Ken555]

I wish an upgrade to first class only cost $109!

No kidding. An upgrade to first is multiple times as much as the "upgrade" to Economy Plus.


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[DeniseM]

I wish an upgrade to first class only cost $109!

We upgraded to first class on Alaska airlines for $100 this last summer. (I didn't read carefully the first time, and at first I thought this happened on Alaska Airlines.)


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[dioxide45]

We were on a short Dayton to O'Hare flight back in 2010. It was only about half full. The entire economy plus section was empty and the entire back of the plain (regular coach) was pretty full. Not a single person moved up to the economy plus seats. The exit rows were vacant the whole time. I thought that perhaps that would be a problem. In the event of an emergency, shouldn't someone be sitting in the emergency exit rows?

 

[Ken555]

We upgraded to first class on Alaska airlines for $100 this last summer. (I didn't read carefully the first time, and at first I thought this happened on Alaska Airlines.)


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Was that a short-haul flight? I haven't seen discount first class upgrades like that in many years.


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[DeniseM]

San Jose to Kauai - $100 upgrade to first class at check-in (only.)

 

[Makai Guy]

Wow -- on seeing the title "a kinder - nicer Airline is needed" I thought it was saying we needed an airline that is nicer to children (i.e. kinder in German). Think I'll blame it on my meds ...

 

[Phydeaux]

Hi

read this ... http://consumerist.com/2014/12/24/united-passenger-sues-airline-says-she-was-arrested-for-changing-seats/

This just doesn't see right at all ... there is no way this should have ever gone this far ...what are air line employee's thinking ??? A kind but firm suggestion to take the original seat maybe ... but not this ...

"Just about anyone who has had the luxury of flying on a plane with several empty seats has probably moved to another seat to gain a few inches of personal space. But a passenger on a United flight says she was removed from the flight for wanting to relocate within the cabin and jailed for then trying to remain on board."

Greg

Some friendly advice: learn to pick your battles.

This one - fail.

 

[Ken555]

San Jose to Kauai - $100 upgrade to first class at check-in (only.)

Wow. I've been trying to convince myself to take Alaska to Maui from there later next year as the fights are much more expensive from LA, at least at the moment. Maybe this will do it.

In any case, this is really quite cheaper than the major carriers, even for last minute at gate purchases.


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[Blues]

Was that a short-haul flight? I haven't seen discount first class upgrades like that in many years.

That's the standard upgrade fee for Alaska at 24 hours before departure. Actually, it's tiered (I think 50/100/150 based on mileage), but Hawaii to/from the West Coast is $100. My wife and I also upgraded to first from Maui to Oakland, just this past October. And we didn't have to wait until arrival at the airport; we did it at exactly 24 hours with online checkin. Best first class upgrade policy in the industry, as far as I know.

-Bob

 

[Blues]

Wow. I've been trying to convince myself to take Alaska to Maui from there later next year as the fights are much more expensive from LA, at least at the moment. Maybe this will do it.

Try travelling on off-days, e.g. weekdays. The Fri/Sat/Sun flights seem to fill first class with fully paid passengers, and it's rare to score a 24 hour upgrade. We did it on our trip in October, because we changed our return from Saturday to Thursday, to avoid hurricane Ana. Because of the impending hurricane, they waived change fees. And because the Thursday flight was undersold, we got the $100 upgrades. Made coming home early a bit less painful.

-Bob

 

[Ken555]

Try travelling on off-days, e.g. weekdays. The Fri/Sat/Sun flights seem to fill first class with fully paid passengers, and it's rare to score a 24 hour upgrade. We did it on our trip in October, because we changed our return from Saturday to Thursday, to avoid hurricane Ana. Because of the impending hurricane, they waived change fees. And because the Thursday flight was undersold, we got the $100 upgrades. Made coming home early a bit less painful.

-Bob

Not possible, but it's usually a good option to consider.

FWIW, I wouldn't expect Alaska to keep those $100 discounted upgrade prices when the other carriers charge much more.


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[Blues]

FWIW, I wouldn't expect Alaska to keep those $100 discounted upgrade prices when the other carriers charge much more.

I remember also getting a $100 upgrade to first about 8 years ago, so the policy has remained the same for quite some time. And to be fair, I don't think that Alaska's first class is quite as luxurious as some of the legacy airlines. I mean, it was nice -- 2+2 seating versus 3+3, free booze (even champagne), very good hot meal, good service. Leather seats. But they weren't full recliners, or anything close to that. As I recall, they reclined perhaps a little bit more than the cattle-car seats. And that's because, while they had more legroom (better pitch), it wasn't that much more.

-Bob

 

[Ken555]

I remember also getting a $100 upgrade to first about 8 years ago, so the policy has remained the same for quite some time. And to be fair, I don't think that Alaska's first class is quite as luxurious as some of the legacy airlines. I mean, it was nice -- 2+2 seating versus 3+3, free booze (even champagne), very good hot meal, good service. Leather seats. But they weren't full recliners, or anything close to that. As I recall, they reclined perhaps a little bit more than the cattle-car seats. And that's because, while they had more legroom (better pitch), it wasn't that much more.



-Bob

All domestic first sucks. It's only just a bit better than coach, but it's definitely worth $100 to me...though not $300 or more which the others often demand (and get).


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[vacationtime1]

Try travelling on off-days, e.g. weekdays. The Fri/Sat/Sun flights seem to fill first class with fully paid passengers, and it's rare to score a 24 hour upgrade. We did it on our trip in October, because we changed our return from Saturday to Thursday, to avoid hurricane Ana. Because of the impending hurricane, they waived change fees. And because the Thursday flight was undersold, we got the $100 upgrades. Made coming home early a bit less painful.

-Bob

+1

Weekdays are easier. It's a win/win; Alaska Airlines makes a few extra bucks and I get a far more pleasant experience.