Comments on: Kicked out of my first-class seat to make room for a crewmember http://www.elliott.org/blog/kicked-out-of-my-first-class-seat-to-make-room-for-a-crewmember/ Consumer advocate Christopher Elliott's site. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Cheapticketsfirstclass http://www.elliott.org/blog/kicked-out-of-my-first-class-seat-to-make-room-for-a-crewmember/comment-page-2/#comment-83488 Cheapticketsfirstclass Tue, 18 Oct 2011 07:17:00 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5617#comment-83488 Good article Good article

]]> By: FreqFlyer http://www.elliott.org/blog/kicked-out-of-my-first-class-seat-to-make-room-for-a-crewmember/comment-page-2/#comment-71251 FreqFlyer Mon, 30 May 2011 02:56:18 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5617#comment-71251 I am happy that the Airline finally came through. I think it is very disappointing when a vacation ends with such stress. It just needed to be handled a lot better. The airlines are a customer service industry, and being nice going a lot farther than not being nice. I also think that if that deadhead was going to pilot for the next leg, I'd want him/her to be very rested and alert. I'd give up my seat in F to increase safety, it is the right thing to do. I am happy that the Airline finally came through. I think it is very disappointing when a vacation ends with such stress. It just needed to be handled a lot better. The airlines are a customer service industry, and being nice going a lot farther than not being nice.
I also think that if that deadhead was going to pilot for the next leg, I’d want him/her to be very rested and alert. I’d give up my seat in F to increase safety, it is the right thing to do.

]]> By: Business class seat http://www.elliott.org/blog/kicked-out-of-my-first-class-seat-to-make-room-for-a-crewmember/comment-page-2/#comment-70605 Business class seat Sat, 21 May 2011 10:02:50 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5617#comment-70605 [...] Kicked out of my first-class seat to make room for a crewmember Jan 13, 2009 … Denyse Sadkin and her husband had two first-class tickets from St. Thomas to Buffalo on US Airways. [...] [...] Kicked out of my first-class seat to make room for a crewmember Jan 13, 2009 … Denyse Sadkin and her husband had two first-class tickets from St. Thomas to Buffalo on US Airways. [...]

]]> By: Malaysia Tour Packages http://www.elliott.org/blog/kicked-out-of-my-first-class-seat-to-make-room-for-a-crewmember/comment-page-2/#comment-67866 Malaysia Tour Packages Sat, 09 Apr 2011 10:44:57 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5617#comment-67866 Airlines should give priority to their passengers. It is irresponsible. Airlines should give priority to their passengers. It is irresponsible.

]]> By: Craig Pavlus http://www.elliott.org/blog/kicked-out-of-my-first-class-seat-to-make-room-for-a-crewmember/comment-page-1/#comment-65373 Craig Pavlus Fri, 04 Mar 2011 05:36:07 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5617#comment-65373 The deadhead crew member could have been placed in the cockpit jump seat as well. The deadhead crew member could have been placed in the cockpit jump seat as well.

]]> By: swp http://www.elliott.org/blog/kicked-out-of-my-first-class-seat-to-make-room-for-a-crewmember/comment-page-1/#comment-64559 swp Wed, 23 Feb 2011 12:26:41 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5617#comment-64559 My mother worked for United Airlines for a very long time. (40 years) She retired a few years ago. We did take advantage of the flying benefits, which were great. Never would we take a full paying customers seat, especially in first-class. I have flown First-class many, many times and it's great, but I wouldn't sit in a customer's seat. It shouldn't matter if they redeemed their flying miles or paid cash. Either way, they fly enough to were they should have had a pleasant trip in the first class cabin. My mother worked for United Airlines for a very long time. (40 years) She retired a few years ago. We did take advantage of the flying benefits, which were great. Never would we take a full paying customers seat, especially in first-class.
I have flown First-class many, many times and it’s great, but I wouldn’t sit in a customer’s seat. It shouldn’t matter if they redeemed their flying miles or paid cash. Either way, they fly enough to were they should have had a pleasant trip in the first class cabin.

]]> By: Q http://www.elliott.org/blog/kicked-out-of-my-first-class-seat-to-make-room-for-a-crewmember/comment-page-1/#comment-64154 Q Sat, 19 Feb 2011 16:47:45 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5617#comment-64154 I think the airlines should never bump a passenger for crew. They should eat the cost and live with the consequences. If it causes delays, then maybe they will lose business and plan better next time. Why should paying customers pay for the airline's mistake? Yes, customers down the line will suffer from the delays, but it might make them boycott that airline in the future. I'm sick of the "greater good" mentality. And I'm sick of the airlines. I think the airlines should never bump a passenger for crew. They should eat the cost and live with the consequences. If it causes delays, then maybe they will lose business and plan better next time. Why should paying customers pay for the airline’s mistake? Yes, customers down the line will suffer from the delays, but it might make them boycott that airline in the future. I’m sick of the “greater good” mentality. And I’m sick of the airlines.

]]> By: Duke Nukem http://www.elliott.org/blog/kicked-out-of-my-first-class-seat-to-make-room-for-a-crewmember/comment-page-1/#comment-51941 Duke Nukem Mon, 01 Nov 2010 20:10:09 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5617#comment-51941 And Joe Farrell goes silent.... And Joe Farrell goes silent….

]]> By: Brian http://www.elliott.org/blog/kicked-out-of-my-first-class-seat-to-make-room-for-a-crewmember/comment-page-1/#comment-44456 Brian Fri, 30 Jul 2010 22:04:55 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5617#comment-44456 On a recent American Airlines flight back from San Juan, PR to Chicago an American Airlines employee came back to coach and gave his first class ticket to a surprized young US serviceman then sat in the back of the plane in coach with us. Sometimes people are nice too... On a recent American Airlines flight back from San Juan, PR to Chicago an American Airlines employee came back to coach and gave his first class ticket to a surprized young US serviceman then sat in the back of the plane in coach with us.
Sometimes people are nice too…

]]> By: Arizona Road Warrior http://www.elliott.org/blog/kicked-out-of-my-first-class-seat-to-make-room-for-a-crewmember/comment-page-1/#comment-40480 Arizona Road Warrior Mon, 24 May 2010 18:03:14 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5617#comment-40480 The first problem is that the ticket\gate personnel in STT didn't explained the whole situation such as it is in the contract for the pilots that they fly FC when deadheading on a flight that is more than 8 hours long (if this is correct). The second problem is that the ticket\gate personnel didn't offer a fair and reasonable compensation nor take a provactive approach. If I was in their situation and the ticket\gate personnel made an offer of a full refund of my miles, a guaranteed first class upgrade on a future flight (they have done this for me when I lost my FC seat on an equipment change) and my wife and I could switch seats throughout the flight, I would have accepted. Or if they offered to pay for a hotel room for another night and put us in FC the following day, I would have accepted. Instead they probably offered an 'insulting' compenstation to the Sadkins based upon my experiences with America West and US Airways. Based upon my experiences, it always ended up in the corporate office before the compensation becomes fair and reasonable. It seems like the front line employees and the middle managers can't make these decisions or don't believe in fair and reasonable compensation. But to be fair to US Airways, it is policy that non-revenue passengers are at the bottom of the list. Also, it is my guess that the ticket and gate personnel at STT are not US Airways employees. It will be expecting too much for them to care or make an attempt to make an offer that is fair and reasonable. It has been my experiences that the ticket\gate employees at certain international airports are employees of other airlines (i.e. the ticket\gate employess at YVR are AA employees according to their airport badges) working the ticket counter and gates. The first problem is that the ticket\gate personnel in STT didn’t explained the whole situation such as it is in the contract for the pilots that they fly FC when deadheading on a flight that is more than 8 hours long (if this is correct).

The second problem is that the ticket\gate personnel didn’t offer a fair and reasonable compensation nor take a provactive approach. If I was in their situation and the ticket\gate personnel made an offer of a full refund of my miles, a guaranteed first class upgrade on a future flight (they have done this for me when I lost my FC seat on an equipment change) and my wife and I could switch seats throughout the flight, I would have accepted. Or if they offered to pay for a hotel room for another night and put us in FC the following day, I would have accepted.

Instead they probably offered an ‘insulting’ compenstation to the Sadkins based upon my experiences with America West and US Airways. Based upon my experiences, it always ended up in the corporate office before the compensation becomes fair and reasonable. It seems like the front line employees and the middle managers can’t make these decisions or don’t believe in fair and reasonable compensation.

But to be fair to US Airways, it is policy that non-revenue passengers are at the bottom of the list. Also, it is my guess that the ticket and gate personnel at STT are not US Airways employees. It will be expecting too much for them to care or make an attempt to make an offer that is fair and reasonable. It has been my experiences that the ticket\gate employees at certain international airports are employees of other airlines (i.e. the ticket\gate employess at YVR are AA employees according to their airport badges) working the ticket counter and gates.

]]> By: angela800b http://www.elliott.org/blog/kicked-out-of-my-first-class-seat-to-make-room-for-a-crewmember/comment-page-1/#comment-38850 angela800b Fri, 07 May 2010 01:16:03 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5617#comment-38850 Overbooking on planes are common place and every airline does this. What is unique about this case is that a loyal passenger was bumped for a crew member. Overbooking on planes are common place and every airline does this. What is unique about this case is that a loyal passenger was bumped for a crew member.

]]> By: Travel-Writers-Exchange.com http://www.elliott.org/blog/kicked-out-of-my-first-class-seat-to-make-room-for-a-crewmember/comment-page-1/#comment-31345 Travel-Writers-Exchange.com Fri, 22 Jan 2010 15:01:56 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5617#comment-31345 It's amazing that the couple had a great day in small claims court. Kudos the the representative from US Airways. How can an airline carrier overbook a plane? So much for technology and communication. It’s amazing that the couple had a great day in small claims court. Kudos the the representative from US Airways. How can an airline carrier overbook a plane? So much for technology and communication.

]]> By: Nobody http://www.elliott.org/blog/kicked-out-of-my-first-class-seat-to-make-room-for-a-crewmember/comment-page-1/#comment-31186 Nobody Tue, 19 Jan 2010 20:18:16 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5617#comment-31186 What if the deadhead was USAir Capt. Chesley "Sully" Sullenberger on his way to New York to substitute pilot on January 15, 2009? Anyone want to change their position on flying first class or middle seat coach? I've been flyin all night, my hands wet on the wheel My super calls said, "I need ya here!" We've got a thing they call radar love We've got a light in the sky--radar love "Brace for impact!" Nobody was faster What if the deadhead was USAir Capt. Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger on his way to New York to substitute pilot on January 15, 2009? Anyone want to change their position on flying first class or middle seat coach?

I’ve been flyin all night, my hands wet on the wheel
My super calls said, “I need ya here!”
We’ve got a thing they call radar love
We’ve got a light in the sky–radar love
“Brace for impact!”
Nobody was faster

]]> By: charlie http://www.elliott.org/blog/kicked-out-of-my-first-class-seat-to-make-room-for-a-crewmember/comment-page-1/#comment-29183 charlie Sat, 26 Dec 2009 16:17:50 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5617#comment-29183 sandie, maybe you're still within the limits for Chris to help you. I'm with the people questioning why the employees are taking the best seats free. I think that's despicable. Obsiously not raised in a good home. The guest should always be given the best. sandie, maybe you’re still within the limits for Chris to help you.
I’m with the people questioning why the employees are taking the best seats free. I think that’s despicable. Obsiously not raised in a good home. The guest should always be given the best.

]]> By: Robert Henderson http://www.elliott.org/blog/kicked-out-of-my-first-class-seat-to-make-room-for-a-crewmember/comment-page-1/#comment-26080 Robert Henderson Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:53:49 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5617#comment-26080 I can't understand the First Class requirement either. For me to accrue enough miles to fly first class is a rare and treasured thing. For long flights say from LAX to NRT I really need it for many reasons other than pleasure. I would be very upset to be bumped for a crew member who obviously would be younger and healthier than I am. Since reading about this "bump" I get very apprehensive using my miles...I strongly disagree with the airline for selecting someone who is using frequent flyer miles to be bumped. What is the point of a loyalty program if you are basically flying stand-by. I suppose if the flight is overbooked in general..the ff flyer will always be the person bumped? I can’t understand the First Class requirement either. For me to accrue enough miles to fly first class is a rare and treasured thing. For long flights say from LAX to NRT I really need it for many reasons other than pleasure. I would be very upset to be bumped for a crew member who obviously would be younger and healthier than I am. Since reading about this “bump” I get very apprehensive using my miles…I strongly disagree with the airline for selecting someone who is using frequent flyer miles to be bumped. What is the point of a loyalty program if you are basically flying stand-by. I suppose if the flight is overbooked in general..the ff flyer will always be the person bumped?

]]>