Getting A Free Upgrade To Business Class

[tw25rw]

A friend of mine was flying from London to San Francisco on BA, in economy, yesterday, as they were in the queue for boarding the captain boarded the plane and told the crew to upgrade my mate and his wife.

I wish I had a BA captain as my next door neighbour.

And I am sure if BA management knew, the Captain would be in trouble for a total lack of professionalism . If he quietly intimated his request I could understand but to say out loud I believe would break all of BA's rules. Remember this is the company who sacked senior management for keeping their first class pyjamas after a flight.

Whether you are a global mod or not I am afraid I do not believe any BA Captain would do this.

I think you are making an assumption that it was said out loud. It would be easy for him to have a quiet word to the pursor or a member of ground staff who would then arrange it.

[lomatopo]

A friend of mine was flying from London to San Francisco on BA, in economy, yesterday, as they were in the queue for boarding the captain boarded the plane and told the crew to upgrade my mate and his wife.

I wish I had a BA captain as my next door neighbour.

Based on scant details this sounds, like total bullsh*t. Crew, assuming you mean cabin crew, would not be able to upgrade pax prior to the door being closed. The Captain would have had to have spoken to ground staff to make his request so that they could re-jigger the upgrade/stand-by waitlist. After that, the Captain can do as he pleases, including moving pax up to empty J or P seats, although it might backfire on him, at some point.

One would think the Captain was already on the aircraft, preparing for the flight.

[RabC]

A friend of mine was flying from London to San Francisco on BA, in economy, yesterday, as they were in the queue for boarding the captain boarded the plane and told the crew to upgrade my mate and his wife.

I wish I had a BA captain as my next door neighbour.

Based on scant details this sounds, like total bullsh*t. Crew, assuming you mean cabin crew, would not be able to upgrade pax prior to the door being closed. The Captain would have had to have spoken to ground staff to make his request so that they could re-jigger the upgrade/stand-by waitlist. After that, the Captain can do as he pleases, including moving pax up to empty J or P seats, although it might backfire on him, at some point.

One would think the Captain was already on the aircraft, preparing for the flight.

It really hurts to say but for once I agree with lomatopo. I can not see a professional organisation like BA allowing this. Once the doors are shut and a quiet word in the CSD's ear maybe.......

Sorry I have just realised the one fatal flaw. At LHR BA crew do not board via the gate, they arrive by bus and use the air bridge steps. Sorry I do not believe the story at all.

Edited January 24, 2013 by RabC

[theoldgit]

It never ceases to amaze me that the most innocuous of posts draws those out of the woodwork who seem to get satisfaction out analaysing, finding fault and attempting to disprove the most harmess of anecdotes.

I must apologise for only posting "scant details" regarding my mates upgrade, I lifted it off his Facebook page, he clearly didn't feel the need to go into details, I believe him and so did the fifty or so others that liked or commented on his entry. Whether others believe it or not means little to me, and I suspect will mean even less to him. I thought it to be interesting, on topic and worthy of note.

I have known Peter for many years, we are friends and former colleagues, I don't doubt for one minute that this is true, I don't imagine for one moment that it's a figment of his imagination, that he was telling lies or bullshi**ing, like me he wouldn't feel the need to do so.

Quite why some people feel the need to dissect, attempt to disprove and belittle posts and their authors, amazes me, but if it gives them pleasure, then they should feel free to do so.

I have to say I am disappointed in the response from 'lomatopo', I normally find your posts constructive and informative, as for the poster who felt the need to take the time to revisit his post and mention the fact that I was a moderator, well I was warned when I took the job on.

Peter is on a round the world trip, his third, he was more worried about the prospect of getting away from Heathrow on Tuesday, we are meeting up with him and his wife in Hong Kong at the end of next month, I will try and get a full log of the events for the naysayers, or maybe we will just have a good few days together.