I was sitting in F, meal over, sipping Champagne…then…..

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  • LuganoPirate
    Participant

    I was sitting in F, meal over, sipping Champagne…then….., along comes the better half from the back and says, “Oi, my turn now, to the back you go”.

    It seems a few of my friends book one First (or Business) ticket and Economy for the family. Half way through the flight the other half comes up front and they swap places.

    Has anyone seen this, or maybe done it themselves? Does the other passenger then get a First meal, wash kit, champagne etc and what do crew think of it. Is it even allowed. Just curious, but Rferguson, Handbag, have you seen this and as crew how do you deal with it?


    SwissExPat
    Participant

    Hi LP,

    I have had a few experiences of this.

    I once was on a BA F flight to NYC and a friend was in Y+. He came up to F, all approved by the CSD and had a few glasses of nice whiskey whilst siting opposite and was there for maybe 60-90 mins. I felt this was a great service from BA and as long as we did not abuse the ‘flexibility’ then all was ok.

    A month ago I was in F from Miami to LHR. A women was sitting adjacent to me across the aisle and it seemed her Husband was standing around before closing up and both were looking after their infant child. I thought he was sitting on the other side of the aisle. However as the doors closed, he bade farewell to the woman and disappeared into a different cabin (J or Y I dont know). Occasionally during the flight he was back. My view would be that personally, I would never separate myself from a spouse with a child on a flight even if we booked Y and I was offered an upgrade to F. However it seems that others dont share this view.

    Personally I would not separate myself from a fellow traveller (expecially family).


    EU_Flyer
    Participant

    [quote quote=852087]My view would be that personally, I would never separate myself from a spouse with a child on a flight even if we booked Y and I was offered an upgrade to F. However it seems that others dont share this view.[/quote]

    I agree but perhaps they wanted to fly F but didn’t want to subject the other F passengers to a baby. So one made the sacrifice. Or perhaps it was a work trip for the lady with hubby and baby tagging along.

    Still, I also wouldn’t want to be separated from my family.


    EU_Flyer
    Participant

    [quote quote=852086]I was sitting in F, meal over, sipping Champagne…then….., along comes the better half from the back and says, “Oi, my turn now, to the back you go”.

    It seems a few of my friends book one First (or Business) ticket and Economy for the family. Half way through the flight the other half comes up front and they swap places.

    Has anyone seen this, or maybe done it themselves? Does the other passenger then get a First meal, wash kit, champagne etc and what do crew think of it. Is it even allowed. Just curious, but Rferguson, Handbag, have you seen this and as crew how do you deal with it?[/quote]

    The ticket is issued in the name of one passenger so I doubt any airline would allow this to happen freely. Technically passengers are not meant to swap seats etc in case identifications then need to made based on seat numbers.

    I’m not an expert so maybe the crew in the forum will know more?


    nevereconomy
    Participant

    Had the experience on QF, LHR-SYD where a whole family used the one F seat they had. Total pain with all their traffic backwards and forwards.


    capetonianm
    Participant

    Total pain with all their traffic backwards and forwards.

    Precisely why most airlines won’t allow it.


    TominScotland
    Participant

    Simple remedy to avoid being ousted in the future, Lugano – buy two F tickets!! While I have never been in the same First – Economy situation, I have refused an upgrade when travelling with family (to be rewarded by KLM with upgrades all round from Amsterdam to Beijing) and have also given my wife the only Business seat available and taken my seat further back….. paragon that I am!!


    MartynSinclair
    Participant

    I remember being disturbed on a longhaul flight between LHR-BKK with staff travelling on the upstairs galley jump seat (747), taking turns sharing 62B, the seat generally reserved for flight deck crew, it their crew bunks were not deemed satisfactory.


    LuganoPirate
    Participant

    In the case of my three friends, one had a F ticket paid by the company, so his wife and son traveled Y as he had to buy their tickets. As he had to work on arrival he refused to give his wife the seat at all as he needed to be “fresh”!

    The other one could only afford 1 seat, and also did not want the other pax in Business to be subjected to their rather unruly son, so they would swap half way through.

    The other has two kids, so with the wife they take up all three seats in Y. They either swap halfway, or one goes down in F and the other on the return. However I’ve heard many do this and where you can have your meal at anytime they each ask for a meal and usually get it.

    Once one friend thought they would swap while transiting Dubai on the way to HKG with EK. On boarding they would not let the wife into Business as the BP was not in her name, so they had to take their own seats for take off but could swap when the seat belt light went out, which to my friends delight only happened after two hours due to turbulence!


    rferguson
    Participant

    These kind of situations are happening more and more frequently. They generally fall into two categories:

    1- the one you describe where one passenger is seated in First and travelling with a companion sat in another cabin. If there is an empty seat this will invariably lead to an upgrade request especially if the passenger in First eyes an empty seat. This will be denied and the offer will be made that their guest can join them on the buddy seat or an empty adjacent seat for a drink before the meal. We will sometimes get a request for them to split use of the F seat. This will be down to the circumstances on the day really. It isn’t officially condoned but if the request is made politely and they understand the need to be quiet and discreet and not disturb anyone during the ‘changeover’ and also that there will only be ONE changeover during the flight many CSD’s will agree.

    2 – the more common and often more frustrating scenario. Extended family travelling. Mum and dad in First and the kids/cousins/aunts (sometimes these are BIG family groups) travelling down the back that will constantly trek up to First to visit the passengers in First or ask them a question. This doesn’t get tolerated for long especially when the visits become repetitive.


    rferguson
    Participant

    Sorry LP forgot to answer the second part of your question.

    In most circumstances where i’ve worked on flights where passengers switch over (and i’ve seen it happen in Club too) only the first passenger will get the amenities (washbag etc).


    FDOS_UK
    Participant

    [quote quote=852086]I was sitting in F, meal over, sipping Champagne…then….., along comes the better half from the back and says, “Oi, my turn now, to the back you go”.
    It seems a few of my friends book one First (or Business) ticket and Economy for the family. Half way through the flight the other half comes up front and they swap places.
    Has anyone seen this, or maybe done it themselves? Does the other passenger then get a First meal, wash kit, champagne etc and what do crew think of it. Is it even allowed. Just curious, but Rferguson, Handbag, have you seen this and as crew how do you deal with it?[/quote]

    I haven’t experienced it (then again,I don’t often fly F).

    The BA tolerance toward a guest for a drink gives me mixed feelings (I’ve been guested and seen others guested) – on the one hand, it can be a nice gesture, on the other no matter how well done it can still be intrusive to the peace and quiet of others whow have paid a lot of money for their ticket and have every reason to expect an exclusive experience.

    Depending on how officious the crew member feels like being, IIRC FAA FARs state that pax should remain in their assigned seats throughout the flight, for flights falling within their scope.


    thebigseats
    Participant

    Travelling in SQ F, I was the sole pax in the cabin. My wife & her mother were sitting in J (their call!) & the “CSD” somewhat reluctantly agreed that they could join me for a pre-lunch drink. Quite right that they should protect the integrity of the cabin but, IMHO, a tad harsh that the “CSD” was so harsh as I was alone in the cabin. I would have been fine if he had said no, though.


    handbag
    Participant

    Often see the situation where

    “I once was on a BA F flight to NYC and a friend was in Y+. He came up to F, all approved by the CSD and had a few glasses of nice whiskey whilst siting opposite and was there for maybe 60-90 mins. I felt this was a great service from BA and as long as we did not abuse the ‘flexibility’ then all was ok.

    It is always made clear, that this cannot be during the meal service and it is one drink and go.”

    Quite often in Club someone will try and sit in the adjoining seat in Club, again same as above applies.

    I am very senior and choose not to work in F and choose WT, so don’t tend to see many people swapping seats half way through the flight. If I was working there, I would use my common sense. If someone and said my wife/husband is in ? Cabin and I would like to give them a break from the children, and I would like to swap seat, then I would say that providing that this can only happen once , then that is fine. No extra meal or amenities would be served. Any requests for a meal, or amenities would be politely refused and reminder that this had already delivered and that the swap was allowed as a courtesy and that only the named person should be sitting in the cabin. Personally never seen this happen.

    Agree with rferguson, a daily occurrence is one or several of a family sitting in First or Club and other members of family sitting in another Cabin. It is a challenge restricting visits. After on visit, I would politely ask that the person in the higher cabin could do the visit, so as not to disturb the other pax. If it was a night flight, and it was quiet and everyone sleeping, then I would not be allowing visits , but let person in higher cabin know, that someone wishes to speak to them in seat ?, but as everyone is asleep, would they like to go and have a word with them?

    I think that flexibility and common sense is the best way forward, but ensuring that when you use this, you are not only thinking of the person making the request, but those surrounding as well.


    GivingupBA
    Participant

    [quote quote=852101]In most circumstances where i’ve worked on flights where passengers switch over (and i’ve seen it happen in Club too) only the first passenger will get the amenities (washbag etc).
    [/quote]

    I was on BA in Club Europe [company ticket] and Mrs was in Y [which she insisted on]. There were few passengers in CE, and an empty seat beside me and I very politely asked the CSD if my wife could join me there. I know I should not really have asked. The CSD said “Go on then” with a smile and brought her up. Moreover he immediately brought her a CE meal. I have not forgotten this kindness from BA, it was much appreciated.

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