Meagan

I am taking a well deserved vacation and would like some tips on tactfully getting a free upgrade to first class. Does anyone know how often it really happens? A friend of mine told me airlines do it all the time. Any advice would be GREAT!

fflyer

Have a lot of frequent flyer miles on the applicable airline. Or you have purchased a full fare ticket. It's the only way short of bribery. I flew home from Paris on Delta, and while business class was practically empty, they would not let a serioulsy ill young woman move from the middle of the five rows to one unused business class seat away from everyone else so she could be sick with out everyone crowding her. I asked them to move her and the response was 'she paid for coach, she stays in coach'. It wasn't like they had to give her a meal for Gods sake!

xxx

fflyer you should really write the corporate offices about that incident. I never use domestic carriers when I go abroad from U.S. that is exactly the kind of treatment I would expect. I don't think they would look favorably on a staff like that though. That attendant not only alienated that woman's business but yours and probably other onlookers.

x

xxx,<BR>You are exactly correct. Do you know of any airline that lets sick people upgrade for free? I'd like to know, because the next time I go abroad I know I am going to have the worst case of the stomache flu if that will get me one of those big comfy seats!

Vic

Had Delta remained the only airline to go to zero commissions, these boards would have been inundated with stories of Delta's mistreatment of passengers. Thankfully, since all the major airlines have fellowed Delta's lead, I guess agents won't which airline to bash.

fflyer

So Vic, only agents may have the right to make a negative comment about an airline? I have had plenty of bad experiences on many flights and if I choose to talk about them I will. Not only do I have some good Delta stories, but American, Continental, Southwest and United too. Guess I'm the only one in the air enough? I book direct, pay top dollar and if I want to post a complaint I will. You don't have to read them. I suppose you have never had a bad experience on an airline. Lucky man!

The Truth

If you flew as frequently as you claim, you would know that it is totally inappropriate to expect any airline to upgrade a person merely because they are (or claim to be) sick.<BR><BR>Also, no one in his or her right mind (unless they are not telling the truth) would have extensive flying experience on so many different airlines, especially if you are paying "top dollar" (whatever that means).<BR><BR>Real frequent flyers (not pretenders like you) know that one should concentrate one's flying on one or perhaps two domestic airlines and use their alliances abroad.

Doc

To "The Truth": you are way off base. Of course it doesn't make sense to have a policy to upgrade people claiming to be sick, but I fly a lot, am one of the MDs they are always turning to when someone's in trouble, and -- thank goodness -- they usually don't have a problem with putting the sick person somewhere with more space and/or more comfort and/or less chance of being a problem to other passengers. <BR><BR>I would say in the situation "fflyer" described, the airline crew was unusually hardassed and heartless -- as much re:the woman's seatmates as with the woman. <BR><BR>The most cynical view is that now they're all afraid that an Evil Doer will feign illness and then jump someone and cause trouble. But Evil Doers apparently have enough $$ to fly Bus. Class in the first place. As for you, "x," you're the kind of moron who abuses every decent situation and creates the problem for the people like "fflyer's" sick woman.<BR><BR>My experience is that most airlines, if convinced someone's in distress, will do all they can to help -- although (forgive a slightly sour note) they do seem to take the presence and services of an MD on board pretty much for granted. WE never get upgraded, I can tell you that (and before you make all those usual noises about rich doctors -- if you aren't a surgeon, aren't in private practice, don't own an HBO, or you work in a university med. center, you aren't making more than a h.s. principal).

Doc

That's "HMO," of course! Although I'd love to own HBO!<BR>

gail

A while back (pre-9/11) when a lot of planes were being supplied with portable defibrillators, there was some talk about letting MDs either fly free or get an upgrade or discount at least if they were willing to be identified (privately) to cabin crew as available for life-threatening emergencies. Sort of a designated MD per flight if avialable. Seemed to make way too much sense to me to ever get it done and I have heard no other word on it. I know there would be all sorts of liability issues, but it would be easy to just not volunteer is one was concerned.

mdwife

Believe me Gail in this day M.D.'s are not willing to volunteer services to receive upgrades any longer. With a sue happy nation it's not worth it to put your career on the line to help anymore. So sad but true. Maybe thats why talks dissipated.

AAFA

Doc,<BR>You're the one who is off base. I've never seen someone upgraded for being sick-and I fly alot, being a FLIGHT ATTENDANT!<BR><BR>As for you being a doctor-not! My brother is a prominent researcher at a well-known university and makes very little. Also, doctors don't "own" HMO's you moron. Get your facts straight next time you make up your life, loser.

Jim Rosenberg

Interesting tangent here, but to get back to Meagan's original question, free first class upgrades require that you either buy an upgradeable fare and pay for the upgrade with miles or that you have status with the airline. I get them frequently via the latter means and I fly on the lowest fares I can find. While it was possible sometimes in the past for people without status to wrangle a first class upgrade, that situation has changed quite a bit since 9/11 on many airlines. Simply put, they tend to look at people wanting to sit closer to the cockpit as potential security issues. There are often not enough seats on the flights I've been on to take care of all tiers of elite and higher levels frequent fliers also have the opportunity to upgrade companions. Still, I've also seen first class seats go empty or used to shuttle crew members or airline employees. You have to decide for yourself whether a higher-priced fare is worth it and whether or not there is even capacity for that type of upgrade on your flight. It never hurts to ask, but a completely free upgrade to someone without elite/premier status is a tough commodity these days, from what I'm seeing.

Doc

Guess I can't show my license here, so if you don't believe I'm a physician, there isn't much I can do. I can try to explain a couple of things, however. <BR><BR>I didn't mean to imply that people who arrive at the gate sick and ask for an upgrade get one. What I meant was that when people are so sick that it becomes an issue on board, they may often be moved somewhere else for the sake of other passengers, their own comfort, and the convenience of those who might be looking after them (including FA's and MDs). I've even seen American do this on more than one occasion (AAFA).<BR><BR>HMO's are often owned by a corporation of doctors. I work for a University but part of the health care system in that University is an HMO owned by a group of surgeons. While most of the large HMO's tend to be owned by MBA-types, there are plenty of doctor-owners, believe me.<BR><BR>As to pay scales? Surgeons, even those who work for universities, can make from $300K to $500K or more--some up to a million depending on the subspecialty. Those in Internal Medicine and adult subspecialties generally make less than $200K, and those in pediatrics and straight research in my university start at $65K and the most they'll ever make is $110. In my research lab, the PhDs make $50K-$70K so it's not as much as the MDs -- which I've always thought was grossly unfair, by the way.<BR><BR>As to compensation: I'm always willing (and always volunteer) when there's a call for an MD on a flight, and I'd be very sad and a little surprised to learn of others who would hesitate to speak up. The reason the airlines _claim_ they can't compensate us with upgrades, tix, etc., has to do with the "Good Samaritan" law. That law says no doc who volunteers to help in an emergency can be sued; but if there is remuneration, the volunteer status comes into question. I'd much rather be protected from a lawsuit than get an upgrade, but it does seem that some kind of acknowledgment would be appreciated.<BR><BR>And finally, by the way, flight staff are now being trained to use the defibrillators, although I still think they more or less count on the odds of having an MD on each flight.<BR><BR>Now back to the original "any tips to get an upgrade" part of your program.

gail

We got an upgrade once because we were in line behind 2 of the most obnoxious people on the planet - yelling, screaming, demanding upgrades. When it came to be our turn we acted with what I thought was normal politeness and she gave us an upgrade (we did not ask). I think this is rare. My husband flies on over 100 flights a year and never rarely gets an upgrade except when he "buys" one with miles or certificates.

Jim Rosenberg

Good for you, Gail! I had that same thing happen to me in Montreal once. Nothing like having the chance to be a refreshing contrast when there is an opportunity. Gate agents are people too!

Bill

Meagan - to answer your question - no - there is no option for getting to first class unless you:<BR><BR>- pay for it<BR>- use frequent flyer miles or<BR>- are a member of an airlines elite program<BR><BR>The people that get bumped to first class all the time are members of their elite programs and get there by flying many trips throughout the year. I'm in NWA's gold elite and probably fly first 60-70% of the time on free upgrades.

SpicyGrrl

Actually, lemme tell you a GOOD story about Delta & Free FC upgrades:<BR><BR>For a long time, Delta was ALWAYS my airline of choice because 3 separate times, they upgraded me for FREE when the flight was very full. Twice without even saying anything. I just looked at my boarding pass & voila! Seat 2A!<BR><BR>Basically, if the flight is full & families want to sit together, they start looking for the loner ("Single!") to upgrade and make everyone happy! & believe me I was!<BR><BR>Also, if you truly aren't feeling well, you could be polite at check in & simply ask if there might be a seat in a less crowded row available. Or a seat near the lavatory. Explaining the situation sometimes prompts compassionate results.

asdf

Honeymooners, often get upgrades. So carry a bouquet.

Mel P

SpicyGrrl's experience is about the same as the one upgrade experience I had. I was a single flying home from Dublin Ireland to Newark on Aer Lingus...they were really overbooked on that flight. Even though I arrived 2 hours before the flight (this was in March '00) they said they could not check me in, that it really wasn't looking good and that I had to wait to see what other flight get they could get me out on (probably via London). Although I was concerned, I was cordial and patient with them, and took the lunch voucher they gave and went to go eat. I figured it was probably because that I probably had the cheapest ticket on the flight (it was $190 r/t +tax). It was also my first and only time that I've flown with them. <BR><BR>When I returned a half hour before scheduled departure, they handed me a boarding card for my scheduled flight after all, and I just ran to get through customs and the gate without looking at the seat. When I get on board I found that they put me in First Class! It was a dream... &lt;g&gt; So I reckon it's either FF status as others say or else just an unasked for gift from the gods. &lt;g&gt;