Last Saturday, I was able to upgrade an elderly women with two canes in SAN, as she was about to board early. The only Marine arrived at the gate after this occured. I think the Desk Agent enjoyed the task, which was nice to see.

Today on the return from IAH to SAN, a Marine got the upgrade. The Customer Service desk agent was very happy to do the upgrade, which made a good feeling for everyone involved! I attemped to make this upgrade out of MIA, but there less help from the desk agent,

I think there should be a ongoing concerted effort to upgrade Military personnel as a small gesture of appreciation for their valubale services at these stressful times!

 

A bit of thread necromancy but -----

Props to Mr. Calxxxxxx, who got a last minute battlefield u/g on CO1735 today IAH-CLE and gave it away to a uniformed mariney.

In the rare case you happen to be an FTer, I thought I'd let you know that the marine you sent up front enjoyed the ride.

 

I was sitting in coach when the plane was finished loading and a FA came back and handed me a boarding pass for a FC upgrade. I looked around the plane and there was a guy in uniform, so I told her to give it to him. It totally pissed off another Elite-ist behind me claiming he should get the upgrade if I refused it. The FA did escort the Marine forward

 

^^^U-da man!!!^^^
Made my day!!!

By the way, you didn't refuse nuttin', you accepted it and did a very noble thing, my good man!!!

 

So it was you, an FTer, who did the good deed.

I had a feeeling

 

^^^

Great Idea! No idea how I missed this thread. I'll def do this next time!

 

I guess it needs repeating...if you do not want your upgrade, then you need to inform the GA and let the seat go to the next Elite on the upgrade list. It's just that simple.

I had this happen on a FLL CLE flight a few months ago where a husband wanted to give his upgrade to a stranger in the same row so he could sit with his wife - the GA was right there and I told her quite clearly that if the gentleman did not want the UG, it needs to go to the next person on the list - a fact the Plat sitting near me loudly applauded, and the GA agreed.

The upgrade is not yours to do with as you please.

 

Good stuff.

Upgrading the Marine is cool. Pissing off the Elite-ist is totally icing on the cake. I think I would've enjoyed doing that exact same thing much more than riding in FC.

 

Is this like perhaps the 11th commandment, or something like that?

I googled this rule and couldn't quite find it!

If you can quote me the chapter & verse I will definitely pass it on to my wife the next time I'm upgraded and she moseys on up front to sit in MY FC seat!!!

My angle on this subject --- I purchased a ticket on this particular flight and received a seat in return for my payment. I purchased a lot of tickets on many, many more flights the previous year and as a result I was placed on an upgrade list by my favorite carrier. My love affair with this airline has resulted in me being given a better seat in the front portion of the aircraft because I have been faithful and only cheated a few times, when she wasn't looking. I paid dearly for my romantic sojourns, and loyalty, and as a result my sweetheart carrier loves me so much that she gives me gifts like a much more comfortable seat and top quality, to die for, food and booze. Now after getting this little peck on the lips, and prior to joining the Mile High Club, I decide to re-gift my present to whomever I want, as it is mine to give away to whomever I want to grant it to, because --- Oh heck, I dunn-no, just because I want to really piss off the next person on the upgrade list who didn't quite make the cut. That's the only reason that I would do such a dastardly deed, and it would definitely not have any bearing on the fact that the military guy was most certainly more deserving than anyone else on the plane and rewarded as a FIRST CLASS individual, possibly for the first time in his or her life. Nope, I would only do it to prove one thing, and that one thing would be that it's my seat and I'll give it anyone that I damn well please!!! Nothing would please me more than hearing squeals and grunts from the wanna-bee's in the peanut gallery!!!

 

I think that I do agree with the basic premise that "The upgrade is not yours to do as you please" in the sense that you can't just up and turn around in the line or to the other passengers in the cattle class and say "I've got a FC seat here, I'll start the bidding at $50. . . " Certainly, if someone did that, I would be in favor for UA to drop that guy from the elite list, and confiscate all his/her upgrade instruments and mileage.

However, I think that in this case, the flyer accepted the upgrade, then swapped seats with a Uniformed military grunt. With no money having changed hands, and the intended purpose is to show appreciation to the grunt that is serving the country. I think I find myself in support of such an act.

 

I certainly don't think anyone would feel that scalping an upgraded seat could be determined as being proper, permissible, or condoned by ANY airline. That suggestion is probably carrying this topic to an extreme that has not been touched upon in the recent discussion. The title of this thread is, "EVER GIVE UP YOUR FC SEAT TO MILITARY PERSONNEL OR TAKE ONE ON AS A COMPANION"?

My answer is "YES" and that's when I had a basket full of 500 mile upgrades that I could give out at the gate to anyone I pleased. 99% of the time when I upgraded a military person the 500's were never pulled.

AA gives upgrades to military folks like it was Pogey Bait!

 

Why upgrade members of the military...an all-volunteer organization? Why not paramedics...doctors...firemen? I just don't quite understand the reasoning here.

 

I have stopped by USO lounge and have offered to upgrade any wounded warriors there. The people who run the USO know me and help identify servicepersons. I guess this has happened about 7 or 8 times.

 

I think this is a great idea. ^

 

It is certainly an Elite's right to do this when using an upgrade instrument or miles; not so clear when accepting a UDU. In either case, the thought is commendable.