Watched an attempted self-upgrader to PE get busted.

VS 8 LAX-LHR

I boarded rather late after they called Economy Delight so when I arrived in my PE seat, the cabin was already about 90% full. Then I see a suspicious looking man enter the PE cabin looking way ahead to regular Econcomy and then stopped as he appeared to notice a bulkhead aisle he just passed. He then stood for a few seconds and then stepped back to that empty PE seat and sat in it. It was row 21.

About a minute later a FA asked if she could see his boarding pass and he balked, asking why. She said that seat was reserved. When he finally showed her the BP she said he’s supposed to be in row 48. He then argued with her claiming he was sold a seat in the PE cabin and the mystery agent who sold him the ticket told him to sit in that seat. The FA then said she will speak with the GA. A few minutes later a GA who was physically larger and had a more “don’t mess with me” demeanor told him he must go to his assigned seat or they can’t close the doors and if he still refuses security personel would be summoned. He sheepishly finally complied.

After doors closing someone from Economy that was invited by the FA’s came to sit in that seat (FAM? Buddy pass? Upgraded elite?). I chatted with a couple of FA’s during the flight about the incident and they said he’s done that before and perhaps one time he got away with it so he’s emboldened to try it every time.

Hahah good attempt, I really have a real admiration for those that can blag, I myself having blagged myself in my younger days, with many a story about getting upgrades on trains, even more recently the odd lounge that I technically shouldn't have been in too! (And getting in to a messy debate with someone on Flyertalk about the matter! Sometimes it is just purely about confidence, other times when you're not the blagger its just funny watching people getting thwarted!

A FAM (Federal Air Marshall) would have been allocated the seat in the first place not put in there just because it was free.

Now the FSM / CSS have the tablet devices, they get a seating plan of the aircraft not dissimilar from the one on the VS website "Manage My Booking" screen. As a result it's very easy to reconcile seats that should be unoccupied against what you can physically see.

It does not take long, as the OP has observed to "bust" a chancer who is sitting where they should not be.

I clearly remember flying in UC (in the days before flat seats) on a night flight home from Honk Kong. There were quite a few empty seats in the cabin. I watched a passenger from either PE or Economy walk into the cabin. He had a quick look round, didn't see any cabin crew and settled into one of the free seats. He wasn't there for long because one of the cc spotted him and asked him to go back to his own seat. About half an hour later, he tried the same thing again and once more was sent packing. A third attempt was then made (he certainly wasn't giving up easily) and yet again, back he went. That was the last time I saw him as he had obviously admitted defeat.

Surely, with all VS aircraft being 'UK flagged', it wouldn't of been a FAM?

Any country part of the ESTA program, must have a FAM agreement as well. It's one of the requirements of being part of ESTA.

The UK also has it's own AM program, albeit tiny compared to the USA and not widely known or talked about.

If it was a FAM, they'd have been assigned the seat on the ground. Highly unlikely that move would have happened onboard. I suspect it was travelling crew/staff/friend etc.

Just learned VS is flying to TLV and, related to this topic, just giving a little information. A friend of mine was an AC purser and after asking him the route he disliked flying most was the TLV flights. Apparently on EVERY flight there are several chancers who try to self-upgrade. Frequently the very religious will use the “I was sitting next to a woman” excuse. I witnessed attempted self-upgraders myself on DL flying JFK-TLV. There’s also the disobeying crews instructions and standing/praying in the aisles even with the seatbelt light on. Overall that JFK-TLV flight was the most collectively misbehaved group of passengers I’ve ever experienced, and I’ve been on flights with English football/soccer supporters!

Get ready for more posts like this once the TLV service begins.

I agree with the above. The Tel Aviv route could be "troublesome" due to passengers citing religious reasons as to why they cannot take their allocated seat / performing religious duties irrespective of the seatbelt sign. (Have read similar on other forums).

That said, I've been on an Emirates flight (in Business) where a guy from Economy was standing in the Business class cabin having a meeting with his colleague - who was in Business class - for well over an hour, with the seatbelt sign on all the time. I did give feedback to EK, but they brushed it under the carpet claiming the passenger was "asked to leave"... absolute rubbish. He was not even asked, let alone told to leave.