Paying for PE

[Claire L]

I am not convinced about this theft thing somehow

Deborah

It is an offence under s1 of the Theft Act 1978 Obtaining Services by Deception.

It is an offence by any deception dishonestly to obtain service from another, someone must be induced to confer a benifit by doing some act, or causing, or permitting some act to be done, on the understanding that the benefit has been or will be paid for, obtaining a free service by deception will not be an offence under this provision.

Claire

 

[DeborahS]

OK. Try it in Tesco next time you are there: pay for a Value Jar of Coffee and actually take a jar of Alta Rica Coffee: see if Tesco think it is theft.

So isn't stewardesses upgrading other airline staff or friends/family also theft?

A bit like if the person in the queue infront of you at the supermarket starts chatting to the checkout person. The checkout person scans the value coffee and says "oh we can do better than that!" and puts a jar of Alta Rica Coffee in the customers bag instead.

Surely if self-upgrading is theft, then upgrading your freinds/family is "theft from your employer" (a sackable offence)?

If you saw a stewardess upgrading their family to PE/UC, would you all scream about it and tell the supervisor.

Deborah

 

[Claire L]

I am sure there is an understanding on the airline about family members/non working staff. Also if the airline does upgrade you then they are offering you something which is different to just taking it yourself.

You wouldn't pay for a room at the All Stars but then walk into a vacant room in the Grand Floridian and stay there would you??

Claire

 

[Andy B]

So isn't stewardesses upgrading other airline staff or friends/family also theft?

A bit like if the person in the queue infront of you at the supermarket starts chatting to the checkout person. The checkout person scans the value coffee and says "oh we can do better than that!" and puts a jar of Alta Rica Coffee in the customers bag instead.

Surely if self-upgrading is theft, then upgrading your freinds/family is "theft from your employer" (a sackable offence)?

If you saw a stewardess upgrading their family to PE/UC, would you all scream about it and tell the supervisor.

Deborah

Airline staff have benefits to allow such actions, I know someone who travels on a companion ticket of a United engineer, he doe not have family so allows his friends to use them. The person I know often travels Business class but can miss a flight altogether if there are no seats. There is no guarantee for cheap flights or upgrades but are allowed if space is available.

 

[DeborahS]

Airline staff have benefits to allow such actions, I know someone who travels on a companion ticket of a United engineer, he doe not have family so allows his friends to use them. The person I know often travels Business class but can miss a flight altogether if there are no seats. There is no guarantee for cheap flights or upgrades but are allowed if space is available.

I think that is something different. There are two different things:
- travel passes given to staff and their family etc which allow those people to be seated in designated classes of travel (different levels of staff get different benefits)
- seeing Aunty Flo flying in economy and saying "hi Aunty Flo, lets see if we can find you a better seat upfront".

Surely if selfupgrading is theft, the later is too. There is the difference of a stewardess upgrading with or without their companies formal permission. So a stewardess upgrading people they know (without the companies formal permission) is also theft?

Deborah

 

[Andy B]

I think that is something different. There are two different things:
- travel passes given to staff and their family etc which allow those people to be seated in designated classes of travel (different levels of staff get different benefits)
- seeing Aunty Flo flying in economy and saying "hi Aunty Flo, lets see if we can find you a better seat upfront".

Surely if selfupgrading is theft, the later is too. There is the difference of a stewardess upgrading with or without their companies formal permission. So a stewardess upgrading people they know (without the companies formal permission) is also theft?

Deborah

I think you will find that check in staff and cabin crew have discretionary authority to up grade. So while you may argue it is unfair it may be within their authority. Even so Two wrongs do not make a right.

 

[Pinklepurr361]

So isn't stewardesses upgrading other airline staff or friends/family also theft?

A bit like if the person in the queue infront of you at the supermarket starts chatting to the checkout person. The checkout person scans the value coffee and says "oh we can do better than that!" and puts a jar of Alta Rica Coffee in the customers bag instead.

Surely if self-upgrading is theft, then upgrading your freinds/family is "theft from your employer" (a sackable offence)?

If you saw a stewardess upgrading their family to PE/UC, would you all scream about it and tell the supervisor.

Deborah

I've been upgraded a few times in the past but purely thru the job I had at that time (I worked in the travel industry). Most were given on check-in as the staff could tell from the ticket that I was in the industry. I never ever asked and certainley never expected to be upgraded. Once on Virgin I was upgraded from PE to UC, before take off and in full view of the other passengers. I've no idea whether this caused the other passengers to be upset. At the time I just enjoyed it. On the other hand, I lost count of the times I was off-loaded as I was on a cheap or free ticket. I was the lowest priority when they were overbooked - so it worked both ways!

Now, no longer working in the industry, I save up and pay if I want an upgrade.

The salaries in the travel industry are generally low due to the "perks" most staff get when they travel. Being upgraded occasionally is one of them.

 

[AlanUK]

I'm closing this thread, I think this has gone on long enough now.