The list of professions that give a free upgrade in the form of an upgrade or other benefits was listed on the pages of the Express newspaper by flight attendant Sierra, reports Day.Az with reference to Tourprom.ru.
The crew member explained that in fact there are “many ways to get a free upgrade to a comfortable seat in a higher class, but one of the most effective methods stands out among them, which few people know about. According to the girl, if the tourist is healthy, he can inform the employee at at the boarding gate or a flight attendant about his profession.If the tourist is a firefighter, policeman, doctor or nurse, paramedic, military and aviation staff – the chances of a better seat are very high, the expert assured.
Since the profession involves helping people, flight attendants can “peck” on this and put the passenger in such a way that in the event of an unforeseen situation, this same traveler can quickly respond and help the crew. “All you need to do is just tell the employee at the gate to board the plane about your profession,” she said. If, after the message “you will not be promoted to first class, then at least they will put you in a row at the emergency exit, where there is a lot of legroom and much more room to rest.”
However, the flight attendant urged privileged tourists to remember their duty: in the event of an emergency, they will have to help evacuate passengers from the plane or assist in resolving emergency situations. “Just know that in an emergency you have to help us,” she added.
A free upgrade is also available to travelers whose flight has been delayed or cancelled. Sometimes generous airlines offer benefits to such “victims”. “Given that the flights are overbooked, you can easily negotiate a lot more from the staff,” the flight attendant said. For example, airlines provide passengers with “money and other benefits, such as free hotels if they have to wait until the next day, free meals and free upgrades to first class” as compensation. Carriers do not distribute such surprises right and left, but in some situations you can count on them.
In addition, good manners in communicating with aviation personnel are recognized as a working method. So, small gifts to flight attendants in the form of chocolate or gift cards can work wonders. For example, crew member Miguel Muñoz admitted to the publication that after receiving a small sweet gift, he “automatically becomes kinder to the person who made such a nice gesture,” and that he “always offers free coffee and tea to the tourist, and if there are better empty seats, we will move.”
Who else can be in the lead with a transfer to a better seat on a long-haul flight is the passengers sitting at the back of the plane. Sometimes they are given an unofficial upgrade due to the extra weight in the tail and the balance of the vessel – in this case, tourists are transferred from the last rows forward. The flight attendant explained that when they move people around the cabin, “it’s not just because we’re polite, but usually if our flight is full, we have to transfer passengers to ensure the weight and balance of the plane.”
Life hacks voiced by flight attendants work, but not always. If the outcome is positive, the lucky ones are transferred to a higher class salon, they bring coffee, tea, and they also give champagne. There are corresponding posts of satisfied tourists in social networks.