Class Downgrade

[Rozhan 0]

Everybody loves cabin upgrades, especially free ones. But what about downgrades? On the current boarding pass stub of MAS, and I suppose for many others, there is a clause that reads: “Please retain boarding pass for Customs / Immigration check and for the downgrading refund if applicable”.

 

I haven’t experienced or witnessed downgrades in recent times but there was one incident in the mid 1980s. I was in a MAS B737 on a KBR-KUL flight in first class. First class was full, and a person was seated next to me. He was shown to his seat by the FA. Passengers were still boarding. Then a stewardess came to him and said something, and he was sent behind to economy class, and another man sat at his place. He seemed to be a VIP, but I can’t remember who ( I was in my teens and couldn't be bothered with politicians, now still!) . I’m sure he was not a Menteri Besar or anything like that.

 

I suppose the man who was seated next to me earlier had to give way to this VIP. Is this still a practice today…..a ‘nobody’ having to give up his F class seat to a VIP, even though the airline refunds the fare difference? Who has the authority to downgrade a passenger in F or C class?

 

In my opinion, I think it is unfair. But anyway, are there other situations to downgrade a passenger ?

 

[Sanjay Thaker 0]

Probably the guy who was asked to make way for the VIP was on staff travel..did u check that out?

[Rozhan 0]

I don't think he was a MAS staff, looked more like businessman. But it was just a 50 minute flight, so the VIP, perhaps as a last minute passenger could just opt for Y. The F cabin wasn't that special anyway. But those days the difference between Y and F fare KBR-KUL vv was just M$20, without any Golden Lounge or anything. I think much of the C fare of today go to the cost of Golden Lounge F&B.

[Guest Fendy]

well, even if you look like a business man, you still could be on a staff travel/redemption/whatever.