Tuesday when flying from San Francisco to Denver there was a change of aircraft. The 767 we were scheduled to be on was taken out of service and replaced with a Boeing 777 with 3 cabin configuration and international seating ( the nice stuff)
We were told to stand in line at the ticket counter and get new seat assignments. I was originally in domestic first class and the gate agent moved me to international business class row 8 directly behind the first class suites on the 777. I jokingly asked why I wasn’t put in first class (that would be a coup on a $110 round trip ticket) and was told with all sincerity that the first class cabin was assigned to full fare paying first class passengers and I was on an upgrade. I really have no gripe here as I got 55″ of seat pitch, better entertainment and a more relaxing atmosphere.
What I got a kick out of was the occupants of the first class cabin. It consisted of 1 Global Service member (I heard the purser address him as such), one other paying passenger and 7 United Employees from captains to first officers to flight attendants in uniform. The balance of the first suites were vacant.
Does that seem strange to you?
