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How I was upgraded to business class - For Free

Uncommon things happening to common people

By Uriel ElianePublished 4 years ago 4 min read
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Just like most people, I like being comfortable while traveling. And what more than a business class experience to enhance the pleasantness of a trip? A couple of months back, I had a 19-hour journey to make with Ethiopian Airlines and I had the privilege to be upgraded to business class for the first leg of my journey: I spent the most agreeable 16 hours in a plane, without paying an extra loony for it. How did it happen?

I arrived at the airport about 2 hours and a half before the departure time. I knew how crowded Toronto Pearson Airport could be, and I have never liked getting anywhere late - unless I didn’t want to get there in the first place, though. I checked in just one bag, that I had weighed at home to make sure it did not exceed the 23 kg requirement of the airline per baggage piece. I also had a sports bag and a back pack as hand luggage, which I walked away with after checking in.

After passing the endless security checks, I got to the waiting hall and realized I was already tired at just 8:30 in the morning. Standing for more than 30 minutes with a bag on my elbow wasn’t the best of exercises. Besides, I might have been wearing a sports bag, but I’m far from being a “sports person.” I sat down while waiting for boarding time, hungry – I had left the house before 7 am, so I didn’t have breakfast – but not really looking forward to the meals served aboard; sleepy but also conscious that I would spend the next dozen of hours in an uncomfortable economy class seat. However, something happened about thirty minutes later that would change my travel experience.

There was still some time before boarding, and I heard one of the stewards announcing that there might be limited space for hand luggage aboard and that they were calling on volunteer passengers to check in their hand luggage for it to be sent to the baggage compartment. Without waiting for a second announcement, I jumped on the occasion to go check in my burdensome sports bag: I wasn’t willing to carry it anymore during the next security checks!

Then came the time of boarding, and I entered the line like any other passenger. Less than 20 meters to the plane, I heard a lady screaming my first name behind me. Believe me, I didn’t turn even a half inch: first, I’m surely not the only one on earth with that first name. Second, why would someone shout my name at this time, place and in this circumstance? But the lady kept insisting, while getting closer and closer to me. I finally turned and saw a stewardess running in my direction; I confirmed I was the one she had been calling when I saw my name written on the boarding pass she was holding.

-You’ve got a new boarding pass, you're now in business class. Enjoy your trip! What all what she told me, after exchanging the boarding pass in my hand with the one she had.

-Wait... What? I said, looking at the paper in my hand, confused.

I only realised that this was all real when the hostess at the door led me to the business section. The whole experience of a sixteen-hour trip in business class will definitely be the subject of another article; for now, let me answer the question you are asking yourself: how did she get upgraded?

The truth is, I can only guess the reason. First, like I said earlier, I had first checked in only one bag; so after checking the second in, a new boarding pass had to be printed to reflect the additional luggage. I know what you're thinking: why did they not reprint the pass with the same seat number as before? Well, I've had to have a reprint of boarding passes in the past for different reasons, and in all the scenarios, the seat number on the new pass was different than the former. It may be a policy for some airlines, I surely can't tell. Why then did they not assign me another seat in economy class? It might have been because all or almost all the other seats had already been assigned. Also, remember that on most flights, the business class is rarely filled up and it costs fairly nothing to airlines to assign a seat to a passenger in the business section, if they have to. Last but not the least, it wasn't my first trip with the airline. Who knows if they were rewarding my loyalty? In any case, I would certainly not have been the one to say no to good food and a cozy seat!

To those who were expecting pieces of advice, I would say: get to the airport early and if you travel often, why not become a frequent flyer with a few airlines? It is the surest way to earn free trips or be upgraded. To those wondering if it's worth it to travel in business or first class, I would say: try it once, only then will you say whether or not it was worth it. Alors, any plus on your bucket list?

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About the Creator

Uriel Eliane

I'm a Toronto-based writer and musician from Cameroon. Law is my vocation, art my passion and writing my method of expression. Connect with me via email: [email protected]

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