A flight attendant has revealed the secret to bagging a free seat upgrade on your next flight which the crew “rarely say no” to – and all it takes is a little kindness
We’d all love a little more luxury when we jet off to our holiday destinations, but for most of us, the cost of flying in anything other than economy is just too high.
Thankfully, flight attendant Helena Afroughi has the perfect solution to helping passengers bag a free seat upgrade on their next flight – and all you need to do is be kind to your cabin crew.
According to The Express, Helena said: “You can come up and talk to us a little bit. Not too much unless the conversation is flowing, because I’ve had passengers that sit there and talk forever.
“And after that, just ask away. If you ask nicely and kindly it’s rare that a crew will say no.”
The flight attendant also admitted that bribery goes a long way to getting treated differently by the crew, as she said giving them sweet treats could make them more likely to offer you a free tea or coffee – or better yet, an upgrade to a comfier class.
She added: “What always works is when people bring some sweets to the crew, chocolates or whatever. And they make themselves known. Don’t just give it and run away.
“Usually, people do it as a thank you, but I’ve seen it more with people that have family working as crew too, so they appreciate the crew more.
“When people do that, the cabin chief would be like ‘make sure you go up to him and ask him if he wants coffee or tea’ because we could give it for free. Obviously not everything from the snack bar though.”
But Helena warned her tips might not work with every airline, as they all have different rules.
And the flight attendant also said it’s best to avoid the grumpy crew members, as well as the new employees who don’t know what their limits are.
She explained: “Airlines have their own rules and things regarding freebies but it doesn’t hurt to ask, you never know.
“I think a new cabin crew member would have a hard time saying yes because they are afraid of the consequences (again depends on the airline) but usually when you have been in the airline for some time you know what’s completely off-limits and what is okay to do.
“So, finding a crew member who is a bit more senior might help.
“Or finding one who you can tell is kind. Don’t go for the cabin crew who is grumpy and strict looking.”
Helena’s comments were backed up by another flight attendant named Miguel Munoz, who said kindness goes a long way when it comes to getting “the best treatment”.
