An American Airlines passenger claims his girlfriend was booted from first class so an off-duty pilot could take her seat

12.11.2023 - 16:19 / insider.com

An American Airlines passenger claims his girlfriend was booted from her first-class seat so a pilot could sit there instead.

In a post to X on Tuesday, passenger Jake Williams wrote that a gate agent upgraded the couple to first class. The pair was then told that the girlfriend's seat was broken and that she had to move "to the back."

Then, the passenger says, a pilot took the seat in her place.

"You all are terrible," the man's post read. "You (gate agent) upgraded my girlfriend and I to first class. You kick her out because broken seat move her to the back. Then pilot sits in said broken seat."

@AmericanAir

You all are terrible. You (gate agent) upgraded my girlfriend and I to first class. You kick her out because broken seat move her to the back. Then pilot sits in said broken seat. pic.twitter.com/F1I69By3az

The video shows a man in what appears to be a pilot's uniform settling into the seat. It's unclear what day the flight occurred, where it originated, or where it landed.

American Airlines and Williams did not respond to a request for comment made outside regular working hours. However, a customer service representative commented on Williams' post on Tuesday, asking to "take a closer look" at his claim.

Sometimes, off-duty pilots are seated among other passengers because they're "deadheading," or being paid to fly to another location for work but aren't actively working.

Industry publication View from the Wing reported in August that while other airlines' employees typically sit in economy while deadheading, American Airlines pilots are given first-class priority thanks to a new union contract.

According to the blog, American Airlines' deadheading pilots get priority over passengers for upgrades. The idea is that first class's larger, more comfortable seats help pilots get better rest before operating a passenger plane.

Williams' situation isn't the first time a passenger has been bumped from first class this year so a pilot could take their seat. In September, a 78-year-old man was downgraded to make space for an off-duty pilot.

The man flew with Qantas and was moved to economy because no business-class seats were left.

"As part of their enterprise agreement, pilots that are flying to another city to then operate flights are to be provided with a seat in Business," the airline said in a statement to Insider at the time.