'I got upgraded on this flight and my boss did not': Boss chastises employee for not giving up his first class seat to her during work trip

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Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Mar 12, 2025 8:00 AM EDT

Just because someone is your boss does not mean you have to defer to them outside of the workplace. Business trips can always make the separation between one's work and personal life a bit more complicated, as you might have to coordinate logistics with your boss that you do not necessarily associate with work. Still, that does not mean that the hierarchy of one's work organization applies to all other matters. 

In this instance, we have an entitled boss who felt that her employee's first class upgrade should have belonged to her. Thankfully, the employee stood his ground because if he had let her win this one, who knows what she would have felt entitled to the next time?

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  • 01
    "She thinks [...] I should've given her the first class seat"
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • For clarification, although this employee was traveling with his boss for work, the flight was booked on his personal credit card, and it was his personal miles that led to the sudden and unforeseen upgrade to first class. We get the sense that even if his boss understood this fact, she was still on such a high horse that she felt entitled to it anyway. It takes a specific kind of person to act this way, a person who blindly accepts the hierarchy of her business as if it's the single most important part of her life or any of her employees' lives.

  • 02
    Yesterday, my boss and I were flying home from a conference. We were on the same flight, but our original seats were not next to each other. I'm a frequent traveller on this airline and use their credit card, so I often get free upgrades to first class. I got upgraded on this flight and my boss did not.
    via scootindog
  • 03
    After the flight, when we were collecting our bags she said she wanted to talk to me about my "lack of respect for protocol". She thinks that because the company paid for my original ticket, and she is more senior than me, I should've given her the first class seat.
    via scootindog
  • 04
    I think this is absolutely insane. While the company paid for my seat, it's my own personal credit card spending, and frequent travel that earned me the upgraded seat. Is this some sort of corporate standard I'm not aware of? AITA?
    via scootindog
  • 05
    (
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • Several members of the online community reacted with their feedback about how this employee should feel after his boss tried to take his first class seat. Virtually all of these folks sided with the employee and told him to stand his ground if it should ever come up again during future interactions with his boss.

  • 06
    gilded_lady NTA. If you want to cya going forward you can always email HR and ask "X happened while on this trip and Manager Y advised that I should have done Z. Can you
    via scootindog
  • 07
    point me to where I can review the protocols so I know going forward?" It documents the incident without being accusatory and lets you be able to cite chapter and verse if there's a next time.
    via scootindog
  • 08
    scootindog OP. This is a really helpful suggestion. Thank you! She has retaliated against other employees who have raised concerns about her attitude with HR before, so this tact feels a little more comfortable to me than an outright complaint.
    via scootindog
  • 09
    gilded_lady Even better to do this then, because they can continue building a case against this manager. Good luck to you!
    via scootindog
  • 10
    idontcare8587. obvious NTA. Is your boss 5? What protocol says you have to give gifts to your boss??
    via scootindog
  • 11
    jrm1102 NTA - this was your upgrade, not a company upgrade. I'd keep an eye on this boss from here and document anything in case of retaliation
    via scootindog
  • 12
    neoncactusfields. NTA - you got upgraded. YOU. The upgrade was connected to your own personal credit card use. Your boss is a buy and she is being completely inane about this. If she brings it up again, I'd just tell her that she is wrong and leave it at that. Document this too, in case you need to take it to HR.
    via scootindog
  • 13
    NotCreativeAtAll16 NTA. The entitlement of your boss is astounding.
    via scootindog
  • 14
    As long as the company allows you to use your card for miles (not all do), you've done nothing wrong. You could have used those miles. on whatever. She could have paid extra for the upgrade, as well, but she CHOSE not to.
    via scootindog
  • 15
    scootindog OP Thank you, yes. Our company lets us use our miles, or personal money, to upgrade the economy tickets they purchase. So,
    via scootindog
  • 16
    yes, in theory she could've paid with her own money to upgrade. I just happened to get an upgrade because of my status with the airline and their credit card.
    via scootindog
  • 17
    Willing_Second 1591. NTA. Your boss is entitled, ask her to show you the protocol where it says you have to give up your first class seat to your boss
    via scootindog
  • 18
    IamIrene she said she wanted to talk to me about my "lack of respect for protocol". I hope you said, "Sure, as long as we can also talk about your entitlement issues." She's a ballsy one, lol! NTA.
    via scootindog
  • 19
    madelinegumbo. NTA I've been in this exact situation (I was upgraded, boss wasn't). It never even occurred to me to offer him my seat and neither did he seem to expect it.
    via scootindog
  • 20
    AgileBuy8439 NTA boss probably felt their sense of self importance attacked because you got upgraded and they didn't. Stand your ground without being confrontational, you did nothing wrong so don't let her push you around with her "little talk"
    via scootindog
  • 21
    Larfbarg61 Report to HR. This is a sign of things to come with boss and better you get your side of the story out there first. Otherwise company is likely to side with boss just because she's boss.
    via scootindog
  • 22
    Dipping_My_Toes NTA - What an entitled piece of work your boss is.
    via scootindog

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toxic-workplace entitled people karma Horrible Bosses airplanes business karen airplane entitled people toxic-work-environment
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