I’m ready for lousy treatment from airlines. I expect it. Even from U.S. Airways, a member of the Star Alliance, of which I’m a top-tier member (“gold”).

U.S. Airways doesn’t extend any special privilege to me when it comes to economy seating, since my Star Alliance allegiance is to United Airlines, where I am a 1K member.

So I expect rotten seats. I get the best I can early, then hope some improvement can be made at check-in. So much for being Star Alliance Gold, the valued frequent-flier.

I followed that practice on our most recent domestic flight. Our client booked Bob and me on separate reservations with seats together in the back. Online, I moved our seats forward to 17A and B.

Airline seat scam

Early to the airport for our red-eye, there was no crowd and a nice agent quickly volunteered to assist. At the passenger check-in terminal, he brought up the seat map on which we saw certain desirable seats marked with dollar signs. I won’t pay for those on principle. The agent pointed out 5A and B on the screen, which showed available, no extra charge. Great. He booked me into 5A, a window seat.

The agent then logged in for Bob’s reservation and clicked to the seat map. 5A showed occupied now—by me. But 5B, a middle seat, was now marked with a dollar sign. It suddenly required an extra charge!

“What happened?” I asked, “it was free just a moment ago. And who charges for middle seats?”

“They charge if you want to sit together,” the agent said. Another agent volunteered that “the system” charges for random seats. But what passenger would pay for a middle seat? Only one who wants to sit next to someone sitting in the adjacent seat, obviously. Not very random, it seems to me. Clearly, an airline seat scam by U.S. Airways.

“Forget it! Just put us back in 17A and B, then.”

The agent fiddled at his own terminal for a few minutes, then informed us that 17A and B were no longer available. He offered something in the 30s.

Bob and I balked, insisting that the agent put us into 5A and B, as he initially suggested, or restore the seats I had reserved online. I waved my printed reservation at him, and he bothered to scrutinize it. We used the words airline seat scam and requested a supervisor.

The agent sweated at his terminal. Magically, 17A and B became available once again. The agent said he “moved someone.” Who knows how these airline seat scams work. Did someone really grab 17A and B during the very few minutes we tried to switch to seats in row 5? Did the agent hit a red “pax balks” button?

So now I’m wondering what triggered the scam, given that Bob and I had separate booking numbers. Could it be that his and my profiles, or frequent flier numbers, show that we usually fly together? Could it be that we booked a window seat, and within two minutes attempted to book the adjacent seat from the same terminal? Could it have been triggered by the agent who volunteered to take over the process? Any of these are possible. Any other instigator I haven’t thought of?

One thing I do not believe is that the seat we wanted was suddenly a “random” charge.

We haven’t experienced everything as very frequent fliers, but we thought we’d at least read everything. This was a first. Charging to sit next to someone? Charging for a middle seat? This is an airline seat scam I hadn’t read of, heard of, or could imagine. Very creative, U.S. Airways!