Originally Posted by MikeF16

I saw something similar to this. A Delta captain getting a ride home on a recent flight of mine was issued a 1P but at the last minute the gate agent told him there was an open seat in back and he should just take it. He did not check in up front, and when we got the WDR it had a JS listed. Captain called OPS to get JS removed from the WDR, OPS said unable because there is a JS listed and a 1P issued. The captain explained there is physically nobody in the JS, change the numbers. OPS said unable because the flight is closed out, if he was given a seat in back then we need to move him up front into the JS. We're now bordering on ludicrous. About to cross 4/22 at LGA for a 13 departure, we have no numbers loaded, haven't done the taxi checklist, there's a mystery JSer we don't know about, and we're supposed to pull this plane over, open the door, and make a pilot come sit up front? After several conversations with the FAs and OPS we finally figured out that yes, there was a DAL pilot who was given a 1P and he's sitting in 12a. Reason finally prevailed and the captain just went with the WDR that listed the JS and left him in the back. Probably the worst thing was the captain was fuming mad over this. It wasn't quite to the level of Ron Mullis and Rocket Surgeons but he was definitely plssed off. I didn't think he'd do anything dangerous so I kept quiet, but if something nonrelated were to happen the amount of angry commentary in the sterile area would've definitely made any report from the NTSB.

Now, had the JSer just stopped up and said hi, I have 1P but the agent gave me a seat in back most of the anger and confusion could have been avoided. We still would've had the WDR issue, but at least the captain would've had all the information and he wouldn't have had all that commentary on the tapes.

I guess my takeaway is if given a 1P and then subsequently told to take a seat in back, check in. If I have a ticket with an actual seat number on it, I'll say hi if they're at the door or in the jetway but I stay out of the way if they're up front getting ready for the flight.