While traveling on a paid ticket, I volunteered my seat, got re-routed, a first class upgrade, and a ticket voucher. I was happy at the first class upgrade. After the one terminal sprint, I made the next flight with minutes to spare. As we were deplaning, I was the last out of first, and the FO wanted to know what airline I flew for, he'd seen my crew bag tags. Then he wanted to know why I was in first and another, more senior, pilot for our company was in coach. I knew he was looking out for us pilots in general so it was no skin off my nose to explain how it happened.

If a crewmember wants a confrontation, first you gotta tell them that you are a ticketed passenger, cut off the blowup in mid-spew if you have to, it'll save them the embarrassment. Then you gotta find out just how whatever person felt that they were slighted, power trip or not. Those on power trips or having bad weeks are quickly recognized by most captains, even the spiked hair, IPO-wearing ones. Be aware that whatever your response or actions before, during, and after the flight may be called into your chief pilot. Who knows, maybe the FO was having a bad day too as the FA, who didn’t get any last night, was ragging on the CA who then ragged on the FO and that night someone’s poor dog got kicked.

My worst experience 'commuting' was with AWAC. They would not positive space me out for the interview, don't even have service to their own base of operations, and couldn't get me a spot to get back home for likely days. Yet, for some of their other interview locations, they would PS folks out. I knew by the time I landed that the interview was for practice only, expensive practice, but still cheaper than Air Inc. If that is what they think of their potential employees, forget it.