travelling-blogger

comments

It is a move that we have all thought about making at some point during a long day of travel – a scheme that requires the ability to keep a straight face while telling what, frankly, is a big fat fib.

You might even say that bagging an upgrade on a flight is a deceitful artform.

According to a new survey, less than one in five of us ever has the nerve to put our little white lies into action. 

Scroll down for video 

Telling stories: Almost one in five of us have tried to bag a free flight upgrade, and almost one in two of those who try to pull off the trick are successful - with a claim to being a bride on her way to a wedding a popular lie

But when we do, we know how to push the buttons of those guardians of luxury, style and chilled champagne – check-in staff on the first-class desk.

The poll, conducted by booking website lastminute.com.au, questioned 5,700 people as to whether they have ever created a tall story in order to turn left when boarding a plane.

And 912 respondents were happy to admit to their wilful act of deception. 

Intriguingly for those considering their own bid to make it into the chic section of the aircraft, the trick seems to work almost as often as it fails – with 44 per cent of the conniving 912 revealing that, yes, their complete porkies had the desired effect.

'Just married': Plenty of couples have claimed to be newlyweds on their way to a suitably sunny honeymoon

The results also showed that upgrade-chasers tend to stick to two clear themes when spinning their webs of untruth – romance and illness.

The most popular lies are pinned to weddings, usually from couples pretending to be newlyweds flying away on honeymoon – but also, according to the survey, from women claiming to be en route to their big day in a white dress.

Poor health also seems to be an easy card to play, with one respondent to the poll admitting that he had faked a severe injury, telling airline staff that his entirely healthy leg had just been cut out of plaster after a break, and required extra space.

Somewhat darkly, others have resorted to fake cancer diagnoses to bag an upgrade.

Fake claims of pregnancy and morning sickness were also confessed to in the survey.

Howcast shares top tips for fibbing and getting away with it

I'm feeling awful, give me that big seat: Pregnancy and morning sickness are another popular upgrade porkie

Would a bigger seat make it any better? Other upgrade claimants have cited fear of flying as a viable reason

So too was a fear of flying, with one respondent saying that this excuse worked perfectly, despite the fact that a first-class cabin is as much in the air as the economy section.

'Some [people] are happy to go to all lengths in order to get an upgrade,' says Louise Ryan of lastminute.com.au.

'However, there are definitely more legit methods of securing a better seat – such as becoming a frequent flyer with a certain airline, getting to the airport early or travelling at off-peak times.'