in the event of a plane switch where the number of first class seats are less, this is true.
But if he paid, and the seats haven't changed and they ask you to goto coach, they are gonna get ran. They'll ask for volunteers first before anything.
I travelled for 15 years in and out of Hartsfield Atlanta 80% of the year. I've seen all the fukkery that can go on. Believe that.
Whatever bullshyt reason they have is bullshyt. If he got upgraded to first and they put him back in coach, that's a different story. But if he paid and they made him goto coach? Something is off because that don't happen without asking and giving you some real good compensation to do so. You can make out like a fat rat for that shyt.