Originally Posted by
pennineuk
You often see gate agents, lounge staff etc. looking through bookings and seat maps in idle moments. Can they access any booking in the system? Can they make changes to assignments?
Last Minute Editing - sure.
Again, for people with the right status and a specific issue, they can move people around.
Eg. a moving a disabled passenger out of an exit row seat, or a child out of an exit row seat, or a passenger with infant into the proper seat with extra mask, or an unaccompanied child away from a man, or moving around a statused family group to sit together - all such issues (if not dealt with before they come to check-in) can result in last minute seat shifting.
This is what results in a BING at the boarding gate (other than an op-up) and a new seat assignment to the affected/shifted passenger.