AirTran Airways A+ Rewards - Is this normal? MDW-CUN

The night before my flight, I called customer service to upgrade both myself and my companion to business class using 8 Airtran Credits. I often do this as much as I can.
Upon arriving to the gate, I sat near the podium since I knew I would be one of the first to board the plane. I was quite irritated after several couples approached the Gate Agent to complain they did not have seats next to each other. The gate agents response was to simply give these couples a "complimentary" upgrade to business class.

What date was your MDWCUN?

Aug 1

They got upgraded because Y was oversold. They were just lucky that they came up, it could have really been anyone if there was no one with appropriate status in the back. To ease your irritation I can safely say that their timing had everything to do with it and not their pleading for seating together. Nothing wrong done here though. I will PM you to further ease your irritation. Check inbox.

Comps do occur as many Elites will attest. On an oversold coach someone has to be moved up. The Gate agent looks first for Elites which may even free up seats for those couples.

Your upgrade on the other hand was *positively guaranteed* with no bag fees using credits. ^

It's not much different than paying a same day confirmed (SDC) fee of $25 versus normal same day standby on an earlier flight. That fee guarantees a seat while indeed someone else might actually make it standby. Or on the other side of the coin that SDC bumps a standby that wasn't willing to pay it.