It seems there are a lot fewer stories like this lately of misguided UA employee entitlement. There used to be a bunch, like telling FC passngers they're out of steak, then seeing them carry steak into the cockpit. The irony with the seats is that upon landing the passenger might well then go to work while the FAs by law are off duty.

I do think events over the past 2-3 years have made instances like this much less. But if it were me, I'd have gotten names upon landing and reported each person who told me I couldn't sit there, by name, to UA.