As a ticketed passenger, I may sit, walk, shop, eat or drink anywhere I please as long as it's not marked "authorized personnel only" or a club/lounge to which I don't have a membership or have not purchased a day-pass. I pay a "passenger facility charge" and expect to be able to utilize the passenger facilities as I please. WN or any other airline doesn't have the right to exclude passengers from other airlines from their waiting areas.

Anyway, if WN's gate areas are attracting crowds I say it's payback for the number of times I was inconvenienced @SEA where the line for WN gates B6/B8 have backed up across the concourse walkway and blocked access to the CO President's Club!