I was late for an IAH-GRU flight a few weeks ago, had not checked in, needed to check 2 bags, and arrived at the ticket counter 45 minutes before scheduled departure time. I had had a bad day, forgot to check in, then there was a wreck on the Hardy Tollroad and it was just not looking good. The agent first said I was too late, then made a call to the gate, found me a seat (mine had already been given up), and checked my bags. He did all of this after he saw that I was Platinum, so that probably played a part. Obviously this was luck on my part, as I would never expect it to happen that way every time, although at 8:30pm there is less of a crowd in the check-in area. If it had been in the afternoon when all the long haul intl' flights were leaving perhaps it would have gone another way.