I am 1K with UA, but frequently travel USAir as well.. Over the last 2 years, I've called USAir on NUMEROUS occasions to get preferred seating with the *Gold status that 1K incurs... Until tonight, that has NEVER been even slightly questioned... now, suddenly, I get a USAir agent that tells me that *Gold does NOT entitle one to preferred seating on any airline except the one that they hold their mileage program with (in my case, UA)... Anyone come across this before?? I can't find anything in the Star Alliance site that confirms that preferred seating is available across the alliance with *Gold status, and the USAir agent says "It's always been this way." I've just never had the seating denied since reaching *Gold status.