We've all observed it and ostensibly understand the reasoning. However, sometimes it seems a little ridiculous. For example, I'm on a flight on Thursday morning (<2 days from now) that has 14 seats open in F and only 9 people seated in the elite area. Yes, several rows of "OOO-OOO" on the pda site. It's literally wide open.

It seems counter to the whole notion that pplat UGs will start to clear at 6 days. Why not just say the entire thing happens at the 36h mark and is run by status? I don't understand why they bother with the whole 6, 5, 3, and 1 day thing if it rarely works.

This is not a complaint about the likelihood of upgrades -- I have a very high success rate and am completely satisfied. I just don't understand the whole "EUA window" notion when seats are held back for so long now.