I listen to KNX newsradio here in Los Angeles. There is a show called Money 101. Usually the advice is good, but a week or so ago, they talked about getting an upgrade by dressing nicely and talking up the gate agent.

I am afraid that many people listening to the show got the wrong idea. That advice is way out of date. Upgrades are a valuable commodity and carefully guarded. Any gate agent who upgrades a passenger just because they asked nicely and wore expensive clothes would probably receive disciplinary action.