Normally on UA at IAD, The gate agent will announce about 20 minutes prior that passengers X and Y should remain in the boarding area, and all others should take their seats. The final upgrades are done 10 mins prior to flight.

A few weeks ago, I had the gate agent tell me to board. When the FC pax didn't show up by departure time, she came to get me in the back, and offered me a seat up front. I got to the front, gave her my certs, and as she urned to depart, ran smack into the fellow someone else had let on board, coming for my seat. She apologized, stating that he should not have been allowed to board, and returned my coupons to me. Of course, when I reurned to the back, I had to throw a guy out of my isle seat (empty middle - the young lady in the window was cute too).

[This message has been edited by tgrove (edited 10-28-1999).]