there's GOT to be something missing in this story someplace... Business First and domestic first itinerary itself grants elite access (aren't even the check-in lines signed as "First/BusinessFirst and Elite Access"?), and if they were working the checkin at the counter they would have known it was BF...as part of the checkin...

maybe it was a ticket starting on a non CO/UA airline? Does MSY have CO staff or is it outsourced and maybe those people aren't clear? Imagine not too many people fly CO from New Orleans to Honduras