No need to diminish the sanctity of the ELR product.

As for the pitiful Plat, he should've checked on seat availability before boarding. Sounds like plenty were available - they couldn't have been all vacated by last-second upgrades/cancellations.

I may be wrong, but I seem to think on a TATL flight I took soon after they instituted the ELR seat scheme that they actually did try to sell them on board. Maybe that was another airline...