The current 2012 Move Up Policy just creates more problems, issues, games, etc. between pax, agents, etc. It adds complexity and additional steps for things like Double Move Ups, and creats ill will among some of US's top customers. I don't think the designers have ever lived on the road.
A related issue is that once you web check in with US, they don't have an easy way to take yourself off the checkin list. So, say, you know your going to miss a flight, why can't you take yourself off the check in list to smooth the processing of upgrades & standbys? Even if you call res, I don't think they will touch the PNR to remove the checkin status for the ticket coupon.
Southwest does this beautifully even for no status pax, you can "delete boarding pass," up until the time your BP is scanned as "on." You could delete your BP 9 minutes before the scheduled departure time.
I also don't understand why US does not have an online version of Move Up - Same Day Confirmed.
I wonder also on the agents computers what the different process they use for a Move Up vs. a Move Back say if a pax misses their flight? Are the steps a lot more cumbersome for a Move Back? I saw an agent do a Move Up recently & it seemed very fast like they have an entry that does it almost right away with minimal ttyping? This was the agent working the boarding for a flight, I'm not sure if the entry is different if its not an agent signed in boarding that particular flight?