Originally Posted by
georgewall42
+1.
The airlines use capacity controls already to allow space for paying flyers over those using award travel.
To be fair, the overwhelming majority of cases of involuntary downgrades of those purchasing confirmed (as opposed to waitlisted) award tickets tend to be issues due to last minute equipment changes or an unexpected overbooking problem. Downgraded customers are eligible for compensation in addition to getting their miles and/or dollars refunded.
And also as a side note they start at the bottom of the list for status and work there way up for downgrades on an oversold cabin/plane.
Remember that GS/1k/and I think PLT/GLD can buy a full fare ticket and bump another customer off the plane/cabin. It happens. I have done it. This year in fact. I bought a full fare y ticket because my grand mother just had a stroke and was not expected to make it much longer. When I got to the gate they were asking for a volunteer to take a different flight and untimately I think one person got bumped.
It is a sucky thing to happen/do but as others have stated you are not guaranteed a seat on the plane. But have a better shot of not being downgraded or bumped on a oversold/equipment change when you have status.