I fly with AS quite a bit in coach. It's fine. It's only a big deal because people post on social media saying it is a big deal. It my also be because I figure we're all going on the same plane and it's not going to leave without me, I have an assigned seat, as do others, so who cares what time I get on? Alaska has check at the gate for free for bags so really I don't understand why people make a "big deal" about this at all. It really is a non-issue imo.