I'm really surprised that no one appears to understand that this "pecking order" of giving PRIORITY to people, simply based on the fare paid, is LEGAL DISCRIMINATION. The fare one paid for a ticket should in no way give priority in flight cancelation situations... It is simply a random way of determining priority which has NO corrolation to how urgently one passenger may have to get to their destination. Afterall, it just might be more important to someone traveling in economy to get to say a funeral on time, than a business executive needing to get to a meeting a day early. We can't have airline crews interviewing all passengers, listening and arbitrairly determining whose sob story is the most valid. Therefore, some IMPARTIAL and NON-biased factor should be considered, such as time of checkin. To discriminate against people, based on the fare paid, should be illegal. It's like the airline is saying, "you're not a member of our club, so you'll go last"... it's not much different than if an airline said, "your skin color isn't the one we let on first"... Fare paid is simply an arbitrary and irrelevant factor. Why does the airline even bother putting "OK" status for confirmed, if one person's "OK" is better than someone elses? The airlines should be REQUIRED to disclose at the time of ticketing the "pecking order", so people can make informed choices. Because they don't openly disclose this, it's just another way legal form of discrimination. The airlines should have to disclose, up front and very clearly, informing people of something like: "you're buying or redeeming an economy ticket and you will have LESS chance of getting to your destination on time than if you buy a First Class ticket". Let the buyer beware. Because they don't disclose this, honestly and openly in advance, they are commiting fraud by not informing people in advance that their cheap ticket comes with FEWER RIGHTS than a more expensive ticket. This should not be tolerated by the public.