Thanks for the reminder to update. Check-in counter denied changing the seat to anything else period. But gate agent changed to MCE without batting an eyelash.

I had just finished writing a decent length report of what happened on the return flight, but when I went to hit submit, I had been logged out of flyertalk and lost the whole response. How irritating.

I'll summarize. Basically it was a "flat tire" situation on a BE fare, arrived T-25, last flight out of the day, checkin counter stated because of BE fare, I was SOL if I missed the flight and that the "system" would not let them do anything to rebook for next day. Ended up missing, but the gate agent issued a boarding pass for morning of next day without even making a mention of the BE fare.

The following morning I boarded close to last, no risk of missing, was just in restroom. Gate agent remarked that she was glad I made it, because of the fare I was flying, "you know you can't miss your flight!" Don't know exactly what to make of that comment. I suppose unlike the previous day's agent, she would NOT have re-accommodated if I had missed?

The takeaway here is that the general "flat tire" policy does not apply consistently with BE fares. It would seem that when they say no changes to the ticket, this may be taken to be absolute. It is however still possible for them to do, and the "system" clearly doesn't outright block it. So if you find yourself in that situation, know that it is possible for them to do, and play the numbers game by talking to several agents.