Originally Posted by
newyorkgeorge
It's the proverbial you get what you pay for. Those in MCE seats either have paid for them or earned them through status. Those in BE have made a decision to forgo certain amenities in exchange for a lower fare. IMHO AA should take the last few rows, reduce the pitch and call it a separate class-BE. As it is on full flights BE often end up in MCE albeit a middle seat.
Ending up in MCE because the seat was assigned that way is a luck of the draw essentially. But getting the free drink that's part of MCE that others paid for is the problem.