I couldn't disagree more. Sure, it's nice -- whether you're an elite or not -- to have an empty seat next to you. But having the seat next to you occupied is hardly the end of the world unless you are in the middle, which is highly improbable if you are a savvy flyer, and especially if you are an elite. The harship of having an adjacent seatmate pales in comparison to that suffered by a passenger who is legroom deprived. Remember the Golden Rule. I think it is enough of a benefit that elites are uniquely given the opportunity to pre-reserve E+ seats. At the airport on the day of the flight, UA should be more charitable in allowing less frequent travelers to also have a little more legroom free of charge, and we elites should be more sympathetic to their plight.

[Of course, I may be jaded because holding elite status on UA for me is the exception rather than the rule, but I'm comfortable with accepting a little less elbow room if it helps alleviate someone else's knee misery.]