I feel this is the downside of 'elite' on Southwest really not meaning much. When I've had IRROPS on regular carriers when I had status, it definitely paid to talk to an agent who would basically do whatever they could on your behalf. Back in the day when I was USAirways Chairman's Preferred, I remember getting a flight cancellation and the huge lines waiting for rebooking at the airport, and while I was standing on the line, talking to an agent that rebooked me on a different airline and just walked over there. While I guess the ones without status didn't get that flexibility, or if they did, they'd have to wait an hour for the airport staff to get to them and hope that those other seats were still available.

Now I fly Southwest, my flight gets cancelled, and after an hour long wait on the phone, I'm told you're boned.