<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Hammer:
I dont think this will work - I'm coming from DUS, he comes from HAM and we both will be already checked in when we meet at LHR for the flight to SFO together.
And - I'm not a gold like you 
Maybe we should give it a try at the gate for the SFO flight?
Hammer</font>
Shame... though gold wouldn't make much difference, as long as you are on a paid ticket they often help out. Perhaps you could get him to delay his checkin untill you are both at LHR, or ask politely when you check in, you'll have your seat upstairs anyway so there is nothing to lose by checking in a little later...