Originally Posted by
Kacee
It's unfortunate to see that derogatory term used. People who buy cheaper tickets are not lesser human beings.
And in any event, IME you're very likely to get a 1K or a UA employee cleared into the bulkhead middles.
Remember, while G-d created all people as equals, He didn't mention that all customers are created equal, because they are not. There is absolutely no reason why a gate agent should be clearing a BE standby into a premium E+ or exit row seat to sit next to an elite, instead of placing them into an open seat in the back. The open middle in the E+/ER section should remain open when any elite member is seated next to the seat, and it's not needed due to flight loads. This is especially true given that seat has a price tag on it, that anyone else who isn't elite would need to pay to reserve.
This is as infuriating as Delta gate agents who routinely clear BE standbys into Comfort+ instead of open seats in the back, which is more of affront given C+ is a separate fare class.
If the BE customer is a 1K/Plat/Gold, that's a different story, but certainly rarely the case from anyone whose been cleared into a seat next to me where I've had a chance to glance at their BP