Originally Posted by
Thai-Kiwi
There are a few differences between *A and OW benefits, pluses/minuses in each alliance. Access to better seating has never been a *A 'benefit', although some carriers (well, their check-in agents) have historically been quite generous in still providing better seating to *Gs if one asked nicely and without expectation. Those days are well gone.
Can confirm this. As KFEG I would often request E+ seats on UA and check in staff / gate agents would oblige. They wouldn't seat my non-status companion in BE (booked on a separate ticket) in E+ with me though. When my friend joined me later mid-flight (E+ was empty), he was asked by flight crew to return to his original seat. So there is some KFEG privilege