For the record, I'm not an airline employee. But while I retain non-rev perks, in the last 2 years, all but 2 flights were revenue. The NRSA system is an inconvienant one, first/business class seats are rare, and in the long run, at least with my package, it's less expensive to buy a ticket than to deal with the non-rev world.

As a frequent revenue flyer, and as a non-rever, I too can spot a non-rever from a mile away. A few years ago when non-rev dress codes were much more strict than they are today, it was extraordinarily easy to spot the non-rever: after all, how many family of fives wear suits/ties and Sunday-best dresses on trips to Hawaii and Florida (including the kids.) While the dress codes in the industry are lax now, it's still easy to spot a non-rev: they're usually the ones sweating up a storm near a gate waiting for their name to be called: while the Platinums are waiting for their upgrades, they're usually within 2 rows away of the gate agent waiting to clear any seat on the flight. One could probably write another guide aka "top 10 ways to spot a non-rever."

I've flown my fairshare of trans-oceanic flights too ...as an award-traveler, as a full-fare paying passenger, and as a non-rever. In each of the three situations, I feel that I've earned that seat... and I hold no grudge or care for the others in the cabin, regardless of how they're there.

I guess this is going to be a civil case of agreeing to disagree. Non-rev's aren't responsible for HoKeY and other revenue control rules. And non-rev's should be entitled to available seats regardless of the flight or cabin ...and the current airline policies give them such seats once revenue passengers are taken care of.

Things get blurry with Onepass awards and international BF seats --again, I hold no bad feelings agaist non-revers or empty seats. But I do think Onepass should fix up their award program so that more frequent flyers, especially Elite members, have just as easy access to those seats as a regular fare-paying passengers. An upgrade lottery just won't do.