Hmmmmm. I'm not sure I like the sound of this.

The OP didn't want to change seats because he liked the seat that he was in. The family that wanted to sit together could have done so through the simple expedient of booking their tickets that way.

The big difference between the OP and the family, was that the OP, by wishing to keep his assigned seat, was not asking for a favor. The family, on the other hand, was.

A favor is just that -- something optionally granted, not something to which someone is entitled.

There is absolutely no reason whatsoever why the OP should have change from his preferred window seat to a less-comfortable middle.

This has nothing to do with who has elite status and who doesn't. It has everything to do with some people's sense of entitlement -- the family isn't entitled to the OP's seat simply by virtue of being a travelling family.

[Now-deleted quoted post deleted by moderator, along with comment thereon]

In the OP's situation, I wouldn't have changed my seat, either. I have volunteered numerous times to change seats to assist people who genuinely needed the assistance, e.g. the pax who had broken his leg and was trying to return home, but couldn't sit in an aisle seat because his leg blocked the aisle. I gave up my cherished window seat AND a considerable portion of my own foot space so there was room for his leg.

The pax hadn't planned on breaking his leg, and had no choice but to fly and ask for assistance.

The family, on the other hand, could have booked their seats together, or elected to fly on a different flight.

"The lacking of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on my part."

Injured pax gets the seat. Entitlement-demanding family doesn't. Of course, if the family is flying on some emergency basis, then tell me -- THEN I'd be willing to assist.

And the FA who gives me attitude because I'm not inclined to inconvenience myself for an entitlement-demanding, selfish and arrogant set of parents will find that I have written a letter to UA about them.