Originally Posted by themicah
As was explained in that other thread (which I can't find right now), there is a difference between EUA (the automated upgrades that happen in advance) and battlefield upgrades (at the gate).
A gold with a base member on the same PNR will not get EUAed. Period. And a silver traveling solo could definitely get upgraded by EUA while the Gold still sits in back.
On the battlefield, if only a single seat is available, most GAs will offer it to the non-elite-PNR-sharing-Gold before the solo Silver, since the Gold technically has priority over the silver, but the Gold will not receive it automatically.
I don't know what the rules are regarding Golds and PE now. Two years ago, as a GE, I was upgraded and MrsM was not...I gave her my seat up front. Last year as PE that happened several times. Also last year, MrsM was upgraded with me several times.