Originally Posted by SamCat
As an ex gate agent I can tell you that when you run out of Se's E's full J's or whoever else would be eligible for an op up, and you're scanning the holding room for more, nicely dressed people catch your eye. It does work.
OK - I'm going to step in it, in a big way. Gulp. Please no one go ballistic.
If what you say is true, then will this explain why my women colleagues complain about the difficulties getting upgrades - even when they show up well dressed, SE's or E's, T+ minimum fare (sometimes full Y), SSWU's/SWU's in hand? They much prefer flying NW/DL to the US and beyond since the upgrading is all done automatically by an impersonal computer. DL even has a monitor at the gate to show where you are in the list. There is no possibility for crap like you describe.
The point is, true or not (and I have NO idea), some of any AC's clientel risk being ticked off by simple perception. If people perceive that the system could be unfair, then this needs to be clarified.
OK, I'm going to walk away from this one now...