And as a result, you know better how to handle irregular opps than Aunt Sallie. I think irregular opps -- especially to accommodate those who got stuck in extreme situations -- is a fair use of the First Class inventory. It's simply good customer service.

The Plats who don't get upgraded on every trip still get compensation, the guarantee miles. If Plats would rather absolutely guarantee a seat up front (and I was a Plat for two years), they should redeem miles or buy a ticket up front.

That all said, this has been an odd year compared to earlier ones for elite upgrades, based on anecdotal and empirical evidence.