I don't mean to attack you, but I believe that this sort of sense of entitlement is the wrong attitude to have. Air travel is an extraordinarily expensive service to provide, yet customers still expect to get something for nothing. If you want to guarantee that you get a first class seat, then pay the first class fare! (or Y fare) Certainly every airline values its elite members, but at the end of the day they are still businesses that can't afford to give away first class seats to everyone who flies.