Last Friday I was wait listed on flight 208 SAN - JFK. It was a full flight with only the possibility of 1 or 2 F seats available according to the admirals club gal. At the gate I verified I was still 1st on the list with the gate agent - Pat. (San Diego does not have the automated display boards).

While waiting for the flight to board, I noticed an other passanger on the flight go up to the gate agent and they seemed to know each other, the gate agent asked for her ticket and quietly said to wait over there and in about 10 minutes (same amount of time for check-in to close) would see what she could do "about your seat".

Needless to say the friend of the gate agent got the last F seat, I was told F checked in full and to go ahead and board. (this is before the agent re-issued her friends ticket).

So I was quite supprised to see the gate agents friend take a seat in F. After doing some checking, the friend was on a free buddy pass.

My question to other EXP's is, is it worth mentioning something to this gate agent (she is often the agent for my flights out of SAN) or the station manager about what are the upgrade policies? Do friends come first before loyal customers? One fear I have is that if I say anything, next time I'm wait listed on a flight that she is incharge of, I'll be screwed.