OK. Booked a transcon out of PDX back in February in coach. Put my name on the upgrade list at time of booking (MVP). Fare class not auto UG. Selected seats (MVP near front, NOT row 6). Flight was today (Friday).

2 days ago I get an auto generated email from Alaska stating Congrats, you are riding up front. Sweet! Login and verify, it is there and I select a specific seat. Thursday afternoon I check-in, print the BP and verify I still am in F with my selected F seat. Got another email 10 hours after the 1st saying the same thing; upgraded for the outbound.

Thursday night I check again, all is good, F out coach back (requal run, double miles, too much free time).

Friday morning, BP in hand I go to the airport after checking depart status. Hand my home printed BP to the GA and she scans it, frowns, starts typing, frowns some more and says, "well, your checked according to <my printed BP>, but not in the computer and there are no more F seats."

She sends me to the desk at the gate to sort it out. First guy looks into it and can not figure it out. Calls another lady over from the end of the desk, she pokes around and after 10 minutes or so has determined that the MP desk was in the booking AFTER I was all checked in. They upgraded the return and bounced me back to coach for the outbound (with no seat assigned). Essentially they canceled everything and re-booked me Y out and F back.

Stuff the GA asked:
Did I cancel anything? No.
To the other GA, Was there a plane change? Nope.

My question to the masses - Should I complain to AS? I am ticked that they were trying to do the nice thing and upgrade my return, but in the process messed up the outbound. The only seat I could get was in row 6. You know, the row that has the arms do not move. I had an isle forward of the exit (but not 6) at time of booking. I like these because of the space 6 does not offer. I booked the seat I wanted 7 months ago. I know I technically got what I paid for, but the experience was not good. I do have a dupe copy of the BP showing F via U fare code and the emails stating the upgrade.

Kudos to the GA and the FA's. The GA told the FA and she was awesome; they comped everything I would have wanted and asked if I wanted and brought me juice from First with the F service.