Funny that somebody brings this up because I had a very similary scenario at SFO on Saturday. We arrived 40 minutes prior to departure at the First Class Check-in line in the lobby. There were three gate agents working and two people in front of me. As the 20 minute mark quickly approached the line had not moved at all. I kindly asked the two people in line in front off me if they had flights leaving shortly since I was afraid that I would miss the 20-minute cut-off. They were nice enough to let me go ahead. When the next agent freed up I approached and said that I was trying to make the 20 minute cut (seeing that I wasn't running late initially I didn't really consider it my fault), anyway she screemed back that she was busy and couldn't help me. I waited as I noticed her very purposely trying to slow-down on what she was finishing off. I asked if there was a way somebody could simply issue a boarding pass so that my reservation wouldn't cancel. When she finally finished I said I gave her my flight number and she said:

"You asked for somebody else to help you - now you'll have to wait for a supervisor"

at this time the agent next to her freed up and I politely asked her to check me in, which she kindly did. The other agent (Helen Chan) then barked at me that a supervisor was coming and that I needed to wait, I told her to tell that supervisor to meet me at the gate since I needed to catch my flight. I thanked the agent who checked me in and started to walk away.

Helen responded very sarcastically "too bad you don't have time" - I said "Don't worry I come through SFO all the time and will be sure to follow-up on this" - She surely replied "I'm here everyday!"

Needless to say when I got to the gate the flight was delayed by 30 minutes. Just enough time for me to have a chat with a supervisor - I told him I just really needed to vent this so that I could enjoy my flight to EWR. Mark Bliss, was VERY nice. I told him the scenario and we joked a little bit. Me saying I couldn't wait for the e-check-in machines to open since they are always so polite. He says yes, for $300 million they should be. I said maybe if you paid Helen $300 million should would be nice also. He replied "I don't think it matters how much we would pay her."