I don't agree that cost should be/is a factor. I had an experience this past August where I was annoyed at a drunkard next to me. I was in 1B and the offender was in 1A. I had to fly IAH-MCT, but on the leg back, LGW-IAH, the person next to me became drunk to the point I worried about my safety. At one point, the senior service manager actually complimented him on how he was "still with us", and went on to say that she was very impressed on how much he could drink. All while re-filling his glass. After he was not being served anymore wine in his seat, he just went up to the forward galley, glass in hand, to ask for more, and he was served.

By this time the flight attendants noticed, and did not serve him, so what did he do? He took his glass to the back of the plane. Do they server FC passengers in the rear, or did he pay? Not sure. Anyway, it was finally obvious to the senior service attendant that the guy was drunk, and she came by and kneeled in front of him and had a private conversation with him and asked him if he was celebrating, and that he needed to stop because he was embarrassing the crew! Yes, the crew. He was a Continental Express pilot! He bragged about it to me earlier, even showing me his credentials. He had just completed some sort of training in Europe, not sure what though, but it was job related as he was not a paying customer (he bragged about that too).

So I sent CO a nice email, telling them I was not comfortable being next to this guy who I thought either was going to fall on me trying to get over my seat as he almost did a couple of times, or worse. I was direct and told CO it was not a nice experience for me. I told them my cost for this trip was just under 12K, and that I would at least like some miles posted to my account. I didn't even ask for an amount, just enough to acknowledge that it was not a pleasant experience for me to have to constantly wonder what would happen with this guy.

So I got a phone call, and the agent on the phone apologized. That was it. I asked her if I could get miles as I did in my email, but then she asked me if I had asked to be reseated. I said no, the BF cabin was full. She said I could have asked to be moved, and because I didn't, it was my fault basically. Even though it was about 3+ hours into the flight when all this happened.

I also gave the name of the guy, but she said she had no record of him in BF. Does CO update their online records when they let their own come from coach to be seated in BF? At this point I figured it was a losing battle, and left it, but my record is on file if anyone who works for CO would like to check.