Although not for the same reasons, UA gate agents do upgrades for their best customers too (usually to clear space to fill up coach seats)...last week at DTW the gate agents moved about 4 of us up to First so they'd have 4 more coach seats available..I appreciated the upgrade (had not bothered with it since it was a short flight to ORD and my connected flight upgrade had cleared before I got to the airport) and will not be expecting to be upgraded on each flight in the future that I don't ue a 500-miler on..

Captain Wise did a good job creating more goodwill for UA at a time when they need it..