well this is new...the 10am departure today ATL-RIC couldn’t believe they left the gate with 2 empty F seats! I included the picture as I’ve never seen such a thing in my 20+ years of flying!

It's been happening A LOT lately on my routes. I'd be grumpy if I were in the rear with the gear...but I won't complain when I have a F seat with no one next to me.

Were there people on the list? If not this isn't that crazy - it does happen from time to time.

My JFK - RDU flight last night went out with 1F empty and the 6am RDU - LGA flight yesterday morning would have gone out with 2 empty in F but RDU - EWR was delayed and 2 of us (including me) who had been upgraded to F on the EWR flight were moved over to the LGA flight.

A mid-week, mid-morning flight isn't exactly peak time so it's not completely crazy to think that the medallion count is light.

Yesterday, out of LAX, I SDC to an 3 hour earlier flight to SMF. I had already been upgraded (5 days prior) on this leg but didn't care if I was if they could get me on the earlier flight. SC rep in T2 got me on, but wasn't even Econ+, just main cabin, but still was fine with it. Flight left about 45 mins late due to coming in late. When I boarded I was given a new seat in Econ Plus, which was ok. So boarded and when they were done and had about 3 or 4 mins b4 closing door, seems someone didn't show up, so one open seat up front (this was on a E75). Gate agent came on and came up to me to have me move up (i was already in row 5 (just behind the seat that was open) and didn't have anyone next to me, I passed. Said, thanks so much for coming on board and offering, but I am fine here, for a 1 hour flight. She had to go to 2 other folks that were in the rows next to me before someone finally accepted.
So I guess the story here is that am seeing them come on and move you up, even if you did already board. But none the less, if I really would like to get an upgrade and think there is a shot of it, I will board last (in event its a Gate Agent that leans more to the YBYL thinking)

So, has the latest lax policy of ambiguity on gate upgrades, simply made the GAs LAZY to the point where we don't even see Shena anymore - - They just leave the seats OPEN?

Aren't the GAs taught or trained that this is a published benefit of the SkyMiles program, and that THIS is one of the TOP PERKS that frequent flyers base their loyalty on?!?

I just don't get it.

Flew JFK-BOS a couple weeks ago during ice storm meltdown. F flew out with 3 empty seats on A320.

Nobody on the upgrade list though so deadheading FAs got those seats. They were exhausted.

I was one of 2 people in F on a CR9 last month from SLC-RNO. The whole plane had about 30ish pax but only two medallions I guess. Sunday mornings are a great time to fly.

Earlier this week they flew 2 seats in FC empty GEG-LAX, even with 13 or so left on the upgrade list.

I have flown 22 segments this year and have seen this often. Very frustrating with deep medallion UG lists and elites in back. So much for that CEO promise to "try" to come onboard and upgrade folks. Loyalty rewared?

Loyalty, are you somewhere in a cloud? Airlines don't need loyalty anymore.

I was on a MIA to ATL flight this week, went out with two empty seats in first. One other seat was occupied by a jumpseat pilot who moved out of the cockpit, so really three empty on the computer. We left with 10 - 12 people on the upgrade list.

Please report this to DL. The GA should have processed those upgrades unless doing so would have delayed the flight.

I've had this happen 2 of my last 4 flights that F went out with 1 or 2 seats empty. Weird thing was the upgrade list was 10+ long and the plane boarded way ahead of schedule and pushed back early with no rush.

Please report these GAs to DL. They're not doing their jobs.

The in print wording said "if the GAs have time"! That is the out. Like weather. Do you as a mega FF thing DL really cares? I really want to know. I think they have given up.