I will admit up front I'm too lazy to read/re-read this entire thread. Here's my question:

I had two friends today on a flight with a significant delay. As other passengers were re-routed, F and R space were opened up as the cabin emptied. I attempted to call and upgrade them with expiring RPUs *after* the originally scheduled departure time for the flight.

By the time I called, I could no longer see if there was R space availability as we were past the scheduled departure time. The agent says at that point there was none (but there had been an hour or two earlier). The agent claimed to apply the upgrade, but they *never* appeared on the waitlist. They finally asked at the gate and the agent reluctantly "added" them to the waitlist for the flight where they showed up completely at the bottom of the list (hard to believe as they would be instrument-supported, inherited 1Ks on cheap fares--surely someone else on that flight was hoping for a CPU). They *never* appeared on the mobile app or website waitlist that I could see remotely.

Is this expected behavior or should I complain?

There are a lot of things that could have happen. But yes R can disappear at anytime and not just because of someone clearing. If you are still in the 24 hour purchase window you can cancel for free and then go look for a better itin.

All bets are off once you get past the scheduled departure time. It is pretty much up to the GA. Some GAs are reluctant to update the waitlist once it gets close departure.
There is no published process for how things should be handled under these irrops circumstances, UA leaves it up to the GA.
Longer thoughts -- Clearing from R uses processes that are not longer running at the gate (typically stops an hour or two prior to departure) but instead the GA uses the gate list to fill seat openings. In your case the GA could have declined adding anyone to the list, UA specifically states you can not be new to the waitlist after T-24 (except if R>0 but that not operational at the gate). So the agent agreed to manually placed your friends on the list and the easiest place is at the end of the list. The agent wasn't going to figure out if the placement should have been elsewhere -- not sure they even have the tools for doing that (and the automated tools stopped a hour or two prior to departure). I do know that status still works at the gate, I just doubt the benefits of RPU will work that late in the situation.

So, I'm not surprised with how things played in this irrop situation.

You can complain but it was irrops and the regular rules don't really apply. What would you expect to happen with a complain?

I am a Platinum on a K fare IAH to SEA. I used an RPU to upgrade. We are now about two weeks out and there are still 12 seats open in first and economy is pretty empty. Should I try to get back my RPU and hope for a CPU? I'm a newbie to Platinum and this is my first experience with using an RPU. Thanks.

So you are already upgraded?
Decision turns on a couple of things that are all personal to you:
1) How important is to you to be upgraded?
2) How willing are you to end up not being able to use an RPU?

RPUs can end up being not used or used on wimpy flights. Here, you have used one and that has given you a nice, certain experience. If you cancel the RPU and go back to relying on/ hoping for a CPU, you will have all the uncertainty etc that goes with that and you will still have that RPU to use.
If it were me, the use of an RPU from IAH to SEA would feel like a very effective use of it. Especially when it was already awarded.

If you are waitlisted for an upgrade, even with an RPU then, perhaps its a different situation that might turn more on how important it is for you to get the upgrade.

Finally I will note that two weeks out and lots of open first class suggests that you are probable to get a CPU. But it might not be until the last minute. That goes back to the personal risk/desire make up that you have.

2 weeks is just the start of the booking window of those that book refundable high fare, last minute tickets. The F situation can change alot ins the next 2 weeks.
I have a trip in 6 days and with a 12 seat F section -- it was 5 booked yesterday, today it is 10 of 12 booked. What looked like a sure thing has not changed to probably no.

a reasonable gambit but has a risk .... the RPU might have made a difference, but if you have better future opportunities, might be worth the risk.

Not sure if my experience today fits here or not. On 892 today, and all week, the BF & F seat maps have been wide open, or half filled. Noticed yesterday that 24 of 28 BF seats (for which I had bought a P ticket) were blocked, and perhaps, all but 1 GF seat was open. I'd never noticed the high number of blocks before. Checked in through the app, and got a note for a message from the counter. When I got to counter, was told I had a free, yes free upgrade to GF. I heard someone next to me getting a free BF upgrade. Recheck of the seat map shows a full BF section, and maybe 2-3 seats in steerage. Any ideas what was going on today. Did everyone get a freebie to open up seats in the back?

Typically when I have seen this happen it is because another flight has just cancelled and they need to move people over to your flight - had it happen many times to be ex-NRT...

Looking at a flight in early Feb for LHR-SFO, I am on the waitlist for upgrade to BF, so was checking the seats available, on Monday there were 23 unallocated seats, 21 yesterday, and 8 today. R=0, RN=0 each day I have checked this week. It seems a large jump to me.

Using GPU to upgrade multi-segment (and carrier) flight?
 

I have a two-segment flight (2 hours connection time) first segment by United and second segment by Brussels Airline. Ticket was purchased on W class and was easily upgraded with GPU (R4). However the 2nd leg was not upgraded. Is that normal or a mistake by the representative?

GPUs are only valid on UA and LH (and LH only by following the special process).

A United GPU is only valid on UA metal and LH operated flights even though SN's parent minority company is Lufthansa AG.

No mistake by agent. Your mistake to think you can upgrade on SN using a GPU. Suggest you read the MP page from UA website about GPUs.

United's website has a lot of useful information that can save you a lot of time and confusion. GPUs cannot be used on Brussels.

Here's info from website on use of GPUs:

http://www.united.com/web/en-US/cont...wupgrades.aspx

And note that even if the second segment was operated by LH, it would still take a second GPU because upgrades are per-segment on LH.

GPU 1/31 Expiration q
 

Have a GPU applied and cleared for a flight on 1/31. If I SDC the flight to 2/1, will the upgrade fall off?