My family and I just listed for a flight to Seattle on "our company" SA2P. We listed F class which was wide open, I even sold the first seat (of 6) at the connecting airport before we boarded (and there were no pax upgrades coming for those listed, so 5 seats available)

We arrive at the gate, let the agent know we were there in a friendly way, and because the plane was 1/2 full, he released seats to us in row 20....
I asked a 2nd agent a few minutes later if we could upgrade to "F", and he said "if there there were seats available and we went to customer servive and paid the $20/person Non-rev surchagre" ....I guess this sometimes happens....lol

About that time....3-4 guys come, sit on the floor in front of the counter....w/no exageration...deplorably dressed (baseball caps, snealers, t-shirts w/outter short sleve shirts, opened, jeans...etc) and again w/no exageration....are playing a board game on the floor, and are loud and undisciplined (for lack of a better word)

The original gate agent acknowlegded them as if he knew them, and said "I have 3 eats left in First" ...a few minutes later, they said , 'We will take them" He then handed them all boarding passes "F" seats!

We are kind of upset, knowing that these guys didn't pay for the upgrade, but not knowing whether for sure they were rev's or non-rev's, we didn't say anything (btw, we are dressed for FC)

Minutes later, about boarding time, the Pilot and FO come out and ask for a 20 minute maintenance delay.....this of course turing into 3 hours for a hydraulic issue...right when they posted a 12:30 AM departure, we decided to abort and turned in our boarding passes (even saying Thank You for the seats) not wanting to arrive at 3:15 AM (esp after a 1:30 AM flight the Sunday before taking days to catch up on sleep)


Long story short...we did some research, 2 of the Guys were SA3P's and they had given Buddy pasess to the other 2 which made them SA4P's....

Not only that, this gate agent issued them Meal Vouchers w/the delay....UNHEARD of for non-revs

So we are trying hard to get over this and drop it....my station manager however wants "heads to roll"

Any Opinions/Advice...is this just something that "Happens from time to time? It's just plain sad imo that I bust my hump for the airline and this crap happens?

TIA

A