I suppose there weren't enough Mileage Plus Elite members on the earlier flight that needed seats.
Hah, I've done this before. I was in Orlando and missed my flight back to Chicago, so I had to stand by for the last flight of the day. The list was 100 people long, but since I had the top-tier status, I went to the top. Some family trying to go home from their vacation was stuck in an airport overnight, all because I could not get to the airport in a timely manner. I still feel bad about this.
Hah, I've done this before. I was in Orlando and missed my flight back to Chicago, so I had to stand by for the last flight of the day. The list was 100 people long, but since I had the top-tier status, I went to the top. Some family trying to go home from their vacation was stuck in an airport overnight, all because I could not get to the airport in a timely manner. I still feel bad about this.
But only a little.