My experience with Alaska Airlines (also a flight out of Seattle) was very similar. I am an experienced traveler and have seen many customers treat airline personnel rudely. I am not one of them. At no time, for instance, did I lose my cool because the gate agents (two of them) rudely told me that I had lost my PAID FIRST CLASS seat because I had not checked in for the flight on time. Apparently there was a glitch in the Alaska computer system which did not record either of my TWO check-ins; on-line before I left my home and at the gate of the originating airport. After asking me in a sarcastic tone if I "paid for my ticket" one gate attendant offerred to seat me in economy (which I normally fly). I declined and asked nicely for my original seat or another seat in First Class. The nasty gate agents said that they would ask the flight attendant in that cabin to work it out andf assured me that they were doing me a large favor. When I got on the flight I thought I was going to be reseated so to be nice I said to the first Class flight attendant "I am Jones"to which she responded "Is that supposed to mean something to me?" I got a very similar form letter to the one you received and obviously they didn't note that I had checked in for the flight TWICE! i have never written a complaint letter about any of the big or small errors made by airline staff when I have flown. This was not error (except for the apparent glitch that caused the whole mess*), it was the incredibly rude attitude of the people providing "customer service." They didn't have me logged on that flight either although my luggage was already onboard and I magically arrived in Newark from Medford, Oregon! They tried to refuse to give me my frequent flyer miles to add insult to injury. Why isn't there a supervisor available to handle complaints? Could it be a volume problem? Alaska is definitely on my don't pay to fly anywhere list. if they flew to New Zealand and I needed to go I think i'd try to find a boat.:)

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