Originally Posted by WarpSpeed

Hypothetical situation, I'd like your thoughts...

You are non revving and see a group of pilots and FA's (in uniform) doing the same obviously trying to get to work in Charlotte. The gate agent is boarding the standbys and a pilot and FA walk up and get in line. By the time they get to the agent (after standing there for about 5 minutes) and ask for the jumpseats the agent tells them that it is less than 10 minutes to departure time and that she can't help them. They call a supervisor and since the agent really pressed the 10 minute rule the supervisor stands behind her decision. After the pilot and FA walk away upset, he tells the agent she should have let them on the flight since they were only 1 minute late and they had actually been in line longer than that along with the fact that she was still in the process of boarding. He then makes some comment about the jumpseats being empty and having two more people to try and accomodate on a later flight that could have gone on the one that they just boarded.

Is there nothing you can do if this happens to you? Is there a way the crew members could have gotten past this agent?