It's been a few years since a friend JS on us intl, but at the time US agents wouldn't give first (or whatever its called this week) but the crew sometimes (almost always) did while DL agents outside US would give it if available.

I'm assuming that went away with the "board with your zone*" while DH'ing memogate.




*for "Main Cabin 1" if you aren't absolutely first in that zone, its 90% full by the time you get on, especially if you say hi to the crew like the outdated days of old fashioned CRM protocol. By the time MC1 is full, there's ppl in every seat, overhead bin, lav, cargo bin and some out on the wings.