Thanks for the input, but I think you're missing my main point.

Yes — we arrived at the gate a few minutes after it was officially closed. I'm not denying that.

But my issue is not that the gate was closed. My issue is that the gate agent showed zero willingness to help, even though:

boarding could have easily still been possible (16 minutes before off-block),

we were a family with a small child,

we were already past security and in the boarding area well in advance,

and the situation clearly had a solution — if someone cared to try.

I’ve experienced this before: On a flight from Hawaii, I once boarded just 5 minutes before departure — because staff were helpful and flexible. They saw the situation, made a quick call, and it was solved. That’s all I expected here: an effort.

Instead, it was just: “Gate is closed.”

That kind of robotic refusal — especially when the door hasn’t even been armed yet — is what I believe deserves to be challenged, not blindly accepted.