I was flying back from PVG today to SFO. Before going to the airport 4 hours prior to take off I checked to see that there were 9 D booking fare tickets for sale for this leg. I had placed myself on waiting list w/SWU about the same time yesterday. I was flying on an M fare.

I checked in as normal and asked about whether there were upgrades available, checkin agent said it doesn't look too good because there were 4-5 ahead of me and C cabin looks 'quite full'. He gave me the boarding passes for PVG->SFO->SEA. I didnt check all the contents inside the envelope but by the time i was half way thru security i realized i don't have a DM card for my PVG->SFO flight, however I do have one for my SFO->SEA flight.

Once I got to the gate I spoke with the GA regarding my apparent lack of a DM card for an upgrade request. He called the checkin counter (not sure why) and I can literally hear on the other end of the phone the person asking if "he has a card" in Chinese. The GA said "no" and the other end saying "No need to give him now" and they hung up the phone, then a few sec later the GA said sorry right now it looks pretty bad but i should check back after boarding process to see if there are any upgrade spaces.

Of course I happen to not clear the upgrade when i checked after everyone boarded.

My confusion is why was I refused twice to be given a DM card? It was not like there was 20 ppl on the waiting list. There was not. In fact, I overheard 6 people clearing upgrades being called to the podium. It also seems to me checkin/GA never bothered to put me on the departure management list for whatever reason. This is not the first time this has happened for me out of PEK or PVG (It happened twice this year where I would request a DM Card and be placed on DM list but never given the card and pretty sure that I was not even put on the DM upon checkin).

I have heard numerous stories that by giving somehwere around $100 to the checkin/GA in PEK/PVG that they would clear you for an upgrade. Is this a possible cause that the agents at these 2 airports are not properly clearing people for upgrade by the rules to try to make a few hundred dollars under the table?