My flight from MSP to PDX after Christmas was canceled due to a blizzard early in the 1990s. NW called and said that I was being rebooked on a flight two days later.

I had visions of being stuck in a non-reclining middle seat, but when the agent handed me my boarding pass, it was Seat 2A--first class.

I had a fair amount of miles on NW at the time, but no status.