Originally Posted by SoraAoi

Now I am really fuming! Clearly, I was had. Actually, twice. I was told EC was full, and yet after 17F was moved up to BE, I remained in the f$$$ing coach seat! I also know for a fact that there were quite a few OP-UPs on that flight, and as a DM you also did not get one? Does not matter what your fare was, I doubt very much that there were 8 or so DMs, all on YBMs (and at least one DM on a B with a PU503 was not moved up either!). I am telling you, this is favoritism/nepotism/whatever-ism is the right word in this situation.

Anything and everything can be done for $$ in Russia, whether it is legal, semi-legal, or completely illegal. Just the way things work here, and can't imagine it not spilling into airline operations, in Russia and on Russian-bound flights handled by Russian agents. I should not be making blanket statements, and I am not accusing anyone of anything, but I have seen this scenario play out too many times on oversold flights. It may be tough to pull off under the normal circumstances, but on an oversold flight, even by one seat, GAs get nearly limitless discretion and can do as they please. DL closes its eyes to these ... "practices" as long as the company makes money, but it really, really smells bad.