Hi Friends, thanks for all the replies. Wanted to give a quick update: I ended up booking with DL (and they happened to be a 'most preferred' carrier with my company) and was able to secure the E+ seating on both inbound and outbound flights. I'm still holding out hope for an empathetic ticketing agent to let me into Business but I've mentally prepared to sit where I'm assigned.

I have another trip to Poland, and some questions re: UA and LH (I'm UA Plat.) and how that all works, but I'll save it for the UA/LH areas.