I think I encountered this re priority last week. My flight was cancelled by delta and was re-booked the next day. Arrived at the hotel and ask a friend of mine who works at a Software company how he got here. Delta booked me on the later flight that day. He was Silver I was PM.

We requested a business program from Delta;1000 people of which 25% travel once a year.Well Delta corporate sales told my company we were too small( < 400K spend on delta, though on united we spend 200K+ a year), so now I am being informed to use our preferred partners (United, Southwest and Jet blue). Fighting it, but next year I might have no choice.