I figured I would update the situation.

Thursday night I arrived at PHX airport at 9pm to check-in for the 1049pm flight. There are 2 seats available in First Class (A2F2), but they can only put me on the standby list since they can no longer manually upgrade people.

Around 1015pm, two kids travelling with their parents get the upgrades as Gold companions. I am stuck in 23C as a Silver on a Y fare.

Just before pre-boarding, I hear my name paged. I think that maybe an upgrade is in the works. Nope. It appears that 23B is a mother travelling with a 6 year old child, so they have to take 23C away from me to accomodate them together. I am reassigned 24C.

I quietly sit in 24C until a big guy trudges down the aisle saying that he too has 24C and since his family is in 24A and 24B the gate agents move me again, this time to the ONLY unassigned seat - the dreaded 25E once again.

So, once again the Silver on the Y fare travels in the non-reclining middle seat in coach while Joe and Jane Gold's little munchkins transform First Class into the flying daycare center.

I flew Delta home.