I heard "no op-ups ever" from a GA in EWR. I went EWR-AMS and the flight was pack-ack-diddly-acked. I asked the GA if the flight was overbooked and it was, but I joked and 'volunteered' to be bumped to BF if needed. "Oh, we NEVER do that. What if the person next to you who paid $5,000 for the ticket found out?" "umm... sucks to be them I guess." I wanted to ask whether they'd IDB someone and deal with the expense and hostility rather than op-up an elite, but something told me not to press it. it was the usual crushed-into-the-aisle-by-two-huge-Dutch-dudes trip.

but I got an op-up today AMS-EWR which was definitely overbooked as they were asking for volunteers at check-in. so I guess 'we NEVER do that' means 'but sometimes we do.' I'm only a silver, and a NW one at that, so I guess my shiny karmic goodness paid off today