I tried searching, I swear. I just lost out an upgrade because they cleared a SDS when I was #1 on the list.

Agent said that's how it goes, and it's a 45 minute flight, so I didn't question or push and I don't care beyond the educational value.

So I guess goes a (assumed) firt class SDS trump the upgrade list?

Normally upgrades are done before standbys are cleared, often into coach seats that have been vacated by those who were upgraded. In fact, the person shouldn't be added to the upgrade list before they have been confirmed onto the flight. In fact, even when someone with a paid FC ticket goes standby, they end up in coach.

To me, this sounds like you suffered from shenanigans.

That was my understanding as well. I'll shoot a quick email to Delta Corp, don't care about compensation, but just in case there was funny business they need to look at. Thanks.

You might want to wait and see what Widgets says about this. There could been some exotic circumstance in which the GA might have followed the correct procedure.

Did you see the person who got the upgrade? Did the GA seem to know the person?

Truly "same-day standby" would be cleared after your Medallion upgrade request. From info from the recent thread, it's unusual for a First Class SDS to appear since SDC is possible as long as a seat is available.

A possibility is the "standby" was a confirmed First Class customer (HK) who had been booked on your flight due to an IROP. He'd be on the "airport standby list" while not "standby," so that causes confusion.

If the gate agent told you same-day standby comes before Medallion upgrade requests, that's not true and you should let Delta know.

Edit: I forgot the only time I know of when it might appear that the upgrade list wasn't followed is if a customer was involuntarily downgraded due to aircraft equipment change. In that case, the invol downgraded customer should be the first one to be accommodated in First Class, even if he/she isn't on the upgrade list. (Non-Medallion downgrades can't be on the upgrade list, for example.) However, this isn't what the gate agent told you so this is unlikely.

DL should also be advised if the GA processed the request as SDS rather than SDC, presuming that OP was on a paid FC ticket and there was indeed a FC seat available

Took a Red Eye July 8 LAX-MSP. I sat number one on the upgrade list with 15 minutes to boarding. Then they started clearing SDS. There was 6 opens seats in FC. All SDS jumped me. I have had this happen frequently, I figured this was normal.

[QUOTE=Widgets;26995653]Truly "same-day standby" would be cleared after your Medallion upgrade request. From info from the recent thread, it's unusual for a First Class SDS to appear since SDC is possible as long as a seat is available.

A possibility is the "standby" was a confirmed First Class customer (HK) who had been booked on your flight due to an IROP. He'd be on the "airport standby list" while not "standby," so that causes confusion.

If the gate agent told you same-day standby comes before Medallion upgrade requests, that's not true and you should let Delta know.

Edit: I forgot the only time I know of when it might appear that the upgrade list wasn't followed is if a customer was involuntarily downgraded due to aircraft equipment change. In that case, the invol downgraded customer should be the first one to be accommodated in First Class, even if he/she isn't on the upgrade list. (Non-Medallion downgrades can't be on the upgrade list, for example.) However, this isn't what the gate agent told you so this is unlikely.[/QUOTE

Always appreciate your input! Agent stated it was a SDS, but like I said, wasn't worth pushing the issue at the time or getting worked up about now, FA comped my drinks when she saw me using vouchers and told me to save them for when I really need them!

I never thought there were strict rules governing the order of processing. As alluded to, typically it seems like they clear the upgrade list first, then clear standbys onto the flight, but I've been on flights where they cleared at least some of the standbys well before they cleared the final upgrades. Is this not truly a case of some GA discretion, not breaking rules and/or shenanigans?

There are pros and cons to either approach, I just don't see it as a big deal ... I've certainly heard over the years the common feeling that people already on a flight feel more entitled to an upgrade than someone who just got on that flight, but on the other hand, maybe there's a good reason they got put on that flight.

Recently I was flying DTW-MSP-MCI (all in coach with little chance of clearing), in part because it was cheaper than DTW-MCI, and who am I to turn down some extra MQM and save money for my company or client, but the DTW-MSP announced a mechanical delay so I immediately asked to be moved to the DTW-MCI flight departing in about 45 minutes. They agreed, but the amount of fiddling took some time and they ultimately just issued me a seat request card at about T-35. I figured my chances of even asking for an upgrade were hosed and I hustled to the new gate. However it worked out, the gate agent issued me a FC seat. The flight wasn't particularly full, but I can't imagine I didn't bump some other Medallion from that upgrade, but I have a hard time saying a PM being bumped by a mechanical shouldn't get that benefit, but it is self-serving in this instance. (Don't worry anyone, I asked for and received ORC after the fact ).

Having a seat request card tends to mean that you're confirmed on the flight but must get your seat assignment at the gate.

I understand that, but I was only confirmed in coach, not first class, by the rationale being discussed here I probably should not have been cleared into first class (there were plenty of coach seats available). I'm sure whoever was #1 on the list felt they were shenaniganed in favor of me.

As widgets says, there are lots of situations and I was never under the impression that the typical order of operation was dictated by hard and fast rules, rather it's just the way it's usually done and just because a gate agent did it in another order does not mean the gate agent violated rules or policy, they just did it differently.

NO, my point is that you were not standby, you were already confirmed on the flight. Thus being on the upgrade list was proper.

Show me a published rule stating this rather than FT urban legend.

I do find it interesting though that there is specific language in SDS that is not in SDC related to UG using instruments.

Change is only permitted based on the original ticketed paid cabin. For example, customers confirmed in RU class may only standby for flights in the economy cabin

Since DL loves to not publish rules around such policies, perhaps you should take Widgets' guidance as a known, credible DL insider - not a spinner of fantastical FT yarns - at face value.

A rule about SDC requirements or the order of upgrades?

As a general rule, standby customers are always accommodated after confirmed customers.