Right, 767er. I've done JFK-NCE many times and JFK-LYS once in the last 4 years, all on DL, and, until the trip we just ended today, have always been put up front out of JFK. I think dress has little to do with it, unless you look downright slovenly. The few return trips we've done NCE-JFK (we often also returned NCE-AMS-BDL when there was NW) we were indeed denied up front (didn't press the issue) except last March when we were again denied but gently chatted up the cabin crew in the security line and got upgraded once inside the plane, thanks again DL. And yes, Nick, the agents at NCE are third-party, which is undoubtedly why.
As I said, on the trip we just ended, things changed out of JFK...both DL gate agent AND DL cabin crew, even after gentle pleading on our part and in spite of lots of up-front space, were adamant: no upgrading. All other Nonrevs were up front, I'm not sure whether all were Delta or not. I think it may have to do with the way the Pinnacle or Delta system lists us...EVERONE on the standby lists we see on DeltaNet have some info about themselves (airline. hire date, etc), whereas we show up as UNKNOWN for every column. I think the next time I'll try cancelling out the listing, which is generated automatically when Pinnacle, or Delta at Pinnacle's request, generates a ZED ticket for us, and phoning in a new one. But not till next April or so, right now we're staying in No. America: 10 days w. the granddaugthers in So Cal. around Tgiving (paying revenue), some time with pilot son & grandson & the rest in Minnesota around Christmas (wish us non-rev luck), then our long camping trip back down to Mexico, 2+ months. And by next spring things may again have changed for us Pinnacle parents, who right now have to find agents who can get into the NW system when we go to purchase our ZED tickets, which is the ONLY way we can fly on any airline right now.