Someone I know got a free upgrade from econ to FC transatlantic, which
is as rare as hens teeth.

Never lucked into anything that nice, but one time the Air France gate
lady at Charles de Gaulle frowned at the computer screen and took my
ticket to the office. This filled my soul with nameless dread for a
few moments, of course, but what she came back with was an
unwarranted, unexplained, and you'd better believe uncomplained-about
upgrade to business class. Maybe not first class but pretty cush
all the same.

I think that was also the trip where we were delayed on the taxiway
and they washed down the explanation with champagne for all passengers
in the admittedly not very full 747. Certain US airlines could learn
a thing or two from such incidents about how you don't always have
much control over travel glitches but you have a fair bit of control
over how the customers feel about it all...

--Joe