Thanks for feedback everybody. I'm not sure where I'll go with this but I will take it further.
As I understand it, Disco Stu's (previous) input to CTMS is finished once the aeroplane departs and the flight he would have departed early has the same priority as all the others that get delays in the air anyhow. If a request for "company priority" could only come from these august and highly sensitive individuals (via ACARS to the crew to the controller perhaps) maybe their toes will not feel trampled?
Gee plazbot, same thing happens into AD...