A320: Opt altitude exceeds rec max
Many years flying 320/330's but never seen this until my current airline that I just joined.
A320 opt altitude very close to rec max and on some sectors actually exceeding rec max. We saw it recently on both east and west bound sectors on the same day where the opt was several hundred feet above the rec max.
Granted I have been 330 flying for a long time and only just getting re acquanted with the 320 but I am used to looking down and seeing the opt generally several thousand feet below rec max.
Is this normal?