Chalk it up to a several experiences on US over the past 8 weeks in and out of ATL at all hours on my part. I can well recall just 5 or 6 years ago this was a premiere station staffed with a host of long term employees (mostly PI, but not all). Many of them had been here for decades! I know last fall ATL was still classified as "mainline" although they were down to just 2 or 3 mainline flights and a host of barbie jets on all other flights. Now, it appears that this station must've been reclassified as an all express station..... and, boy, does it show.

Needing to be in ATL so much this summer, I've had a rough time with the US operation in ATL -- lots of newbies and poor attitudes. But, yesterday, the captain of our Mesa RJ got so mad after all the pax were boarded and we were kept waiting, waiting, waiting for no apparent reason....that he actually left the flightdeck and went screaming up the jetway to the agents at the gate telling them, "OK!! NOW YOU'RE HOLDING US UP!!! C'MON ALREADY!!!" I wanted to give the captain a standing (or, at least sitting) ovation when he returned. After his admonishments, the ground staff worked a little faster to get us out --- while the jetway was being pulled away from the a/c, I actually saw the gate agent give the finger to whomever --- perhaps the captain, perhaps to the a/c in general ... I don't know. Regardless, her actions fully demonstrate what I've seen to be the general quality of the newly staffed ATL station. What a shame.

while the jetway was being pulled away from the a/c, I actually saw the gate agent give the finger to whomever --- perhaps the captain, perhaps to the a/c in general ... I don't know. Regardless, her actions fully demonstrate what I've seen to be the general quality of the newly staffed ATL station. What a shame.
Another transfer from PHL?? :D

Another transfer from PHL?? :D

Nah....it was just the "official" US Airways farewell to PIT... R.I.P. :D

DL does PWM to ATL 2X per day, skipping PHL and US. I would do that way before US. Even though I have cut my US flying more than in half, the only US station that I have been to that has any semblence of order or customer focus is DFW. A guy named Alan is the station manager there.

DL does PWM to ATL 2X per day, skipping PHL and US.

Yep, I know. About 18 months ago, I made myself promise to never connect through PHL again --- about that time US launched the PWM-CLT flights and that may have saved them my business altogether. The schedules through CLT work for me and allow me just enough time to have some real food in the CLT airport so I don't arrive in Maine totally starved at bedtime.

Call me crazy, but it works for me. And, I hate being in Zone 13 on DL's boarding priority with a $594 seat in 21E. Know what I mean?

Slightly off topic...any idea when the gates in ATL will be merged? HP gates and US gates are at opposite ends of the terminal.

Yep, I know. About 18 months ago, I made myself promise to never connect through PHL again --- about that time US launched the PWM-CLT flights and that may have saved them my business altogether. The schedules through CLT work for me and allow me just enough time to have some real food in the CLT airport so I don't arrive in Maine totally starved at bedtime.

Call me crazy, but it works for me. And, I hate being in Zone 13 on DL's boarding priority with a $594 seat in 21E. Know what I mean?

Can't you get Skymiles to comp you to Gold Medallion? Then you would be in zone 2, elite lane for security in ATL and potential for UGs? :D

Can't you get Skymiles to comp you to Gold Medallion? Then you would be in zone 2, elite lane for security in ATL and potential for UGs? :D

Did that with the following outcome:

Zone 2: I think everyone in ATL is an elite. When the automated voice calls zone 2 there is a mad rush toward the gate (myself included)

Elite Security Lane: Nice, but again it seems like everyone in ATL is an elite.

UGs: Hitting them about 50% of the time as a Gold. I do like the transparency of their upgrade system and how you can see in larger stations exactly where you fall on the list by looking at the LCD screens. I do not like the fact that if you don't clear in the 3-day window the lists is reordered at PHYSICAL check-in and not at the time of on-line check-in (a benefit I liked on US)

Overall Impression: there are things I like about DL and things I like about US. Depends on my mood that day.

I do not like the fact that if you don't clear in the 3-day window the lists is reordered at PHYSICAL check-in and not at the time of on-line check-in (a benefit I liked on US)


Not exactly correct. The DL gate dance first goes to any medallions holding a full fare Y or B fare. (SM trumps a PM if on a full fare and the PM is on a discounted ticket) Then the pecking orders goes by status, starting with PM and is based upon the original time stamp of the upgrade request, i.e date ticket was booked if you requested an upgrade at the time of booking. There is no provision for when you physically check in at the airport.

You are correct in that checking in on-line has no influence on where you are on the list.

Not exactly correct. The DL gate dance first goes to any medallions holding a full fare Y or B fare. (SM trumps a PM if on a full fare and the PM is on a discounted ticket) Then the pecking orders goes by status, starting with PM and is based upon the original time stamp of the upgrade request, i.e date ticket was booked if you requested an upgrade at the time of booking. There is no provision for when you physically check in at the airport.

You are correct in that checking in on-line has no influence on where you are on the list.

That's good to know becuase the GAs told me different. Just goes to show you that you can get ten different answers from ten different people.