“Shena”: The Definitive “Shenanigans” Thread
Oct 23, 2014, 1:38 pm
#1621
Formerly known as jbalis
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Bangkok
Programs: Delta Diamond, Starwood Gold, National Executive, MGM Noir,
Posts: 342
I have called after flights when I have had issues but never during. I loved the Red Coat at the gate tried to sell me that 8 people had bought tickets on the only flight of the day between PDX-NRT 5 hours after the departure time, I was always under the impression you can't buy seats after scheduled departure time anyway. He had no intention of giving me a seat that I paid 3400 for and used a SUG, it was meant for his buddies to get it. Glad the DM line and supervisor dropped the hammer and was having none of that. To take a line from the celebrity thread "Ain't nobody got time for that" - F. Flav
Oct 23, 2014, 2:57 pm
#1625
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,404
Redcoats generally start life with DL as GAs; think of them as empowered super GAs.
Oct 23, 2014, 3:24 pm
#1626
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 367
99 out of 100 times I call the normal Diamond line. When s*** hits the fan and things get cray-cray and I'm at my wits end with delta... I call that number and the issue gets resolved. It's never my first point of contact, but it's the tool in my belt when things get sticky. Use with caution and exercise discretion.
Oct 23, 2014, 6:40 pm
#1627
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: PDX
Programs: AS MVPG75K
Posts: 76
I have called after flights when I have had issues but never during. I loved the Red Coat at the gate tried to sell me that 8 people had bought tickets on the only flight of the day between PDX-NRT 5 hours after the departure time, I was always under the impression you can't buy seats after scheduled departure time anyway. He had no intention of giving me a seat that I paid 3400 for and used a SUG, it was meant for his buddies to get it. Glad the DM line and supervisor dropped the hammer and was having none of that. To take a line from the celebrity thread "Ain't nobody got time for that" - F. Flav
Oct 23, 2014, 7:10 pm
#1628
Formerly known as jbalis
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Bangkok
Programs: Delta Diamond, Starwood Gold, National Executive, MGM Noir,
Posts: 342
it was a older african american gentleman, he said it was not normally his flight he was just filling in......I will not name names although I want to
Oct 23, 2014, 7:37 pm
#1629
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: ATL
Programs: DL Scattered Smothered Covered Medallion, Some hotel & car stuff, Kroger Plus Card
Posts: 10,745
Oct 23, 2014, 7:52 pm
#1630
Formerly known as jbalis
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Bangkok
Programs: Delta Diamond, Starwood Gold, National Executive, MGM Noir,
Posts: 342
I know the DM line did cause I could hear his end of the conversation and they asked his name. He was saying things like "the boarding passes have been issued already" and "there is nothing I can do now" "yes I understand 1d I will issue the new boarding pass and take care of it" I am guessing he got a earful about the situation as they were made aware that I was planning on coming back to the flight if it ended up leaving that night. This master plan of taking me off the flight and then putting me back on was the work of sky club on the phone with DM line and was assured prior the gate new what the situation was......again great job DM line!!
Oct 24, 2014, 6:40 am
#1631
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Atlanta
Programs: Delta Diamond; HHonors Diamond
Posts: 655
Technically, it wasn't SHENA at the beginning. The OP was booked on the next flight and the gate agents/red coat cleared the standby list to fill up the front cabin. Then, the OP comes to the desk asking to be put back on the flight and to bump someone the gate has already cleared into the front. I think the red coat's initial resistance showed poor judgment under the circumstances, but my guess is that this is an unusual situation with no set playbook for how to handle. The issue was resolved properly in the end thanks to the OP's persistence. Again, however, it does not appear that the red coat hatched a predisposed plan to clear his buddies into the front cabin at the expense of a paying customer who wasn't even on the flight at the time the standby list was cleared.
EDIT -- Maybe I should rethink this. I just reread the post above saying the OP's arrangement was discussed and confirmed with the gate agents BEFORE the non-rev list was cleared. Someone at the gate messed this up. Was it purposeful or did he/she just forget? It was likely incompetence. However, once the gate agent confirmed to the red coat that this had been arranged in advance, there really is no excuse for the red coat to refuse to correct the situation.
EDIT -- Maybe I should rethink this. I just reread the post above saying the OP's arrangement was discussed and confirmed with the gate agents BEFORE the non-rev list was cleared. Someone at the gate messed this up. Was it purposeful or did he/she just forget? It was likely incompetence. However, once the gate agent confirmed to the red coat that this had been arranged in advance, there really is no excuse for the red coat to refuse to correct the situation.
Oct 24, 2014, 8:02 am
#1633
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Gulf Coast
Programs: Hilton Honors Lifetime Diamond; National Car Rental Executive Elite
Posts: 2,320
PM on an L fare. MEM-ATL. 90 minutes before departure, DL's app says I was #1 for 4 seats. I get to the gate 40 minutes before departure and I'm #2 for 0 seats.
My colleague is a PM on a Q fare and got upgraded at check-in, 24 hours before departure.
Likely not shenanigans, but annoying nonetheless.
My colleague is a PM on a Q fare and got upgraded at check-in, 24 hours before departure.
Likely not shenanigans, but annoying nonetheless.
Oct 24, 2014, 8:30 am
#1634
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,404
Technically, it wasn't SHENA at the beginning. The OP was booked on the next flight and the gate agents/red coat cleared the standby list to fill up the front cabin. Then, the OP comes to the desk asking to be put back on the flight and to bump someone the gate has already cleared into the front. I think the red coat's initial resistance showed poor judgment under the circumstances, but my guess is that this is an unusual situation with no set playbook for how to handle. The issue was resolved properly in the end thanks to the OP's persistence. Again, however, it does not appear that the red coat hatched a predisposed plan to clear his buddies into the front cabin at the expense of a paying customer who wasn't even on the flight at the time the standby list was cleared.
EDIT -- Maybe I should rethink this. I just reread the post above saying the OP's arrangement was discussed and confirmed with the gate agents BEFORE the non-rev list was cleared. Someone at the gate messed this up. Was it purposeful or did he/she just forget? It was likely incompetence. However, once the gate agent confirmed to the red coat that this had been arranged in advance, there really is no excuse for the red coat to refuse to correct the situation.
EDIT -- Maybe I should rethink this. I just reread the post above saying the OP's arrangement was discussed and confirmed with the gate agents BEFORE the non-rev list was cleared. Someone at the gate messed this up. Was it purposeful or did he/she just forget? It was likely incompetence. However, once the gate agent confirmed to the red coat that this had been arranged in advance, there really is no excuse for the red coat to refuse to correct the situation.
Oct 24, 2014, 9:28 am
#1635
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: HKG
Programs: DL FO, UA, AA, AsiaMiles, SPG, HHonors
Posts: 7,982
So about 6 weeks ago I am on the PDX-NRT-BKK flight in M using a SUG. The flight was going to be delayed by IRROPS' for 6 hours and it was 50/50 if the flight was gonna go do to NRT curfew. I called the DM line and they rebooked me on the flight the next day and confirmed the UG, they were afraid if the flight did cancel I would not get the upgrade the next day so it was better to protect it now (very nice of them BTW). They also said that if my original flight did leave that night about 1hr before go see the red coat and have them put me back to my original seat no problems (there were 8 open seats left in J at the time and with a 6 hour delay no need to worry). So the flight ends up going, I go back to the GA and explain my situation. The red coat tells me it is no longer possible and J is now sold out. I ask him how they picked up 8 pax on a 6 hour flight and he looks pretty guilty as we both know a Non Rev now has my original seat and he tells me nothing can be done and I will have a seat in Y. At this point I call the DM line and they give me a supervisor. After telling the story she said she was very sorry and embarrassed and if I would be so kind as to hand my cell to the Red Coat. 4 minutes go by with some typing and poof I am handed my phone back with my original seat back, fallowed by a gate announcement for someone to approach the podium. I call this Shena avoided, but who knows, maybe some of you that know how this works more then I can tell me if I am wrong or what happened.