tphamBU

OP

Also, I cleared. Only one other person cleared.

More than 9 seats available after I cleared.

lamont2718

Fascinating. I would have expected OU. It seems very strange to see OP on a flight that didn't require any use of miles or a certificate...

I might get lucky and land a TCON upgrade myself today. There are currently 4 people on the upgrade list for 7 open seats in J. At T-6, I checked the upgrade list and saw 2 names on it but not my own. Strange because EF showed OP as 9, so the only names on the upgrade list should have been DMs/PMs waiting for complimentary upgrades. I am not sure why those 2 names were added and mine was not -- perhaps those passengers called in, or perhaps DL automatically added them based on some criterion/criteria that I did not meet. In any case, I waited until T-5 and then called in to have myself added. The phone agent had a supervisor look at the flight and add me to the upgrade list manually. I'll report back on the outcome after boarding.

UVAhoo06

Just spoke casually with CSR at PM desk, and she said that pax don't need to make any calls or do anything to get on the UG waitlist. Her info seems to contradict what some of you all are experiencing.

So, how do I get on the list? Call PM desk? Ask gate agent? And when would I initiate this contact, if ever?

lamont2718

I did get the upgrade, and the fare class on the new boarding pass is indeed OP. Only 4 people were on the list, and all 4 cleared with 1 seat in J remaining. Presumably the last seat will go to an NRSA.

I find it hard to believe that only 4 DMs/PMs booked coach tickets for this flight. My guess is that if you don't speak with someone at DL and request the upgrade yourself, you might not get on the list. Of course this could all change in the near future given the fluid nature of DL's TCON upgrade policy now.

According to some reports, DMs/PMs are/can be added to the upgrade list beginning at T-6. If you check the upgrade list at that time and don't see yourself on it, I would call or speak to a SC agent or a GA. You may need to try a few times since many if not most agents seem unaware of this recent policy change.

davetravels

It's a holiday week. My guess is that business travel patterns are off.

UVAhoo06

Unfortunately, I'm not a SC member; it got way too expensive for what I would've been getting.

Though I'm more than happy to talk with a GA about being put on the waitlist, I'm worried that some misinformed soul will refuse and then hold his/her ground. What do I do then?

Can the PM desk do anything with putting me on the list? Or, does it have to go through the GA?

lamont2718

If I had not called and asked to be on the upgrade list, then I wouldn't have been added. I suspect many DMs/PMs were not "in the know" about the quasi-return of TCON upgrades (after all, what percent actually read FT regularly?) and therefore did not ask and were not added to the upgrade list.

lamont2718

My seatmate is a DM on a Q fare and was added to the upgrade list automatically. I am a DM on a K fare and had to request the upgrade on my own. We compared notes and found that our MQMs and MQDs and status history with DL are very similar. In addition, neither of us have any connecting flights.

So it appears there might be a fare class cutoff at Q for automatic additions to the upgrade list on TCON flights, and any DMs/PMs on a K fare or lower might need to call in and request the upgrade beginning at T-6. This is pure speculation on my part, but I am not sure how else to explain our different experiences today. Would welcome reports of any experiences supporting or contradicting this hypothesis.

MSPeconomist

What have been the fare classes of those who have been upgraded successfully from the list? In other words, will DL put you on the upgrade list to humor you, knowing that you won't be upgraded due to your fare class or some combination of fare class and DM vs PM elite level?

mnredfox

Or, that many PM/DM's who don't buy J outright don't fly DL anymore.

LA2NY&BACK

TCON from LAX to JFK on July 3. T-fare. I got to the gate about 45 minutes out and had not been upgraded (even though others had). I chatted with the GA once I got to the gate, who confirmed that upgrades were happening, but said I had to have been put on the list "at least" 6 hours before take-off. I told her that I had spoken with someone on the Platinum line and had been confirmed on the list (which is actually true). She grabbed my boarding pass and promptly upgraded me to BE.

Seems hit or miss. I suspect if I hadn't talked to the GA, it wouldn't have been automatic, so maybe there's something to Lamont's theory on Q-fare cutoff.

Cleared class was OP.

UVAhoo06

Did you call at the T-6 hour mark? I'm wondering whether I should call after I check in at T-24...

Also, after you checked in, did you look at the standby/upgrade list on the DL app? Did you see your name on there?

LA2NY&BACK

I called after I checked in, circa T-12 hour, and was told that I was on the list. My name didn't appear on the DL app though and I still had to talk to the GA. To be safe, until all the agents get on the same page, I'd suggest calling both before and after the T-6 mark, then checking with the GA if you don't see your name on the app.

Phil2016

DM on a H fare traveling tomorrow, ROC-DTW-LAX. No chance of clearing DTW-LAX. JFK-LAX is J9/Y9 and has 13 of 26 J seats open (per seat map, I know not a definitive view of availability, but gives some indication). Agent on medallion line said only some flights will allow upgrades based on operational needs and that decision is made at the gate (seems to contradict what's been reported here). I'm still willing to take the chance (got a bulkhead aisle in EC).

I'm inclined to call back and get another perspective. Should I check-in first? Wait closer to the 12-hour mark?

jdrtravel

I was upgraded once as an FO and three times as a GM on this route over the past 4 years. FO's and GM's certainly did get upgrades on this route, but it was rare. All of my upgrades were on late night/red eye flights or holidays.