mnredfox

And DL claims this is all "automated".

For RUC/GUC/SWU, when it clears it goes into a queue that a team is supposed to work on (they reissue ticket and use the cert). But things often with DL fall in the cracks. You can read all the old horror stories of when PMU's went electronic and all these people could not check in for their flights.

That was 3+ years ago, still no fix DL.

MSPeconomist

If you don't want to do the waitlist, call and ask whether upgrade inventory is available for your flights before doing anything.

FLL-FFLYER

I still believe there is some misunderstanding on the priority of the RUCs. I was on a trip with my dad. We both had the RUC clear the day before the trip. There was a weather delay and we missed our connection in Atlanta by seconds. When we were rebooked I asked if the RUC had been requested for both of us and was assured that they were. When I looked at my app I was #2 on the upgrade list and my dad wasn't there at all. I called in and the agent said that the RUC had been wait listed for the new flight even though his name was not on the upgrade list.
I went to the Sky Club next and the agent there argued with me that my dad had no status so he would be upgraded AFTER all of the complimentary medallion upgrades but his upgrade would process before any companion upgrades. She told me that he was 26 on the upgrade list. I asked her to make sure that it was coded right because the RUC should have higher priority than the complimentary upgrades. I asked her if there were 25 people in front of him upgrading with instruments. She refused to answer and told me that the certificate was coded right and my dad would not be getting the upgrade.

While waiting at the gate 2 phone agents and 1 Twitter agent confirmed the SkyClub agents remarks and told me that medallions requesting complimentary upgrades are upgraded before non-status companions using an instrument when the upgrade list goes to the airport.

MSPeconomist

Interesting, This seems to be different from the way old SWUs worked.

I assume DL isn't selling FC on your new flight. Otherwise you and dad could just SDC directly into FC.

mudpuppy

Seriously? If this is the case then what's the point of using an RUC for a companion since it wouldn't move them any higher up the airport standby list then they would be without the RUC?

I've been planning on selecting the RUCs so I can upgrade my girlfriend on some upcoming flights, but if this is true then it's only going to work if there is advance upgrade space available--which for most desirable routes there is none. So the RUCs would be pointless.

FLL-FFLYER

FC was still being sold by delta.com. There were actually 7 open seats when we misconnected and were rebooked but by that time the upgrade list was under airport control. When we arrived to the gate 60 min before departure there were only two seats remaining (perhaps FC passengers from a later flight SDC onto the earlier flight). Since we had been confirmed the day before on a RUC was I wrong for accepting seats in economy or should I have insisted on being rebooked in first? I assumed RUCs were equivalent to complimentary upgrades and I was only guaranteed a seat in the class that was purchased and in the event of a misconnect I would have to go back onto the upgrade list.

sethb

RUCs are purchased upgrades, you can SDC into F. In your position, I'd request that the RUCs be returned to my account.

MSPeconomist

You could have insisted on FC, but then you might have had to wait longer for a flight where you could have been confirmed in FC. If it's not the "same day" then the SDC rules wouldn't apply.

Bicostal

Slightly tangential. Historically, when wait listed for a GUC, the itinerary shows two entries, one with Complimentary UG and one for the wait listed GUC for each segment. I have one now where only the GUC is listed. Error or change in IT or policy?

MSPeconomist

This would mean that you can't see the seats you picked in coach or attempt to change them?

Are you sure the waitlist didn't clear? Have you tried to pick FC seats?

Call DL?

Bicostal

Says SystemWide Upgrade Requested. I have Coach seat assignments. Cannot pick FC seat.

Like I said, previously I would see two entries for each segment. In this case, I see only one. I am assuming that I am not on the complimentary list and if that's the case, when the sweep runs and given that there are two buckets, I could miss the comp unless they open up RP prior to the window. I have had RO clear in the presence of an RP wait list in the past Saves the GUC. In this case I could end up in coach with a PM getting a comp prior to T-24.

I will call but was looking for another datapoint first.

MSPeconomist

However, if there's no coach line on your itinerary, how can you verify that your coach seat assignments are still intact?

rylan

You should've been rebooked directly into F, especially since your upgrade certs had cleared previously. Being upgraded with a cert is NOT the same as a comp upgrade... the cert means you are now holding a first class ticket.

Only other thing I can think of, is if the certs weren't coded properly in the first place and you actually cleared with the complimentary upgrades. What did your original ticket show... RP or RU?

FLL-FFLYER

Both tickets said RP as the class of service.

MSPeconomist

Good point, but if OP were listed for a RUC upgrade, then it shouldn't have cleared as a free elite upgrade unless the RUC hadn't been listed correctly at all, yet apparently OP and dad did get RUC upgrades on other segments, which will make it difficult to have those RUCs returned.