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Empty seats in F - interesting to see what happens

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Empty seats in F - interesting to see what happens

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Old Dec 20, 2014, 9:27 am
  #1  
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Empty seats in F - interesting to see what happens

Flying today SLC-ORD and I'm not UG eligible because I'm using companion cert. Currently showing 8 open in F (on an ERJ!) with only 1 on the UG list. Mr. Profchemnerd is on separate PNR because of the cert (which I used on profchemnerd junior), and FCM at OLCI was still $259, so I don't know that they will have many takers. I know the UG list can still change a lot, but unlikely that it will go to 8 by flight time at 5pm (especially since I think I'm one of the few medallions on the flight, see below).

It will be interesting to see if they will keep lowering the FCM until they fill, or if they will fly F part empty. I can tell I'm one of the few medallions on the flight, as EC is empty except for us and 1-2 other seats, and exit rows are completely empty.

I'm not getting my hopes up that they'll see my status and UG despite the cert. I'm guessing this is a complete no-go. So, more just curious to see how it plays out. At least the PM line was willing to put husband in EC with us for free despite the separate PNR.
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Old Dec 20, 2014, 9:38 am
  #2  
 
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Suggest that you go early and ask the GA nicely about potential for UGs to 1st.

You could end up being in 1st!
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Old Dec 20, 2014, 9:41 am
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oversold by a decent amount....you have a decent shot at an opup
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Old Dec 20, 2014, 11:03 am
  #4  
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Originally Posted by apolloms
oversold by a decent amount....you have a decent shot at an opup
Good point! The only open seats are EC or exit row, so there is a chance it is oversold and non status pax are waiting on seat assignments. I'll be sure to ask the GA.
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Old Dec 20, 2014, 11:06 am
  #5  
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Originally Posted by apolloms
oversold by a decent amount....you have a decent shot at an opup
+1... This does happen domestically. I was flying with Mrs. javabytes, with her on an award ticket and me on a paid ticket. I was upgraded at the window, and she was not eligible. I noticed the flight was completely zeroed out and had one seat up front with no Medallions on the upgrade list. I asked the GA if she could add my wife to the list for a companion upgrade. The answer, which I fully expected, was no because of the award ticket, and I thanked her nicely for checking and went back to my seat.

But come boarding time, the GA had to move somebody into that seat or take a VDB/IDB, and you can guess who that person was. If I hadn't asked, or if I had pitched a DYKWIA fit when she said no, it would have turned out differently.
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Old Dec 20, 2014, 11:23 am
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I did that last October. First was not full at all and we used companion certs. I went tup to the desk and said, I'm not sure why we are not on the upgrade list. GA said it would not allow her to put us in first, so they did a reticket and we were booked in first. There still were two empty FC seats when we took off.
Never hurts to ask.
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Old Dec 20, 2014, 11:46 am
  #7  
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Originally Posted by apolloms
oversold by a decent amount....you have a decent shot at an opup
Not sure where you're seeing that. KVS shows today's DL4477 at 5:07 PM as F7 Y3.
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Old Dec 20, 2014, 11:54 am
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There are so many easy ways for a GM or above to be upgraded when using the AMEX cert. I will not mention again as I have posted the ways before but the OP could easily make this happen if they wanted to.
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Old Dec 20, 2014, 12:09 pm
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I have been upgraded when on SkyBonus certs by asking nicely at the gate and them running out of eligible Medallions to upgrade. Never hurts to ask.
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Old Dec 20, 2014, 12:35 pm
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Originally Posted by davetravels
Not sure where you're seeing that. KVS shows today's DL4477 at 5:07 PM as F7 Y3.
thats doesn't mean coach isn't oversold.
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Old Dec 20, 2014, 12:58 pm
  #11  
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I was actually incorrect in original post. There are 0 on upgrade list and 1 on standby. Still saying 8 open in F.

After going about 50% this month on UG, I need to learn to choose more wisely when I use companion cert, as today would have been a sure thing on a regular fare
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Old Dec 20, 2014, 1:17 pm
  #12  
 
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Originally Posted by davetravels
Not sure where you're seeing that. KVS shows today's DL4477 at 5:07 PM as F7 Y3.
KVS is not DL. The F7 is probably accurate, but Y could be well oversold and they are factoring the F7 into the Y number available for booking. Authorized capacity is often wildly different than actual booking numbers
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Old Dec 20, 2014, 1:56 pm
  #13  
 
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Originally Posted by Profchemnerd
Flying today SLC-ORD and I'm not UG eligible because I'm using companion cert. Currently showing 8 open in F (on an ERJ!) with only 1 on the UG list. Mr. Profchemnerd is on separate PNR because of the cert (which I used on profchemnerd junior), and FCM at OLCI was still $259, so I don't know that they will have many takers. I know the UG list can still change a lot, but unlikely that it will go to 8 by flight time at 5pm (especially since I think I'm one of the few medallions on the flight, see below).

It will be interesting to see if they will keep lowering the FCM until they fill, or if they will fly F part empty. I can tell I'm one of the few medallions on the flight, as EC is empty except for us and 1-2 other seats, and exit rows are completely empty.

I'm not getting my hopes up that they'll see my status and UG despite the cert. I'm guessing this is a complete no-go. So, more just curious to see how it plays out. At least the PM line was willing to put husband in EC with us for free despite the separate PNR.
Delta will run the flight with those seats empty. Recently had a flight JFK-SXM and SXM-JFK, with an empty seat next to me on both flights, and several others empty in first as well.

Nice for a change to not fly a full plane.
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Old Dec 20, 2014, 2:07 pm
  #14  
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Originally Posted by bubbashow
KVS is not DL. The F7 is probably accurate, but Y could be well oversold and they are factoring the F7 into the Y number available for booking. Authorized capacity is often wildly different than actual booking numbers
Yes, of course - and I have seen on friends' DL.net by how many seats flights can be overbooked by. This particular flight is a CR9, so, I would expect Y3 to mean that coach is about full, but probably not overbooked, particularly on a Saturday, and during a holiday period with a higher "show-up" rate of pleasure travelers.

That said, on an A320 or B752 Monday morning business flight, certainly, a Y3 can mean that coach is over by 10!
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Old Dec 20, 2014, 2:21 pm
  #15  
 
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Originally Posted by davetravels
Not sure where you're seeing that. KVS shows today's DL4477 at 5:07 PM as F7 Y3.
*sigh*






in other news, i'd say your odds of an upgrade are pretty good OP....no medallions checked in yet (if there even are any) and more people checked in awaiting seat assignments than seats available in Y. I'd definitely check in with the GA and just inquire about the upgrade because they are going to have to OPUP people, F went from 8 to 7 now.
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