Strange FCM Offers and Seat Map Issues

Old May 18, 2017, 5:54 am
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Strange FCM Offers and Seat Map Issues

I just got offers on 6 different PNR's for June, July and August trips to various destinations (MSY-LGA, LGA-MIA). All were booked at different ticket prices. All of the offers were "from" $235,91 each way. I did not get offers for 2 June Trips (JFK-SEA).

Also, I'm in C+ for all of the trips and the seat maps for F and Main Cabin show no seats open, even though there are many open if I try a booking. This seems to be a recurrence of an earlier issue from months ago.

The FCM offers are only on the web, not on the phone app. The blanked seats are on both.
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Last edited by SuperG1955; May 18, 2017 at 6:04 am Reason: Added Picture
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Old May 18, 2017, 6:02 am
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I have an offer for a DTW-ATL-SEA trip in June. No issues with seeing/selecting seats (I'm in C+ right now). They list the individual segment upgrade pricing and a "discounted" total price for the upgrade. DTW-ATL is $117.18 and ATL-SEA is $299.93 and the discounted total is $289.18 for a "savings" of $127.93. Not sure if this is new. Don't recall seeing them listed this way before.

Last edited by xliioper; May 18, 2017 at 8:07 am
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Old May 18, 2017, 8:02 am
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Originally Posted by SuperG1955
Also, I'm in C+ for all of the trips and the seat maps for F and Main Cabin show no seats open, even though there are many open if I try a booking. This seems to be a recurrence of an earlier issue from months ago.
I think it was a couple years ago where DL changed it so you only see the open/occupied seat status in your purchased cabin. Since you're in C+, those are the only seats you'll see an accurate status for, and everything else will show as occupied/blank on the seat map.
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Old May 18, 2017, 8:12 am
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OP - I am seeing new marketing and even segment offers to buy up to F, where this didn't exist before (usually you couldn't upgradea segment in one direction after any upgrades started clearing - now it seems like you may be able to)

I am also having seat map issues and its annoying. At first I wondered how they sold 10 F seats for HAV-ATL overnight for almost $1300 each one way...

Originally Posted by Carpboy823
I think it was a couple years ago where DL changed it so you only see the open/occupied seat status in your purchased cabin. Since you're in C+, those are the only seats you'll see an accurate status for, and everything else will show as occupied/blank on the seat map.
This is simply not the case. Unless there's an error or an equipment swap/schedule change pending, under other normal circumstances, you should be able to see all empty seats.
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Old May 18, 2017, 8:33 am
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Originally Posted by btonkid12345
OP - ...



This is simply not the case. Unless there's an error or an equipment swap/schedule change pending, under other normal circumstances, you should be able to see all empty seats.
I cannot see empty seats on my reservation either on the website or App. I have to make a dummy booking or use expertflyer to see if there are any open seats. Booked in W(U) for a flight today.
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Old May 18, 2017, 8:47 am
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Working fine for me. However, only the website has the FCM offer. When I try to select an FC seat in the App, it says can only select seats in C+.
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Old May 18, 2017, 9:22 am
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Looks like there was a rollout of new functionality last night.

I am only seeing seatmap availability appearing in the cabin I am seated in on most flights now. Other cabins are all grayed out as if occupied.
If I'm already in F, I can't see other cabins. And if I don't have an FCM offer than I can't see other cabins either.

I also have a FCM offer that went up substantially overnight... so much so that it actually costs more if I took it than they are selling the F seat on my flight... for example I paid $75 for a 1-way, first is currently selling for 195, but the FCM offer is 158 so if I took it I would be paying more than if I bought a new ticket.

Last edited by rylan; May 18, 2017 at 9:28 am
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Old May 18, 2017, 9:39 am
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I just noticed this too. New look/functions.

And yes it's blocking off other cabins. I think so as medallions we don't see "Oh lots of seats open maybe I wait for upgrade". Instead you just see the offer.
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Old May 18, 2017, 9:48 am
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This is odd. In the past, I was generally seeing FCM offers only on the app, and even though the price was generally per direction, it was all or nothing.

In the past, I would sometimes see a FCM offer at the time of purchase that would make the total price exceed what I would have paid for a G A P fare if I had simply searched for FC (I usually do this using advanced search by fare class, G or higher) from the beginning.

I don't understand what DL gains by making us resort once again to making dummy bookings in order to see seat maps for the entire plane, although apparently doing this doesn't remove seats from inventory as it does in the AA reservations system.
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Old May 18, 2017, 9:51 am
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Ok this is really wacked up... another trip next month I purchased for $550. If I book a new ticket, F is currently selling for $930. My FCM offer is $213.93 each way, or $427.86

If I take the FCM, I pay 978 instead of the currently advertised 930.

Guess you can't do FCM online now but have to call up and ask to pay the difference instead of the 'special' upfare pricing?
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Old May 18, 2017, 9:56 am
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I can still see availability in all cabins on my upcoming flights.
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Old May 18, 2017, 10:05 am
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Nearly wide open J cabin showing full now on my return trip from AMS next week. Do NOT like this change.

also, no upgrade offers for me (other than C+, which I already have...)
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Old May 18, 2017, 10:59 am
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Originally Posted by appleguru
Nearly wide open J cabin showing full now on my return trip from AMS next week. Do NOT like this change.

also, no upgrade offers for me (other than C+, which I already have...)
I don't think they typically do FCM offers for international J other than day-of-flight. That part does not seem to be anything new.

Just noticed something else new. I was just able to downgrade myself from a C+ seat to Main Cabin without going through an agent. This also unchecks your upgrade requests to C+ and FC. In order to get back into C+, I had to go back and select the request upgrade for C+.
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Old May 18, 2017, 11:07 am
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Originally Posted by LBJ
I don't think they typically do FCM offers for international J other than day-of-flight. That part does not seem to be anything new.

Just noticed something else new. I was just able to downgrade myself from a C+ seat to Main Cabin without going through an agent. This also unchecks your upgrade requests to C+ and FC. In order to get back into C+, I had to go back and select the request upgrade for C+.
I just noticed this as well. It will certainly save them some staff time downgrading Medallions out of middle seats. Nice change.
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Old May 18, 2017, 11:12 am
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So I just called to pay the difference for the upgrade to F on the ticket I referred to in my previous post. Agent quoted the difference I was seeing from the advertised F fare and my ticket first time, not the inflated online FCM fare. Processed and re-ticketed quickly no issues.

Word of caution... be careful of the online FCM, I have two tickets where you would end up paying more compared to the going first class fare.
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