Slammed From Y to L fare

currentjer · Jan 4, 13, 5:36 pm

This is a story of a Lost Upgrade.

Strategically landed a 300 USD VDB from UA this afternoon (ORD-MSY). I was going to double dip, and therefore I requested for a DL flight to take me from ORD-ATL-MSY. I was rebooked into Y on DL and #1 on the upgrade list - so far, so good. Went to the Skyclub in E to grab some drinks. After I checked in with the desk, I loaded my DL app and lo, and behold. I am now a L fare, and kicked back deep into the upgrade abyss - from #1 to #14/26.

I was more than a little sad there.

I tried to speak with the redcoat who checked me in at the Skyclub earlier - the first thing she did? She insisted that she was not going to let a Gold take an upgrade over the PMs & DMs (Whoa, sorry there). She merely "corrected the mistake" when I checked into the Skyclub. She then indicated, I was on a K fare - but I asked, why was my ticket still reading Y? Moreover, I explained again that I was rebooked into Y - and therefore, should have had priority on the list. And I suggested that she should have had the courtesy to explain that I would be pushed down the list when I checked into the Skyclub - That would have been nicer than suddenly shooting me down the chute and dashing my hopes for a gratis bloody mary on the plane!

So okay, I am a resourceful college boy. I SDC-ed through Memphis, got my upgrade there - and had my bloody mary. BUT the question is, in the event of rebooking, in IRROPs, or even rebooks validated from another airline, shouldn't our ticket be read and processed as a Y ticket - for upgrade considerations? She insisted that even in IRROPs, people are rebooked into Y - but by policy, agents are supposed to "correct the mistake" and book into a lower fare class for upgrade considerations.

Not true? In my experiences, I always had my rebooked segments on DL read as Y. This is too confusing - and it smacks too much of inconsistency. I probe this community's sentiment, amici.

mridley2 · Jan 4, 13, 6:10 pm

Had a few cocktails this evening so maybe im not firing on all cylinders but could you clarify this double dip you speak of? Do you mean you took VDB on UA but they rebooked onto DL flight?? I don't think it works that way.. Though I haven't flown UA in years.

Also if that is the case. UA rebooked you onto DL flight and UA has no obligation to book you onto full Y fare on another carrier. They book you at whatever fare class is available for sale. Hard to imagine this was an L fare on DL for same day travel but... What do I know??

Moreover, in any situation, VDB rebooks are what you negotiate with the GA at the time. We're you promised full Y fare by GA??

Bttc · Jan 4, 13, 6:10 pm

Unless that is actually Delta policy (which I'm rather sure it isn't), that's absolutely appalling. If she actually moved you from Y down to L, I would guess it's a violation of their contract with United. If she just moved you down on the upgrade list, I would ask the gate agent at your flight to rerun the upgrade list.

In either case, I would make sure to get the redcoat's name and complain to Delta. I have no doubt they would be happy to give you dozens of worthless Skymiles.

javabytes · Jan 4, 13, 6:17 pm

What does your ticket receipt state? Which fare class/fare basis code were you ticketed at?

amolkold · Jan 4, 13, 6:17 pm

So you had booked UA and they bought you a ticket on DL? If you had a Y fare, there's no reason for a SC agent to bump you down to L. I've had AA book me on DL and got the upgrade as FO on a Y fare as well as 1.5 MQMs. Email DL.

readywhenyouare · Jan 4, 13, 6:57 pm

That red coat was out of line for sure. They had absolutely no right to go about tampering with your ticket. That is fraud. Just sounds like an employee who had it out for you for some reason. Stay on top of Delta until you get the results you want.

Often1 · Jan 4, 13, 7:24 pm

Unless OP paid for Y or UA decided on its own to purchase Y for him, all that happened is a lazy UA agent reissued the ticket in Y but the e-ticket didn't support the Y fare. Probably would not have been caught by a harried GA for DL, but the eagle-eyed RC did and did her job just fine.

The fact that overworked GA's tend to rebook pax in Y in IRROPS doesn't mean that they are entitled to it.

OP has no beef, the Red Coat did her job, and the right person presumably got the UG.

cfischer · Jan 4, 13, 7:27 pm

what does the ticket read is the question here. I have seen UA rebook into below-Y on non-UA flights before and Delta may have simply adjusted the 'ranking' based on the ticketed fare class. It does not matter what the OP booked into, it only matters what was ticketed (and the DL system is pretty good reading this correctly).

exwannabe · Jan 4, 13, 7:57 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by readywhenyouare

That red coat was out of line for sure. They had absolutely no right to go about tampering with your ticket. That is fraud. Just sounds like an employee who had it out for you for some reason. Stay on top of Delta until you get the results you want.

Yup.

I am kind of suprised the redcoat did not have the OP arrested for being in the SC when he had purchased via UA.

Now back to your regularly scheduled progamming.

iflyalexair · Jan 4, 13, 8:05 pm

I'm confused. As a former agent, we were required to rebook on OAL in Y class for IRROPS but this was a mere formality as if a seat to sale is available it will certainly in Y. Say I booked on UA in the lowest fare class showing available, it could kick it back as unable to confirm etc.

The fare that UA is paying delta is not a full y fare. It's a negotiated rate per rule 120.20. So why should you gain the benefit for a fare you didn't purchase because the computer system doesn't recognize the difference real y fare and y fare class with an endorsed IRROPS ticket?

Delta rewards people for paying them the actual money associated with Y fare tickets... Not reroutes from other airlines when they aren't receiving the actual revenue and rather than negotiated interairline rate.

When I was an agent I would always check to make sure things were kosher because the people who deserve to be number 1 should be.

Thomas Hudson · Jan 4, 13, 8:30 pm

Dude, you are in college. You have your whole life ahead of you to worry about this stuff. Right now, you should be concerned with coeds, partying, and have a solid relationship with a young man who sells things in zip lock bags....

Oh, and getting good grades if you find the time...

james318 · Jan 4, 13, 8:32 pm

You weren't slammed from anything. You did not purchase a Y fare.

MikeMpls · Jan 4, 13, 8:32 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by currentjer

BUT the question is, in the event of rebooking, in IRROPs, or even rebooks validated from another airline, shouldn't our ticket be read and processed as a Y ticket - for upgrade considerations?

If a first-class seat is your goal, negotiate an "F" fare as part of the bump, and beware of the "A" bucket.

Quote:

Originally Posted by currentjer

She insisted that even in IRROPs, people are rebooked into Y - but by policy, agents are supposed to "correct the mistake" and book into a lower fare class for upgrade considerations.

As far as I know that was never the "proper" practice at either Delta or NW (and remember that half the staff you run into are ex-NW) but Delta never had a way to track that. Traditionally on Delta when you were bumped, you just ended up in Y. (And when I turned those boarding passes into NW credit, I quickly learned never to turn in anything showing what I had actually paid!)

Since the merger I believe Delta has adopted the NW code that tracks fare paid vs. fair flown. As long as the data is entered correctly, you shouldn't be getting those bonus miles.

Lowering the fair flown to match fair paid (thereby sabotaging upgrades probabilities) sounds like a new twist, but I wouldn't call it unreasonable.

Now if UA actually paid for a "Y" fare*, Delta should have just left it alone. What an outside paying customer actually purchases should be honored.

*I can't vouch for UA's bump policies, but in reverse DL once booked us in paid "F" on AA MSP-ORD; original routing was MSP-ATL-ORD in "U". Those things do happen.

I really don't see any reason to doubt the poster's assertion that UA booked him in "Y" on DL.