Originally Posted by
Robert Leach
With all due respect, not sure how you conclude that a system which excludes certain preferred ("choice") seats from selection at time of booking is "much more customer friendly" to elites than a system where said preferred seats can be selected at time of booking. Non-elites may not select those seats.
I personally like being able, for example, to select exit rows as a Delta elite. How in the world would it be considered more "customer friendly" to hold those until the 24 hour mark and require a scramble to claim them then?
1) elites as a % of total pnr tend to book later than base members
2) by holding back seats NWA's best customers are still able to grab preferred seating unlike DL who gives away preferred seating to base members
3) NWA allows OLCI to anyone without a seat assignment, DL refuses OLCI to anyone including ELITES without a seat assignment...to an elite this is a HUGE deal, for example I did a day trip to ATL last week...I couldn't check in for the return until 6 hours before departure because I didn't have a seat assignment...what a PIA
4) NWA makes exit rows available to ALL Skyteam elites - DL doesn't (until recently NWA elites couldn't obtain them) - this benefit is available as long as the seat map is loaded
5) NWA makes Preferred seating available online to ALL Skyteam elites - on DL you must argue with reservation agents as they aren't aware of this Skyteam benefit (DL.com doesn't allow this benefit either)
I'm sorry but I fail to see your point