Hi all--wanted to provide some clarification/correction on the below points...Thx--Josh
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
- DL's policy, in place for many years, reserves advance assignment of preferred seats for DL elites, SkyTeam elite and Elite+, passengers traveling with these customers, customers with disabilities, and anyone on a Y/B fare. We track all exceptions to this (which our agents have latitude to make this call when needed) because our elite customers tell us it's one of the benefits they like best.
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
- All customers holding confirmed travel on a flight can check-in on delta.com up to 24h before departure and receive a Seat Request Card, which places them on the "awaiting seat assignment" list, lets them check bags, and scans just like a boarding pass at the gate reader once the customer's cleared into an actual seat assignment.
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
- All priority seats are available to all SkyTeam elites. On aircraft where exit rows are designated as preferred seats, this also applies.
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 mentioned this in a previous post but did want to let you know that we are working on the delta.com displays to allow this. Our Reservations agents have been working with the same SkyTeam guidelines for years and are quite well versed in which customers get access to priority seats, so please send me a private message if you experience any issues with this. Thanks--Josh