FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Arrival Gate Meet and Greets for DM Connections?
Old Apr 23, 2012 | 1:13 am
  #1  
DJim
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: Delta Diamond, Delta Private Jet Card (Commercial Flights Only So Far), Avis Chairman's Club
Posts: 9
Arrival Gate Meet and Greets for DM Connections?

Lately I've experienced a number of meet and greets from DL Red Coats right inside the jetway on arrival to a connection airport. Is anyone else here getting these?

The first was in MSP, then one in DTW, and one in ATL. The last one was this weekend in SLC.

These are not the meet and greets that FTers have reported at JFK to whisk them through customs. These are for domestic connections!

At each of these meet and greet encounters, I came off the plane, and there was a DL Red Coat with a printed sign (not hand-written) with my first and last name on it. I tell her that's me, and she says she is there to escort me to my next flight. On the last meet and greet this weekend, I asked her "Why don't any of the other passengers getting one of you?" and she said "Because you fly more with Delta than they do, Mr. DJim."

At the previous ATL Red Coat connection a few weeks ago, she asked me if I would like her to call a golf car. I declined, since I am quite able-bodied.

Here are a few data points about my history with DL: I made Diamond last year and overshot about 10,000 miles with mostly full V purchases, and this year (as of April 23) I'm already up to about 60,000 MQMs but all on coach fares upgraded to V. But surely there are other DMs on these flights with more miles/revenue spend than me, aren't there?

One other data point is that three months ago I purchased a $50k Delta Private Jets Card, but I only use it to book Delta commercial flights (no private jet flights yet). I'm wondering if this is what is causing these Red Coats to show up to escort me.

Has anyone else experienced these Red Coat escorts on connections?

***

(The following is my unbiased praise for the Delta Private Jets Card...ignore it if you wish!)
I think the Delta Private Jets Card is a GREAT deal if you are already going to spend $50k on Delta commercial flights in 2 years, and you (or your company) can pre-pay the $50k. You get instant DM status for 2 years, and you get an Avis Chairman's Club membership also for 2 years (you rent an intermediate level car, but they give you the best car on the lot...so far I've gotten 2 Infinity G37x's and one M37, a Lincoln MKS and a Lincoln MKZ, a Volvo S60, and 3 Chrysler 300s...one with a paddle shifter, plus they pick you up at the terminal and drop you off in your rental car, fill the tank for you after drop-off at street prices). The thing I like the best about the Delta Private Jets Card is that all I have to do is email to them and they book all my travel to my preferences, including window seats, preference for flights with WiFi, and booking only flights with V upgrade inventory > 1. I bargained with Delta Private Jets Card folks to to give me two Chairman's Club memberships and they did, so I gave one to my CEO (I'm the Chairman at our company) and I gave him the DM status since I am already DM. Now we both book coach all the time against the Delta Private Jets Card balance, and we are 100% for V upgrades so far this year. Maybe this will be useful for some FTers here. (No, I don't work for DL or Avis or any of their partners or affiliates, or any travel or advertising related companies at all. I just own my own small business and travel a LOT.)
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