Originally Posted by
fpmurphy
I am not so sure that things are not changing .... and in a bad way.
I was flying IAD-ATL last Saturday PM. Was #3 for 3 for upgrade for most of the day on the website and on the app. GA called me up at T-30 and said that she might not give me the last available upgrade because another passenger was on their way over from a flight that just landed and she might give him the upgrade.
After I pushed back, the GA went as far as checking the medallion status (D for both), fare class (same for both), and then stated she was giving the other passenger the upgrade because "he paid more for his ticket."
At that stage, I informed the GA in no uncertain terms that I would escalate things if I did not get the upgrade. Reluctantly, she gave it to me.
I don't think GAs can easily see what was paid for the ticket. Moreover, should it be what was paid (MQDs I guess, according to DL's percentage of distance calculation) for the segment, for the direction, for the entire RT ticket, etc.
Published rules say that the tiebreakers are Reserve card then time of upgrade request. I would fight bitterly if the GA decides to make up some other criteria and apply them against me. OTOH it seems stupid for the GA to call you up to announce that she "might" give the last upgrade to someone who either is not on the list or is lower on the list.
Yet if this fare paid does become a tiebreaker, it's likely to benefit ME ME ME because as a hub captive (and not flying from one of DL's favorite "battle for" cities like NYC, SEA, and LAX), the fares I see are always very high, even for low fare classes.
ADDED: It sounds like the GA was making up reasons to justify what he/she wanted to do. I wonder whether the late arriving passenger was "friends and family." It even sounds like the GA didn't check same status and same fare class before telling you that he/she wanted to upgrade someone else.