Very true.

Listen, I have a pda and a laptop but the DL-style screens do really require less effort. Both have their pluses and minuses and I can certainly appreciate that the pda site solution cost CO far less in infrastructure development.

I still remember missing my DL flight at ATL (going to LGA) and being placed on the standby list for the next flight. There was an insanely long standby list, but I managed to be 2nd on the list (as I could see on the screen).

Even though I was still CO elite (gold) at the time, DL didn't bother to record this and by the time I walked from the DL service center counter to the gate I had dropped from 2nd on the standby list to 17th (in a matter of 5 minutes of so). By the time we boarded I was 45th...2 people on the standby list made the flight (I wouldn't have made it anyway because I would have been trumped by platinum elites...)

I showed the DL people my CO gold card but it never translated to having my standby status actually upgraded.

I went the to DL Crown Room and asked the very friendly lady there to put me on the next confirmed seat, which was 12 hours later at 8:00 PM. I then went and got myself a room at an airport motel and slept until my flight...

Regardless, he's doing well. I am coming in at about 33% as CO Plat.

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8830/4.2.2 Profile/MIDP-2.0 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/105)

Great story. What does it have to do with ease of access to the information?

Yes, the TVs are easier IF you are in the gate area. But imagine the same scenario with CO's solution. You could have remained in the CRC seeing that you were number 45 on the wait list and not wasted time walking to the gate to see your name drop.

The point of the story is that, even with your pda, you can't sit there and watch the entertaining, horrifying spectacle of your unmitigated drop in the standby (or upgrade) order without constantly refreshing the site...that's why the pda is more work.

Also, as you're sitting at the gate, with the screens providing you the info, you can use your pda to be otherwise more productive.

BTW: I didn't go to the CRC because I assumed DL would honor my ST elite status; plus the flight I was waitlisted on was about to board.

I guess I just don't find clicking the refresh button all that much work. I have previously conceded the point that it is easier to watch a TV than to use the PDA.

But I certainly don't consider it sufficiently easier to offset the benefit I get from having access to the information in all the other places I generally happen to be other than the gate area.

And, as you noted, even if DL had recognized your status you still wouldn't have made the flight, so waiting around at that point didn't serve much purpose, though I can understand staying until you see them close the flight if you are already there.

You made the statement not me, I was just "enlightening" you to another option, anyways I enjoy sitting at the PC drinking my beverage of choice right up until boarding time.

No argument there.

Then again, there are situations where there is no PC, or in which you are connecting and need to rush to the gate for your next flight, etc.

The best of all worlds, imho, is a pda site and terminal screens.

I found out this last year. I was a bit surprised Delta has improved a lot, and in some places, better than CO.
I like the AVOD, and bottle water on their F. Special drink is fun. The Corona in their LAX Crown room is a big plus.
One complain I have with Delta is their website. I tried to book LAX-SAT and Delta.com gave me all CO flights through IAH. I ended up booking with Orbitz, and was surprised I receive full credit booking through Orbitz.
It will be interesting to see the Delta and NW merger. The new Delta does give me more flights choice than CO, but I am not too happy about NW's domestic products.

So when is CO Installing the Flat Screens to the Gate.

Sounds like a post better suited for the DL board..:rolleyes:

Granted. Trust me, my percentages on CO as Gold vs. Platinum into and out of EWR were not that different. It is much easier to upgrade on DL out of JFK and LGA.

DL is and of itself is fine, and I really enjoy their BE product. The new Skymiles program, on the other hand, is scary.

So true. DL management is pushing us out, which is a shame, since their front line personnel are so good.

Hi All - OP here.

Maybe I should have posted this in the DL section, but I was interested to hear from the CO's (like myself) if their reaction to the DL soft product was the same as mine. My experience when I fly with "Delta" on the side of the plane, its usually SkyWest, which I think does a great job. This was the first time in a long time I flew DL Mainline, and had prepared myself for a bad Y experience. I was pleasantly shocked, and a little worried that CO was behind in the Y soft product game. My upgrade percentage on CO from IAH is pretty good, its not often I ride CO Y mainline, but when I do - its not always as "clean, safe and reliable" as what I experienced on that single DL mainline flight.

YMMV.

Sure, you can fly often enough to judge an airline's reliability, but how often does one have to fly to be able to judge an airline's safety? I wouldn't be surprised if the sum total of all an airline's flights doesn't provide statistically significant information about safety.

I'd imagine that the "safest" airline is the one that requires the least driving and flies from an airport with the healthiest food.