CPMaverick

I was a NW platinum and therefore, a DL plat until Feb 28.

I have a flight on 3/3, and a few days ago (still in Feb), I got an email from Delta saying I'd been upgraded! Great. I didn't know if DL would drop me to nothing from Plat, but I was prepared to expect it. I figured maybe they were giving me silver for my 14k MQM last year.

Today I go to check in, and I can't. I have no seat assignment and am ineligble for online check in. I am not super upset but this seems like a crummy way to treat a former elite. They should have known I was not going to have status instead of upgrading me 2 days before my status ends and then dumping me.

I want to be clear, if I didn't deserve the upgrade, I would be fine with it. But they upgraded me. And I went from having a good coach seat to having no seat, unable to check in, and now, possibly bumped? I hope not!

waltinsocal

Can you help us better understand your complaint? 14k gets you nada on any airline. All is done by computer, and it's nothing personal. When you had status, you received your due upgrade. When you lost your status , you lost your upgrade. What if your upcoming flight had been in September? Would you have expected DL to give you better seating seating and recognize your former status at the expense of someone else? Sorry, but "former" means exactly that, "former". Nothing personal.

RobOnLI

You're not the first to post about this problem. It is apparently a Delta policy.

I'm not trying to enrage anyone by saying this but Northwest never did this. If you got an upgrade prior to 3/1 based on a status that you would no longer have on 3/1 you kept the upgrade. In fact, any reservation booked before 3/1 (even for travel much later in the year) was processed for upgrades with whatever status you had before 3/1 unless you removed your FF# and put it back in the reservation to update your status.

I guess with Delta you will lose your upgrade. It does stink that you will also lose your pre-assigned coach seat. But then again, if you aren't elite anymore, you technically aren't due any of the "preferred" seats either.

-RM

CPMaverick

Sure, it's simple. I should never have been upgraded. Yes it's 'all done by computer' but the computer is programmed. On 2/27, Delta should know if I will have status on 3/1 and process upgrades accordingly. I never said I was due silver with 14k MQM, but since my upgrade cleared, I though perhaps they had comped me silver. Not an expectation or an entitlement, just made logical sense if they were upgrading me.

On NW I would have kept the upgrade, but that is sort of a gift. I don't think DL has to do it that way, but if they don't, they should at least be smart enough to not upgrade those that will just get it taken away.

I never said it was 'personal', but ex-frequent fliers are still likely to fly a lot again, it seems like they need a computer system that doesn't give them a rollercoaster ride.

UPDATE: I called and got a seat assignment, but am still ineligible for check-in, and now the seatmap brings an error page. We'll see what happens at the airport I guess.

waltinsocal

I was not trying to be rude to the OP, and I know you did not accuse me of that. It's just that as tight as the flights are anymore that I am on, I would like the seats up front, if there are any, to go to the flyers with actual status, not those with former status. It's tough enough as it is to battle it out with current elites. But to toss in former ones as well? Sorry.

james318

I certainly took advantage of this last year as an NW Silver elite, even on Delta flights. I made sure to book as much travel as I could before 3/1, and got upgraded on most of my April/May travel. (Luckily in June, I became Gold.)

I had no idea that this (unpublished?) benefit was gone. That's sad.

gitismatt

wouldnt you say that flying 75k+ miles two years ago and only flying 14k miles last year is a crummy way to treat your airline?

CPMaverick

One more time. I AM NOT ANGRY THAT I LOST MY UPGRADE. I DID NOT DESERVE THE UPGRADE. I am unhappy that Delta's system upgraded me when I was ineligible, and then dumped me, as a result I lost my seat assignment on a F1 Y0 flight.

avidflyer

But I don't get why you are so angry you lost your upgrade? You did not deserve it anyway....

Duck...........

waltinsocal

Rough crowd here. I like it when somebody posts something that makes me look nicer. But.....+1. although, maybe, in all fairness, the economy and the OP's travel patterns changed the OP's ability to fly as much. Regardless, I have to vote in favor of taking care of current, not former Elites.

CPMaverick

Please read my posts. You are arguing a point that has nothing to do with my complaint.

number21

Hilarious

CPMaverick

Even more funny is the person it was directed to still doesn't get it.

gitismatt

absolutely. i was just trying to have some light-hearted fun. im sure if i was the OP i would have got my hopes up too because of the automated system

TheMadBrewer

I realize that Delta can do no wrong, but you seem to be arguing that somebody without status should not be allowed to have a seat assignment before the flight.

Any somebody flying September wouldn't be upgraded in Feb.

Delta more than any other airline I've every flown seems to like to take away seat assignments. Maybe that is why ExpertFlyer has that new "seat alert" function -- put in your seat assignments and they'll tell you when you no longer have that seat