brazzleman

Honestly, what's the big deal about priority check-in? When I was FO, I didn't use it; when I was GM I didn't use it; and now PM and don't see the need. I walk up to a kiosk, check in, check my bag, take it to the agent, she slaps on a tag and off I go. Regardless, I don't see much of an issue - SLC's priority TSA line specifies GM and up, but FO's use it all the time and no one cares.

Jeez people, just wait and see what happens - its like a bunch of protesters picketing a movie over its content when they've never seen it. Relax for goodness sake!

mike101

No one is protesting. Many of us discussing this are golds and above. This really doesn't affect us. What you quoted was a response (not a protest) to a question regarding how Silver Medallions will be screwed over because of Sky Priority. If anything, these changes benefit Golds and up the most, but screw over Silver and to a lesser extent, FC, who now need to share some benefits with golds and up.

To answer your question regarding priority check in, It can be useful especially when you are flying internationally and need to check in bags. International lines can be very long. I don't know if you do fly outside the US48 but if priority check-in wasn't worth anything, DL wouldn't have listed it as the very first benefit in the Sky Priority web page.

jfulcher

Right, but if she had a seat anywhere near the front then there likely would have been no space nearby and she would have been forced to swim upstream to retrieve her bag.

I mean overall it doesn't effect me for the most part, but on the surface it sure as heck seems like it's going to effect the "Choice" I made for my PM benefit. I guess it's no different than the garbage PMUs I got in the past though - good bird pan paper. I can't even get DL to mail her FO credentials though either. lol I should have taken the miles I think.

If you've paid attention in the past - I'm generally on the DL "Loyalist" side, but I just don't see much positive about this Sky Priority other than the free drink coupons. Seems like wasted $ on a program that doesn't do a whole lot more than what already existed. I'm glad I'm not a DL shareholder. Combine that with the fact that the communication regarding this is vague at best. It sounds like a work in progress, but me personally - I'm kind of sick and tired of DL "beta testing" on their best customers! We beta tested their "award calendar" back in the day - and it's STILL NOT FIXED! We dealt with the boarding drama for months when they introduced the Breezeway - which just now was starting to work well.

pokeable

Have you ever seen the general luggage check-in line at DTW @ 7AM?

Priority line saves you a good 20 minutes.

Again, for everyone saying FOs don't lose any benefits with Sky Priority, please explain how having less access to preferred seating does not degrade current benefits. And no, there is no way FOs can have access to preferred seating at time of purchase if Sky Priority is promised 'earlier access'. Just can't happen.

nogophers

SMI, please update us on whether Skyclub members will still have access to the priority check-in and security lines. This is a huge benefit for those w/o gold+ status.

lseflyer

I don't see that it's a big deal whether one boards in zone 1 or 2. But, if Delta really is bringing back some NW features and a few new ones, give us back the bulkhead seats. Also, guarantee that if you have a tight connection and board later that you do not have to gate check your carry on. On a recent flight it looked like about 20 bags were gate checked because the overheads were full. These perks would matter more to me than a drink coupon.

Joka5063

It does take some kind of warped logic to create a perk for some customers by shafting other customers. So, as a lowly Silver Medallion LOW value customer, I will join the unwashed masses in the interminable checkin and security lines. What are you guys smoking in Atlanta?

I cannot wait to watch the craziness as Delta attempts to board zone 1!

mike101

I see this is your first post, welcome!

I was once a Silver on NWA and I remember getting upgrades, and 50% mileage bonuses among others. Today of course so much has changed. And now Silver's will have to wait last (after all FC and elites) to board. I wouldn't mind if this change was announced long time ago, but it's so last minute that even if it does benefit me as a DM, I know it's a wrong business practice. Who knows what other last minute modifications to the FF program we'll see in 2010. Delta promised the 2010 benefits which began on March 1, and approx 1 1/2 months later is making some major modifications to strip many benefits from the largest group of their elites. It makes you think that you now need to reach a minimum of Gold Medallion if you want exit row seats, priority boarding, and check in, or a decent mileage bonus to offset the outrageous mileage inflation.

chrisj85

Interesting point that DL waited until April 13th to announce these changes. Far enough into the new qualification year that it will be difficult (especially for the targeted Silvers who travel less) to switch their business to another airline and still accumulate sufficient QMs to get any kind of status for next year. If DL had been transparent and announced these changes back in December for the 2010 benefit year, I think it's likely that a significant number of Silvers would have jumped ship. I suppose we can now try to get a status match elsewhere, but I don't know how successful that would be for a lowly FO.

mike101

I don't think it's too late. I would wait until late 2010 to get a status match since it will be good for 2011. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/miles...er-thread.html

For people like me who have been Platinums and Diamonds for the past couple years, who rolled over nearly 25K this year, it becomes an easy decision not to fly Delta at all. I was going to in order to at least make Silver for 2011 (I gave my business to the *A and AA after all the award availability complications and other disasters like what is mentioned in this thread) but after knowing that Sky Priority will strip Silvers of pretty much everything but a few perks, I don't feel the need to complete those 25,000 miles for 2011 status. Think about it... if you can't even book exit row seats at the time of booking anymore, can't board early with the other elites, and only get 25% bonus miles (consistent with the other airlines but not enough to offset DLs uniquely high and overpriced awards) there really is no incentive to make Silver.

thomj001

One or two earlier posters made reference to this in their posts. And i think that time will prove that they were correct.

This rebundling and rebranding of benefits has, really, nothing to do with enhancing or improving the service or benefits. At the end of the day, it's basically a wash.

What it DOES have to do with, is that Delta has created a new "product" by the name of Sky Priority. What was formerly a bunch of disconnected services/benefits is now a single branded product with an easy to understand name.

So, in a "follow the pack" mentality, look forward to this new 'product' being sold. (think UA, for the best(worst) example of this)....

Now, for $29/$49/$69/$89 (depending on segment length) add "Sky Priority" service to your reservation...

They will appease all of us by stating that the availability of Sky Priority add-on service is strictly capacity controlled by time of day and per flight.... So we should not fear and reduction in our service level..... But this is a business of revenue management and revenue enhancement.

I hope I'm wrong...... But if I had to make a prediction, I'd bet we'll see the Sky Priority bundle being sold before the end of the year......(long before the award calendar is fixed :-)

Jt

chrisj85

The previous poster is likely correct, this is all preparatory to selling SkyPriority as a new service on a per flight or per reservation basis to general members and non-members. Which of course will even further degrade the standing of FOs as even more people move ahead of them in checkin lines, boarding lines, baggage claim etc.

DLCorpTeam

If you DID make a prediction, it would be wrong. There are no plans to sell SP.

SkyMilesInsider

DLCorpTeam

Quick update - I'm waiting for my FT gallery password to be e-mailed to me so that I can share photos of the airport check-in signage with you and clear up the incorrect information about Silver Medallion members not having access. We will post the photos as soon as we can.

SkyMilesInsider

GBadger

SMI, thanks for your update and continued monitoring of this thread. I think the three main concerns people have about the silver level are:

- loss of dedicated check-in line.
- loss of access to "P" seats.
- loss of access to separate security line (though I'm not certain that this was always a benefit to begin with)