Avoid Delta codeshare with KLM
 

Based on most recent experience (and this isn't the first!), you should avoid booking flights with Delta where you end up on KLM. These folks really haven't got their act together. It's almost impossible to reserve seats, regardless of your status. When you call Delta, they tell you that you need to contact KLM; but when you contact KLM they tell you that they cannot do anything because the ticket was issued by Delta! Forget about upgrades - you cannot use system-wide vouchers or miles and the lowest status Flying Blue outranks Delta Platinum Medallion at the gate.

Not true.

SWUs on KLM: http://www.delta.com/skymiles/about_...erts/index.jsp

Mileage upgrades om KLM: http://www.delta.com/skymiles/use_mi...x.jsp#upgrades

Sorry OP, but your expectations are unrealistic...
KL does not upgrade any at the gate...not their own FB members, and especially not members of other airline programs. You can use SWUs (on M or higher fares), or miles (if I remember correctly, on Y fares only).

Regarding the seat selection, you can not reserve seats on intra-Europe flights. No one can...they are assigned at check in. On intercontinental flights, it has been my (very recent) experience that seat selection, even if flying KLetal on DL coded flight, is not too much of a problem. Only thing that wasn't working correctly was online purchase of economy comfort.

KL "really not having their act together" is the result of DL's computer system not working at all with KL's...It has nothing to do with KL.

I started a thread a while ago about the reverse. KL elite plus, not getting anywhere with Delta. ended up with the worst seats in TATL Y (middle seat in the back).

seems there are some issues with the systems from AFKL and Delta, or at least recognizing each others top level FF.

I have shifted all my travel to BA, and haven't looked back since. granted, this was not the incident that made me do so, but it sure was the final straw.

The theory doesn't match the practice. Several experiences of having tried and failed, even after quoting the "rules" to the agent.

Again, all very well in theory but it isn't working in practice.

Clearly the computer systems aren't working properly, but any number of phone calls to agents at both airlines won't get them to play together.

My message - if you want to fly on KLM, book directly with KLM!

Sorry, but what exactly wasn't working well in practice?

In my experience, seat selection on the flights that are eligible for it (inter-continental) was doable at delta.com.

You were lucky! Our flights just disappeared from delta.com. On the phone, a very helpful Delta agent put requests into the KLM system but couldn't do any more; KLM were totally unhelpful. We won't be flying on KLM again if we can possibly avoid it.

Upgrades based on SWUs or miles: no way, despite what it may say in the rules.

Sorry to hear you had such a bad experience. The flights disappearing from delta.com is a delta issue, unfortunately. It would be REALLY nice if Delta would give their customers both the DL confirmation code as well as the KL one (like NWA used to do), so that all aspects of the reservation can be accessed on both the DL and KL websites.

What fare class were you flying? full Y?

And if you're flying intra-Europe you cannot reserve seats in advance anyway. This has nothing to do with DL but everything to do with KL policiies.

-RM

Yeah, and when you do you STILL won't be able to pick your seat, and you STILL won't be able to upgrade using any sort of Delta swag...so what will you gain?....looks like nothing. I've had simply great experiences with KLM and select them, hands down, over AF, BA or any other EU carrier. When I buy my ticket from DL, I always as for the partner (KLM, KE, AM, etc) locator number. Then, using that I call the partner airline and use the number if I need any help or service. It's simple.

International. Two tickets - one C, one Y. Couldn't secure seat reservations on the KL website either. The impossibility of upgrading the Y with SWUs or miles and with less than half the Business cabin sold remains a mystery.:confused:

Don't know. I think that DL has a special desk for "SkyTeam upgrades" using miles. Out of curiosity, what was the routing?

There does still have to be upgrade availability (as you probably know, different from J availability). If that's not in place, then it doesn't matter how many miles or SWUs you have.

When flying in the J "Cabin", even in Intra-Europe, I've always been able to select seats on KL, AF, etc. However, Y seats, not so much. I'd just type the KL ticket into KLM.com (or AF.com) and pick what I wanted. It's been that way since the NW days.

Posters are right, there's no way to use DL script to upgrade. In the event of an OP-UP they will bring you up after they've cleared all their elites. Mind you they have far less elites because they don't give away status earning miles like Candy over there.

Be that as it may, the only way KL would accept DL upgrade scrip is if it they could get $$$ for it and it wasn't any better or worse than their own FFP. I don't see either happening.

Short sample size, but my wife and I had absolutely no issues checking in to a KL flight in CPH for a flight, eventually connecting to a DL flight to BOS.