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Gate agent confiscated my Biz class BP at MSP

Gate agent confiscated my Biz class BP at MSP

Old Sep 20, 2010, 11:35 am
  #1  
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Gate agent confiscated my Biz class BP at MSP

I was one of the last to board at MSP when my BP was taken by the GA and I was told "they" gave away my seat. No explanation given. In a rush, a BP for a middle seat in the rear of the plane was printed and I was told to just get on the plane. GA gave only his 1st name. When she heard this, a 2nd GA turned her ID badge backwards and refused to give me any identifying info at all. (I was upset but not one of those loud, angry complainers)

I later sent an email to DL and received a canned email response quoting rules of complimentary UG's, etc. I wrote back to clarify the correct situation: The RT upgrade was confirmed the day before the flight using 25K miles. The BP was in hand with a confirmed seat. The 2nd email reply said to call CS at the # "on the back of your card".

Called CS and (after 3 attempts to get an agent) was offered $100 e-cert.

Asked to escalate and was told "we do not escalate"; asked for something elase and they said "we do not do that"; asked for explanation of the irregular op at MSP and they said "we do not do that".

At least I did not get relegated to the "black phones"

I am only Silver, so maybe that is why the poor treatment/compensation? Over at UA, it is a very different story: IFE doesn't work? Here's $200. Trouble at the gate? Here's 20% off.
weezl is offline  
Old Sep 20, 2010, 11:38 am
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When did you show up? If within 15 of the departure time the UG was lost.
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Old Sep 20, 2010, 11:41 am
  #3  
 
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Originally Posted by FlyingUnderTheRadar
When did you show up? If within 15 of the departure time the UG was lost.
I think he used miles to do the upgrade so it should be confirmed.
hw711 is offline  
Old Sep 20, 2010, 11:43 am
  #4  
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Use Your Camera Phone

Originally Posted by FlyingUnderTheRadar
When did you show up? If within 15 of the departure time the UG was lost.
Use your camera phone to take a pix of the GA. That will take care of the name tag problem.
DaddyRabbit is offline  
Old Sep 20, 2010, 11:45 am
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Some NRSA probably took your seat...I just had to say it so we don't hear it later on...
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Old Sep 20, 2010, 11:47 am
  #6  
 
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Originally Posted by weezl
Over at UA, it is a very different story: IFE doesn't work? Here's $200. Trouble at the gate? Here's 20% off.
There is an expectation that the UA fountain of goodies/freebies will be shut down once Jeff Smisek is running that show.

BTW, where were you going and did you get your 12.5K miles back?

David
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Old Sep 20, 2010, 11:48 am
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i hope you at least got your miles back
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Old Sep 20, 2010, 11:53 am
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You say you were one of the last to board, when did you board? Was your BP printed out at least 15 minutes prior? Were you int he gate area at least 15 minutes prior?

If this is the case and you used your miles, this means you paid for the class of service. Call again, write an email again, call the Post Flight Resolution at Customer Care. They can't just do that on whim if it was not a comp upgrade. Your status should not matter here
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Old Sep 20, 2010, 12:03 pm
  #9  
 
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Originally Posted by weezl
GA gave only his 1st name. When she heard this, a 2nd GA turned her ID badge backwards and refused to give me any identifying info at all. (I was upset but not one of those loud, angry complainers)
THIS kind of blatant action would infuriate me and quickly turn me into "one of those loud, angry complainers" from my normal, composed self. Talk about proactive, purposeful action to ensure no accountability for one's actions. If you are going to enforce something, stand behind it with your name. Hiding the badge makes me smell shenanigans.
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Old Sep 20, 2010, 12:06 pm
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Originally Posted by hw711
I think he used miles to do the upgrade so it should be confirmed.
Right, I should have rephrased that to be "When did you show up? If within 15 of the departure time the seat was lost."

IIRC regardless of the seat if not within 15 of departure you lose your confirmed seat and the GA probably gave it away to another PAX. As such, the paying PAX now has a choice take the flight and whatever seat is available or wait for the next flight with same class of service. If the former, then they should get their miles back (or if paid a refund).
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Old Sep 20, 2010, 12:11 pm
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Call 404-773-0305 and tell them you want your miles back in your account (at the least)
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Old Sep 20, 2010, 12:17 pm
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Originally Posted by USAF_Pride
Call 404-773-0305 and tell them you want your miles back in your account (at the least)
Yes, THAT IS THE MINIMUM DELTA CAN DO FOR YOU.
If you call the number.
Next time show up on time, and ensure you have the name and ID of the GA's or you should email all the details ...
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Old Sep 20, 2010, 12:22 pm
  #13  
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Originally Posted by MR_MAMA
You say you were one of the last to board, when did you board? Was your BP printed out at least 15 minutes prior? Were you int he gate area at least 15 minutes prior?

If this is the case and you used your miles, this means you paid for the class of service. Call again, write an email again, call the Post Flight Resolution at Customer Care. They can't just do that on whim if it was not a comp upgrade. Your status should not matter here
Even if it was a confirmed free upgrade, they cannot do this on whim. However, I wonder if there was an error in the processing/granting of your upgrade originally in that it's highly unusual for a miles upgrade to clear the day before the flight as IME at that point empty FC seats are either put into V inventory (free EUA for elites in order), not G, or held for last minute FC purchases then BF upgrades at the gate. Again IME, domestic upgrades using miles tend either to be available very early at the time of ticketing or not at all; when the few domestic G inventory seats are taken, they're gone permanently from the flight most of the time, although inventory management can do anything at any time.

If you arrived at the gate too late according to the rules of your flight (international?) or failed to leave the F/G SkyClub at MSP promptly when boarding for your long-haul international flight was announced, they can take the upgrade without compensation, although I would still hope/expect that they would offer you the option of waiting for an upgrade on a later flight that day. Involuntary downgrades (except for OPUPs and NRSAs) require compensation, but I don't think it's considered the same as IDB. If you were late because of a late connecting flight, they can take away the upgrade, but compensation is owed (and they should have given you the option of an upgrade on a later flight). The amount of compensation does seem to depend on the elite level in practice, but if you paid more for a fare that could be upgraded, this should be considered. As a rough guide, 10,000 bonus miles is considered to be about the equivalent of a $100 ecredit/voucher when a choice is offered.

This is an example where OLCI and the printing of multiple boarding passes can be an advantage, to have a duplicate one for your record.

DL should know and keep a record of which gate agents were assigned to work your flight. Thus, even though MSP is a large DL station, a physical description of the agents can allow them to figure out who said what to you.

My understanding is that DL and other airlines forbid customer-facing employees to cover (or not wear) name badges, although full first and last names are not required. I would report the badge turning to DL very specifically. To me, this indicates that something was not right. If they had followed official procedures, why would they object to your knowing their names?

I hope this doesn't mean that MSP employees are becoming infected with a tendency toward shenanigans. I've always had the impression that they play by the rules here almost all of the time and generally try to be "Minnesota nice" to passengers.

Last edited by MSPeconomist; Sep 20, 2010 at 12:29 pm
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Old Sep 20, 2010, 1:02 pm
  #14  
 
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I wouldn't had boarded if I wasn't getting what I paid for. But then again, I make my travel plans in a way they are not time sensitive. I would had refused to take the new BP and asked for a supervisor.

If you where at the gate 15 min prior and everything else was up to snuff like already commented then finding out why this happened to me would be just as important as getting my miles/money back, maybe even more important.
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Old Sep 20, 2010, 1:26 pm
  #15  
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Originally Posted by USAF_Pride
Call 404-773-0305 and tell them you want your miles back in your account (at the least)
OP: During normal business hours, call 404-715-2600 and select option 8.

USAF_Pride: what/who is 404-773-0305?
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