Upgrade Chances: The Definitive Thread
Jun 2, 2016, 2:22 pm
#2656
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: SEA & RDM
Programs: UA - 1MM, DL Diamond, AS MVP75, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Gold
Posts: 8,037
SEA-JFK-GRU (6/7) and GRU-JFK-SEA (6/9) upgrading with miles...only JFK-GRU cleared...any chance any of the other legs clear? The medallion agent said if not cleared by 24 hours out it is not possible to clear even if the plane leaves with open D1 seats.
Jun 9, 2016, 8:10 am
#2662
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Atlanta
Programs: Delta DM
Posts: 1
How #5 on the list becomes #1...minutes before boarding
During my flight from CLE to ATL yesterday I took a screenshot (attached) of the upgrade list just minutes before the final upgrades were due to clear. Then once they cleared, I was puzzled as to why I, being #1 on the upgrade list with only 1 seat remaining in First, was only upgraded to a Premium Economy seat while the #5 customer then jumped all the way up for the First Class upgrade (another screenshot attached).
So with a red coat standing at the gate, I took my laptop up and showed him the discrepancy, kindly asking for his super smart assessment as to how someone can jump so far up? Is there some secret handshake? A computer glitch? Inquiring minds want to know.
With the young gate agent by his side, he said he could roll back time on the screen and see what was done, which he did. And of course he said I was right, but could offer no explanation. The gate agent said yes he cleared the #5 guy alright, but only because that is what the computer showed him.
In the end they had to redo several seats, taking the #5 guy out of First. Interesting, even though there were only 3 seats left in Premium Economy, they gave that guy a ticket there after pulling him out. Since I would have taken the one First seat, and presumably the #2, #3, and #4 persons would have taken the remaining three Premium Economy seats, it looks like they must have given the #5 guy a seat ahead of one of them! So now the #4 guy lost his upgrade chance to the #5 guy? Incredible.
BUT IT DOESN'T END THERE...
Earlier in the day I had a quick layover in DTW. When I stared to board in Zone 1 my boarding pass kept beeping red, so the gate agent had me stand aside with 2 others who were also having issues.
Enter the Red Coat...
After asking the obligatory question as to whether we were non-rev ticket holders (to which we all said no, as we were all paying customers), she started assigning seats. I had already been upgraded and my boarding pass was showing 2C, so clearly a First Class seat.
Problem: As I was the last one that she got to, she had just given my seat away to one of the other two (he was not previously upgraded, so this was a real gift to him)! Her solution was to print another boarding pass for that poor guy and send the gate agent down to kick him out of his seat (in the back with you!). Minutes later she had everything fixed and I was allowed to board...now the very last one the flight. Unfortunately, when I arrived at my seat the drama was still going on as the other guy was not too happy about having to get out, after being comfortably seated and already handed a drink!
I felt bad...still do. In fact, had I been a bit faster on the uptake, I would have just told the red coat that it was okay to just put me in back (it was a 28 min flight, after all), but would wait while she gave me, say, a $1K Delta Dollars certificate! I wish, anyway. You can bet the next time something like that happens I will be ready with that solution. I'm kind of surprised the red coat didn't offer it herself though.
So if you are keeping count, that is 2X in one day that Delta had to yank someone out of a First Class seat that they felt they had been properly upgraded to.
The bottom line here is that from now on I will forever be taking screenshots of the upgrade list leading up to the boarding and final clearing, ready to call for a red coat whenever it is obvious or at least highly questionable that the upgrade process is not living up to expectations.
Hopefully others will start doing the same.
-- I'm a Diamond Million Miler (nearly 2 million now) and took 3 flights on this day alone, so obviously really not happy when things don't work they way they should and just create unnecassary drama. But some things just need to be shared.
So with a red coat standing at the gate, I took my laptop up and showed him the discrepancy, kindly asking for his super smart assessment as to how someone can jump so far up? Is there some secret handshake? A computer glitch? Inquiring minds want to know.
With the young gate agent by his side, he said he could roll back time on the screen and see what was done, which he did. And of course he said I was right, but could offer no explanation. The gate agent said yes he cleared the #5 guy alright, but only because that is what the computer showed him.
In the end they had to redo several seats, taking the #5 guy out of First. Interesting, even though there were only 3 seats left in Premium Economy, they gave that guy a ticket there after pulling him out. Since I would have taken the one First seat, and presumably the #2, #3, and #4 persons would have taken the remaining three Premium Economy seats, it looks like they must have given the #5 guy a seat ahead of one of them! So now the #4 guy lost his upgrade chance to the #5 guy? Incredible.
BUT IT DOESN'T END THERE...
Earlier in the day I had a quick layover in DTW. When I stared to board in Zone 1 my boarding pass kept beeping red, so the gate agent had me stand aside with 2 others who were also having issues.
Enter the Red Coat...
After asking the obligatory question as to whether we were non-rev ticket holders (to which we all said no, as we were all paying customers), she started assigning seats. I had already been upgraded and my boarding pass was showing 2C, so clearly a First Class seat.
Problem: As I was the last one that she got to, she had just given my seat away to one of the other two (he was not previously upgraded, so this was a real gift to him)! Her solution was to print another boarding pass for that poor guy and send the gate agent down to kick him out of his seat (in the back with you!). Minutes later she had everything fixed and I was allowed to board...now the very last one the flight. Unfortunately, when I arrived at my seat the drama was still going on as the other guy was not too happy about having to get out, after being comfortably seated and already handed a drink!
I felt bad...still do. In fact, had I been a bit faster on the uptake, I would have just told the red coat that it was okay to just put me in back (it was a 28 min flight, after all), but would wait while she gave me, say, a $1K Delta Dollars certificate! I wish, anyway. You can bet the next time something like that happens I will be ready with that solution. I'm kind of surprised the red coat didn't offer it herself though.
So if you are keeping count, that is 2X in one day that Delta had to yank someone out of a First Class seat that they felt they had been properly upgraded to.
The bottom line here is that from now on I will forever be taking screenshots of the upgrade list leading up to the boarding and final clearing, ready to call for a red coat whenever it is obvious or at least highly questionable that the upgrade process is not living up to expectations.
Hopefully others will start doing the same.
-- I'm a Diamond Million Miler (nearly 2 million now) and took 3 flights on this day alone, so obviously really not happy when things don't work they way they should and just create unnecassary drama. But some things just need to be shared.
Last edited by KP1; Jun 9, 2016 at 8:16 am
Jun 9, 2016, 8:21 am
#2663
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: New York, western US
Programs: DM/3MM
Posts: 4,246
Although a long post, thanks for the detailed information. I've been saying for awhile that the tech integrity of the upgrade system, specifically prioritization, is not always done accurately. (Never mind what a GA might do.)
Jun 9, 2016, 8:35 am
#2664
Join Date: Jan 2015
Programs: delta dm
Posts: 1,677
During my flight from CLE to ATL yesterday I took a screenshot (attached) of the upgrade list just minutes before the final upgrades were due to clear. Then once they cleared, I was puzzled as to why I, being #1 on the upgrade list with only 1 seat remaining in First, was only upgraded to a Premium Economy seat while the #5 customer then jumped all the way up for the First Class upgrade (another screenshot attached).
So with a red coat standing at the gate, I took my laptop up and showed him the discrepancy, kindly asking for his super smart assessment as to how someone can jump so far up? Is there some secret handshake? A computer glitch? Inquiring minds want to know.
With the young gate agent by his side, he said he could roll back time on the screen and see what was done, which he did. And of course he said I was right, but could offer no explanation. The gate agent said yes he cleared the #5 guy alright, but only because that is what the computer showed him.
In the end they had to redo several seats, taking the #5 guy out of First. Interesting, even though there were only 3 seats left in Premium Economy, they gave that guy a ticket there after pulling him out. Since I would have taken the one First seat, and presumably the #2, #3, and #4 persons would have taken the remaining three Premium Economy seats, it looks like they must have given the #5 guy a seat ahead of one of them! So now the #4 guy lost his upgrade chance to the #5 guy? Incredible.
It what I have been saying all along. Delta... why reinvent the wheel when all you had to do was give one c+ upgrade back and leave everything else alone. Instead you create non trusting customers because the implementation is impossible due to poor planning and not caring by management. I would hate to be a delta front line person whether at the airport or on the phone. They deserve better and we deserve better.
BUT IT DOESN'T END THERE...
Earlier in the day I had a quick layover in DTW. When I stared to board in Zone 1 my boarding pass kept beeping red, so the gate agent had me stand aside with 2 others who were also having issues.
Enter the Red Coat...
After asking the obligatory question as to whether we were non-rev ticket holders (to which we all said no, as we were all paying customers), she started assigning seats. I had already been upgraded and my boarding pass was showing 2C, so clearly a First Class seat.
Problem: As I was the last one that she got to, she had just given my seat away to one of the other two (he was not previously upgraded, so this was a real gift to him)! Her solution was to print another boarding pass for that poor guy and send the gate agent down to kick him out of his seat (in the back with you!). Minutes later she had everything fixed and I was allowed to board...now the very last one the flight. Unfortunately, when I arrived at my seat the drama was still going on as the other guy was not too happy about having to get out, after being comfortably seated and already handed a drink!
I felt bad...still do. In fact, had I been a bit faster on the uptake, I would have just told the red coat that it was okay to just put me in back (it was a 28 min flight, after all), but would wait while she gave me, say, a $1K Delta Dollars certificate! I wish, anyway. You can bet the next time something like that happens I will be ready with that solution. I'm kind of surprised the red coat didn't offer it herself though.
So if you are keeping count, that is 2X in one day that Delta had to yank someone out of a First Class seat that they felt they had been properly upgraded to.
The bottom line here is that from now on I will forever be taking screenshots of the upgrade list leading up to the boarding and final clearing, ready to call for a red coat whenever it is obvious or at least highly questionable that the upgrade process is not living up to expectations.
Hopefully others will start doing the same.
-- I'm a Diamond Million Miler (nearly 2 million now) and took 3 flights on this day alone, so obviously really not happy when things don't work they way they should and just create unnecassary drama. But some things just need to be shared.
So with a red coat standing at the gate, I took my laptop up and showed him the discrepancy, kindly asking for his super smart assessment as to how someone can jump so far up? Is there some secret handshake? A computer glitch? Inquiring minds want to know.
With the young gate agent by his side, he said he could roll back time on the screen and see what was done, which he did. And of course he said I was right, but could offer no explanation. The gate agent said yes he cleared the #5 guy alright, but only because that is what the computer showed him.
In the end they had to redo several seats, taking the #5 guy out of First. Interesting, even though there were only 3 seats left in Premium Economy, they gave that guy a ticket there after pulling him out. Since I would have taken the one First seat, and presumably the #2, #3, and #4 persons would have taken the remaining three Premium Economy seats, it looks like they must have given the #5 guy a seat ahead of one of them! So now the #4 guy lost his upgrade chance to the #5 guy? Incredible.
It what I have been saying all along. Delta... why reinvent the wheel when all you had to do was give one c+ upgrade back and leave everything else alone. Instead you create non trusting customers because the implementation is impossible due to poor planning and not caring by management. I would hate to be a delta front line person whether at the airport or on the phone. They deserve better and we deserve better.
BUT IT DOESN'T END THERE...
Earlier in the day I had a quick layover in DTW. When I stared to board in Zone 1 my boarding pass kept beeping red, so the gate agent had me stand aside with 2 others who were also having issues.
Enter the Red Coat...
After asking the obligatory question as to whether we were non-rev ticket holders (to which we all said no, as we were all paying customers), she started assigning seats. I had already been upgraded and my boarding pass was showing 2C, so clearly a First Class seat.
Problem: As I was the last one that she got to, she had just given my seat away to one of the other two (he was not previously upgraded, so this was a real gift to him)! Her solution was to print another boarding pass for that poor guy and send the gate agent down to kick him out of his seat (in the back with you!). Minutes later she had everything fixed and I was allowed to board...now the very last one the flight. Unfortunately, when I arrived at my seat the drama was still going on as the other guy was not too happy about having to get out, after being comfortably seated and already handed a drink!
I felt bad...still do. In fact, had I been a bit faster on the uptake, I would have just told the red coat that it was okay to just put me in back (it was a 28 min flight, after all), but would wait while she gave me, say, a $1K Delta Dollars certificate! I wish, anyway. You can bet the next time something like that happens I will be ready with that solution. I'm kind of surprised the red coat didn't offer it herself though.
So if you are keeping count, that is 2X in one day that Delta had to yank someone out of a First Class seat that they felt they had been properly upgraded to.
The bottom line here is that from now on I will forever be taking screenshots of the upgrade list leading up to the boarding and final clearing, ready to call for a red coat whenever it is obvious or at least highly questionable that the upgrade process is not living up to expectations.
Hopefully others will start doing the same.
-- I'm a Diamond Million Miler (nearly 2 million now) and took 3 flights on this day alone, so obviously really not happy when things don't work they way they should and just create unnecassary drama. But some things just need to be shared.
Last edited by dzflyer; Jun 9, 2016 at 8:43 am
Feb 6, 2017, 8:52 am
#2665
Join Date: Jun 2009
Programs: AA Plat, DL DM
Posts: 32
Hi . . .. I'm Diamond and my wife is Platinum. What are our upgrade chances for round trip JFK-SLC during midweek (Tues through Thurs) in July and August? Am I very likely (80 - 100%) to get upgraded and is my wife something likely (60 - 80%)? Or am I too much of an optimist? TIA in advance for the help and advice!
Feb 6, 2017, 9:39 am
#2666
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Northern California
Programs: DL DM Charter, 2.9MM; 2019 PM and falling; Kettle everywhere else
Posts: 243
Read this thread: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta...ion-level.html
With recent changes, your wife's chances are as good as yours.
With recent changes, your wife's chances are as good as yours.
Apr 7, 2017, 5:42 am
#2667
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: CLT
Programs: DL DM, AA Gold, Bonvoy Titanium, Hyatt Glob, IHG Plat, Hilton Diamond, Amex Plat
Posts: 438
Considering booking an earlier than needed flight to get on the 777 from ATL to LAX in hopes of upgrade on a Monday AM flight. Diamond on what would be an L fare. Anyone have experiences with upgrades on this route/equipment? Thanks!
Apr 7, 2017, 7:01 am
#2668
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: ATL
Programs: DL Scattered Smothered Covered Medallion, Some hotel & car stuff, Kroger Plus Card
Posts: 10,745
If ATL-SFO is a good comparison (since I fly that more often than LAX), I've gotten that UG pretty easily as a PM when flying midweek but am usually #214 of 342231 when heading out Sunday night/Monday morning.
May 2, 2017, 7:17 am
#2669
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 400
Spring break 2018. MSP-CUN. B757 with 20 first class seats. Diamond. There are four of us. Redeeming miles. 15k miles difference one way between Y and C.
What are our chances?
15k doesn't sound like a lot. but it adds up in a hurry for 4 of us. In total it's 120k more miles. Isn't it almost a biz class ticket round trip to Asia - I don't know any more...
Thank you all for chiming in :-)
What are our chances?
15k doesn't sound like a lot. but it adds up in a hurry for 4 of us. In total it's 120k more miles. Isn't it almost a biz class ticket round trip to Asia - I don't know any more...
Thank you all for chiming in :-)