clinspec

Makes sense now. I've recently used 2 SWUs and both times was not visible on the upgrade list. When I inquired at the desk, I was told I was #1 on the upgrade list and did get the upgrade. Since the certificates are kept on a separate list, it appears you don't show on the airport standby list

kettle1

BINGO - we have an answer. As stated above by a DL employee, they were not NRSA.

MSPeconomist

Wow, they there's no way to verify that you're on the list for an upgrade at the airport when you use a SWU/GUC/RUC?

clinspec

The odd thing is that different upgrade lists showed different things, depending on whether I was using an iPhone, iPad app or on delta.com throughout the day. When I called to inquire why I wasn't on the list on the iPhone but was on delta.com, I was told the 1st phone agent coded the certificate incorrectly. After she "fixed" the coding, I was no longer able to see any list at all on Delta.com or my iPad app for 3 hrs before the flight, and the iPhone app showed I wasn't on the list at all. So I called and was told not to worry, "you're #1 on the list...I don't know why it's not showing on your phone". When I arrived for the flight I was still not showing on GIDS and GA said I was still showing as #1. I did get the UG.
On a related side note, both times when using the SWU, my connection flight would no longer show the UG list, saying I needed to be checked in to view it (which of course I was). The 1st incident, when I attempted to board the connection flt with my eBP, it alerted that I wasn't checked in and they had to check me in again. The 2nd occasion allowed me to use the original BP, but would not let me view the list. Definitely a screwed up system.

puddinhead

Your status shows up differently depending on what platform you're using?

Excellent - Delta IT is working exactly as designed.

MSPeconomist

The system saying that you haven't checked in is scary as you could easily lose your seat (in fact, any seat at all) on the flight and have your ticket cancelled. I suspect that the agent who "fixed" your SWU coding unchecked you in to do this and forgot to either check you in again or tell you that you needed to do this. Since delta.dumb and the app don't seem to mind if you check in more than once (for instance, to print a boarding pass later or get a receipt from an airport kiosk), maybe it's a good idea to try to check in again after an agent seems to do something with your ticket/PNR.

ArmyFlyer05

I was #1 for an upgrade from SEA-HKG yesterday with one seat available. The red coat at the desk told me that the seat was going to a pilot that was a must fly. Just out of curiosity is this normal? Why would they get a business class seat instead of an economy seat?

clinspec

I realized I was not checked in when I attempted to check the UG list during 1st flight and tried to do so, but the app wouldn't allow me to. The first time it happened I approached the GA @ DTW for my connection, tried to explain I had been unchecked and unable to check back in while in flight from the app. She gave me attitude, (I thought I had accidentally flown into ATL for a moment), and my new BP and I flew in coach because she had already upgraded all 5 seats, which I was #1 for when I left PHX. Out of curiosity, I tried my originally issued eBP during boarding and it didn't work, so I clearly had been unchecked. The 2nd time I used the cert, I tried to check in again while onboard to avoid the same issue and again was denied check in and denied view of the UG list because "you are not checked in". Turns out I was checked in this time and I did get the SWU. Royal mess....

davetravels

More importantly, how're us FlyerTalker ShenaBusters supposed to do our jobs if we can't view the complete & accurate list?

PRWeezer

So when people talk about flights where they applied a GUC/SWU within the check-in window and 'jumped to the top of the list,' what list are they looking at? App/.com and not GIDS? UP2A does show on their internal list, as we know based on how often people say to call & be sure you're coded properly if you're not at or near the top of the upgrade list. Surprising if it doesn't show up on GIDS just as it does internally for regular upgrade/standby lists.

apolloms

in the contract. iirc an international deadhead is business class positive space.

MSPeconomist

I think DL would downgrade a passenger with a paid BE ticket if necessary to get a seat for a "must fly" pilot.

sweeper20

Why would you say that? If its part of their contract as was stated in another post you can't just ignore that provision.

clr4t8koff

If a passenger should be caught in this scenario, what are the rights of the passengers? Are they forced to accept the downgrade and ride in back or will DL search for other flights that day in BE or accommodate them overnight and put them in BE on the next day's flight? In short - what is the passenger entitled to who doesn't want to fly in the back or be refunded?

mattp1987

That's why the poster said they would downgrade a passenger to make way for a "must fly" pilot.

I'm not sure if this would qualify as an overbooked situation. If it does, DL should first ask for volunteers to VDB and then IDB based on their procedures. This information starts on page 50 (rule 87) of the International Contract of Carriage. The scary part is on page 52 where it says,

However, I think it would only be in rare circumstances that DL wouldn't either accommodate a BE passenger on the next flight, via another connection point, or on another airline. Of course, in the post we're discussing, the passenger was waitlisted for an upgrade so no such compensation was due although it's an unfortunate way to miss out on the last seat up front.