“Shena”: The Definitive “Shenanigans” Thread
Nov 9, 2014, 7:56 pm
#1772
In memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2005
Location: PIT
Programs: DM life is over 2MM PM now & NW MillionAir Wyndham Rewards Plat -Hotels.com Silver -Accor Silver
Posts: 15,408
And, what does a non-rev look like on an online list?
Nov 9, 2014, 8:15 pm
#1773
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Minneapolis, originally from Cincinnati
Programs: Diamond with Delta, Hyatt and Hilton. 2 MM and Plat with America (thank you citi:))
Posts: 2,345
If it's the former it is probably a diamond on a higher fare that checked in at the airport or who SDC'd onto the flight.
If it's the later, it is probably a diamond or PM who is using a SWU or RU that had it coded incorrectly and called the PM or DM line when they realized they were a lot lower on the list than they should be and had it applied correctly. I have had that happen before. I would check in for a flight and if I noticed I wasn't number 1 or 2 on the list, have called the DM line and sure enough the SWU wasn't coded correctly and I would jump up from 5 to 9 on the list to one or two
Nov 9, 2014, 10:21 pm
#1774
Join Date: Apr 2005
Programs: DL DM MM, Hyatt LT Globalist, SPG Gold, Marriott Gold, Hertz PC
Posts: 2,141
We used regional certs and were 1 and 2 on the upgrade list. The GIDS was showing zero seats available so I was surprised when it refreshed at T-30 and the cleared list had me and another who was not my wife in first.
We knew several of the people in the first six spots on the list and the person who ended up in 1D was not one of them (certainly he could have been lower on the list and jumped up with a properly re-coded cert).
The cleared list showed the person in 1D's name and seat number but no boarding zone (I had the 'UP' next to my name/seat number). That's why I wondered if the cleared list looked this way for a non-rev in first, but I'm doubtful there's any relationship.
We knew several of the people in the first six spots on the list and the person who ended up in 1D was not one of them (certainly he could have been lower on the list and jumped up with a properly re-coded cert).
The cleared list showed the person in 1D's name and seat number but no boarding zone (I had the 'UP' next to my name/seat number). That's why I wondered if the cleared list looked this way for a non-rev in first, but I'm doubtful there's any relationship.
Nov 10, 2014, 6:34 am
#1775
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Newton Centre, MA, USA
Programs: DL 2MM Gold, AA Plat Pro; Hilton Lifetime Diamond, Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium (via SPG), IHG Plat
Posts: 2,192
We used regional certs and were 1 and 2 on the upgrade list. The GIDS was showing zero seats available so I was surprised when it refreshed at T-30 and the cleared list had me and another who was not my wife in first.
We knew several of the people in the first six spots on the list and the person who ended up in 1D was not one of them (certainly he could have been lower on the list and jumped up with a properly re-coded cert).
The cleared list showed the person in 1D's name and seat number but no boarding zone (I had the 'UP' next to my name/seat number). That's why I wondered if the cleared list looked this way for a non-rev in first, but I'm doubtful there's any relationship.
We knew several of the people in the first six spots on the list and the person who ended up in 1D was not one of them (certainly he could have been lower on the list and jumped up with a properly re-coded cert).
The cleared list showed the person in 1D's name and seat number but no boarding zone (I had the 'UP' next to my name/seat number). That's why I wondered if the cleared list looked this way for a non-rev in first, but I'm doubtful there's any relationship.
Nov 10, 2014, 7:07 am
#1776
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 1,614
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?
Nov 10, 2014, 9:05 am
#1777
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: Williamsburg, VA
Programs: DL DM, Bonvoy LTT, HH Diam, UA Silver, USAF million miler ;)
Posts: 1,596
If I have the choice of either me, or my next pilot, getting the last FC seat to LAX to position for a TPAC flight, I choose him (or her). 
Nov 10, 2014, 9:40 pm
#1779
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 367
Do you mean they suddenly appeared on the upgrade list or they moved from a lower position up to spot 1?
If it's the former it is probably a diamond on a higher fare that checked in at the airport or who SDC'd onto the flight.
If it's the later, it is probably a diamond or PM who is using a SWU or RU that had it coded incorrectly and called the PM or DM line when they realized they were a lot lower on the list than they should be and had it applied correctly. I have had that happen before. I would check in for a flight and if I noticed I wasn't number 1 or 2 on the list, have called the DM line and sure enough the SWU wasn't coded correctly and I would jump up from 5 to 9 on the list to one or two
If it's the former it is probably a diamond on a higher fare that checked in at the airport or who SDC'd onto the flight.
If it's the later, it is probably a diamond or PM who is using a SWU or RU that had it coded incorrectly and called the PM or DM line when they realized they were a lot lower on the list than they should be and had it applied correctly. I have had that happen before. I would check in for a flight and if I noticed I wasn't number 1 or 2 on the list, have called the DM line and sure enough the SWU wasn't coded correctly and I would jump up from 5 to 9 on the list to one or two
Nov 10, 2014, 10:11 pm
#1780
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: PBI
Programs: DL DM 2.4MM
Posts: 300
UP2X is the complementary upgrade priority code for Plat/Diam on transcons (this was PDX - SLC). UPGR is the standard complementary UG code, UP2A is using regional or global upgrade certificates.
Last edited by langbr01; Nov 11, 2014 at 6:53 am
Nov 14, 2014, 10:55 am
#1781
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: PIT
Programs: US Gold | DL Gold
Posts: 25
Experienced my first shena today (though I guess it barely qualifies since it was resolved by a phone call to DL cust service). Checked-in for my flights tomorrow, got put on the upgrade list for my PIT -> MSP flight, but not the MSP -> GRB flight (yes, it is a regional flight with F, which was the DL agent's first response ... not my first time taking this route, know to pick the ones with F if I can). She tried everything she could, unchecking and re-checking me in, having me re-check in, a few other things. Eventually a supervisor was able to get me on the upgrade list somehow after holding for about 10 mins (no explanation was given). Hopefully no further shena when actually processing the upgrades (either putting me ahead of others unjustly, or me getting stuck at the end unjustly, neither of which would be right).
Nov 14, 2014, 3:05 pm
#1782
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: PBI
Programs: DL DM 2.4MM
Posts: 300
Experienced my first shena today (though I guess it barely qualifies since it was resolved by a phone call to DL cust service). Checked-in for my flights tomorrow, got put on the upgrade list for my PIT -> MSP flight, but not the MSP -> GRB flight (yes, it is a regional flight with F, which was the DL agent's first response ... not my first time taking this route, know to pick the ones with F if I can). She tried everything she could, unchecking and re-checking me in, having me re-check in, a few other things. Eventually a supervisor was able to get me on the upgrade list somehow after holding for about 10 mins (no explanation was given). Hopefully no further shena when actually processing the upgrades (either putting me ahead of others unjustly, or me getting stuck at the end unjustly, neither of which would be right).
Dec 2, 2014, 3:41 pm
#1783
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: near DTW
Posts: 247
Shena appears after door closes?
DL-283 from LAX to NRT, two non-revs were seated in EC by talking to gate agent and then after the door was closed, both moved up to BE after the door was closed. I didn't have an upgradable tkt but that doesn't seem right.
Dec 2, 2014, 3:56 pm
#1784
In memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2005
Location: PIT
Programs: DM life is over 2MM PM now & NW MillionAir Wyndham Rewards Plat -Hotels.com Silver -Accor Silver
Posts: 15,408
Shena appears only when it involves a flight that Medallions get free UGs on. If a Medallion on your flight was denied a GUC or SWU UG with those seats available, that would be a different story.
Dec 2, 2014, 5:48 pm
#1785
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Long Beach, CA
Programs: DL DM
Posts: 5,292
sorry you busy-bodied yourself on that flight and were bothered by that into which you poked your nose, but that is FULLY within the rights of the purser.