Yes. I've done it several times.

When on an FC fare and SDCing to a flight with no seats in F but available seats in Y, your BP and flight record will still show your FC fare class (F/P/A/G) just with a coach seat assignment. You still receive bonus MQMs.

GAs will NOT downgrade an already boarded medallion upgrade to place you in a FC seat, but they will sometimes downgrade an RU who has not boarded yet (esp. if it was cleared at the gate). Then, you get to see your flight # and date posted in the Shena thread on FT. :)

FC fares do not eliminate the SDC fee for FOs and non-medallions, just the fare bucket requirement. An FO on a FC fare can SDC to any available flight, but must pay $50 to do so.

How in the world is this Shena? It's a voluntary downgrade in order to get on an earlier flight. You always have the option of staying in your original, confirmed flight in FC if the seat is more important to you than the new flight time, and you are at the top of the UG list in the event of a no-show.

Selling first class at check in
 

Checked in 20 hrs in advance for SAN - DTW. offered to buy upgrade for $300. I declined and learned I was number 4 on list with 9 seats avail.

6 hours prior to takeoff I am still number 4 but only 3 seats avail.

Not sure if it was people spending the $300 or RUG, but it confirms that the value of unlimited medallion upgrades is very very low.

I am looking at getting GM on DL and the lowest level for AA so I can shop around more and get free bags on two lines. Being plat on DL not worth much anymore.

I figure I will fly 5 times a year on AA to do this instead of DL ...I guess DL figures it is worth it to lose my 5 flights to sell more FIRST at last second....

Summer bargain prices: https://www.delta.com/content/www/en...rst-class.html

If someone is willing to pay $300 for a one way SAN/DTW flight without the 50% bonus mqm's they are nuts. It's probably people using RU's on this flight (which I may be willing to burn one on if I had some about to expire) or people SDCing as well. I'll just have a couple more in the skyclub and spend the $300 on things other than a crappy meal, a few drinks which are free in C+, and a slightly more comfortable seat.

It wouldn't be as painful sitting in Y if Delta would give us food off the eats menu the way AA does for the EP members

DL used to offer to sell upgrades only after all medallions were upgraded. 9 seats and no window upgrades says something, and it isn't good for Delta.

If you just want free bags, get credit cards. You don't need any status.

DL just doesn't understand that it's a lot cheaper to keep a customer than to lose and re-acquire one.

I get what you're saying, but play a brain exercise with me:
If all their planes are still going out close to full capacity, is it really costing them more to trade out one passenger for another? Particularly when the incoming one is willing to pay a few more bucks for a FC ticket and the outgoing one is expecting a free UG or otherwise taking a C+ seat that is also being monetized?

If DL's overall sales quantity were declining as a result of this, then I would agree that they ought to focus on customer retention. But as it stands, it seems that they need to put very little effort into retention as with every customer lost, another one is ready and willing to pop into their place and often pay even more.

In essence, DL has found that it can acquire other customers who are willing to pay slightly more for the same product. What incentive do they have to ignore those customers in favor of others, just because the others have been hanging out with them in the past?

Maybe the outgoing one is someone who, for years, was willing to pay up in order to fly Delta, and would continue doing so if treated well. The incoming one is someone who might not fly that often, or is just not willing to worry about which airline and buys whatever looks best at the moment.

Today, it doesn't matter between them.

In a couple of years, when the airlines no longer have as much oligopoly power, that first customer would be very valuable, only now he's loyal to another airline.

...and that new passenger pays fees...lots of them that an "elite" passenger doesn't pay. Look at the profit these fees are bringing. Incredible.

^

Just like most things in life...what have you done for me LATELY!?

It's a fair argument. But...I would say that if the planes are full, someone is still paying that price, and DL may not care where that money is coming from as long as it ends up with them.

In the future state, perhaps all the loyalists who left DL have been replaced by people who left other airlines, and are now loyal to DL.

I honestly can see it both ways, but if I had to lean in one direction, I'd say that the airlines are more or less trading "loyal" customers, not gaining or losing them.

And, they potentially make more money when flying around lower or non-elites that they need to provide fewer benefits to.

What do you see forthcoming that reduces this power?

I agree, there will come a day when the traveler you describe will be needed back, but I think it will be incredibly cheap to get them back by the thousands.

fixed that for you ;)

on this board, it just SEEMS like more of 'em are ranting about leaving DL

Who in their right mind would want to go to Florida in July or August

Only the fact that it's gone back and forth every few years since deregulation.

It's cheap to get travelers. It's expensive to get loyal customers. Somebody who's willing to buy a DL ticket because it's $5 less than someone else? Sure, they're easy to get. They also require that DL continue to underprice. Someone who's willing to buy a DL ticket despite it costing $100 more than someone else? That's not so easy to get, and is a hell of a lot cheaper to maintain than to acquire. But as we've seen, DL doesn't have that much of an eye for the future.

Or New Orleans?