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First Class Monetization, or FCM: The Definitive Thread

First Class Monetization, or FCM: The Definitive Thread

Old Feb 22, 2011, 3:29 pm
  #46  
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Originally Posted by mtkeller
I don't get all the hand-wringing over DL showing people when an HUP or MUP fare is only, say $60 more expensive than the lowest fare available (probably a Q at that point, or maybe an H without the UP). ...
Again, they have drastically reduced how big the "UP" charge is. P fares are, in my recollection, vastly reduced from what A fares had been. Bargain basement levels. And, they are holding back complementary upgrades in ever greater numbers to sell their (sometimes) $29 buy-ups.
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Old Feb 22, 2011, 3:31 pm
  #47  
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Originally Posted by ClipperDelta
I actually fail to see how the OP's scenario is an example of "First Class Monetization" (I guess depending on how you define that). I thought the discussion of "FC Monetization" was about trying to sell an upgrade to First for a supplement such that the fare paid for First Class is less than the actual First Class fare. But the OP's scenario does not seem to be the case, but rather a regular "upsell" to try to entice the customer into buying the actual First Class fare....
Spot on. FC monetization is where they are offering the buy-up for something on the order of $29... which has been reported here by others.
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Old Feb 22, 2011, 3:32 pm
  #48  
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Originally Posted by rylan
I'm waiting for some threads/complaints to start about "I paid the extra $59 for a F seat but had to sit in Y because of irrops". Those P fares show up as an x-up, which we know DL has a tendancy to shaft pax on by pulling the 'its only a coach with upgrade' seat even though the website and your itinerary might show it as full F if you click the link.
It's gonna happen.
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Old Feb 22, 2011, 3:36 pm
  #49  
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Originally Posted by AAExPlat
This thread, along with the others I have recently seen pop up really pains me to read. As a long-time CO Plat, I saw just how destructive the upsell behavior can be. It is however not too bad if the YBM fares are priced high....unfortunately, at CO, they were not, and on DL they are not either...that may very well translate in lots of cheap buy-ups and the extinction of decent upgrade rates for anyone not paying YBM fares.

The fact that the reactions from DL fliers are this strong this early in the implementation process tells me that this will be a very painful experiment.

The good news is that CO is effectively rolling back the monetization of F program by significantly raising YBM fares after they had a look at the UA books.

Good luck to you all.
Thanks for the perspective. ^^^

Some here are still in denial.

As to paying YBM rates, I have some M reservations right now. I am waiting to see a low priced P slapped on that route between now and departure. I would expect to see DL try to charge me the $150 change fee in order to add the buy-up to my existing fare.
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Old Feb 22, 2011, 4:44 pm
  #50  
 
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Originally Posted by andrewpartyman
On the way back I didn't even get a exit row and was stuck in the middle. Gone was the small (albeit better than nothing) middle seat bonus I used to occasionally get.
I have gotten the 500 miles middle seat bonus for Mondays with the associated 'Mondays are tough' email.
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Old Feb 22, 2011, 5:11 pm
  #51  
 
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Originally Posted by StayingHomeIsBetter
Some here are still in denial.
Guess I am (raising hand). The worst thing I have seen so far is that an UG was held to T-2 days. Agreed, that's no way to treat a DM but I got the UG in spite of this thing you keep talking about.

DL was offering the buy-up for only $50, not too shabby for a transcon. But -- and this is the part you don't talk about -- to get it, they first had to pay $480 one-way. In other words, they would have to pay $530 to take the seat away from me. Since that's way more than I paid for a r/t ticket, I think they deserve it. I see them paying $530, you see them paying $50 and booting a Medallion out of first.
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Old Feb 22, 2011, 5:28 pm
  #52  
 
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Originally Posted by Swiss Tony
Apologies. I live in a parallel universe where DL upgrade Kool-Aid isn't served on draft.

Also, like a criminal, I couldn't help returning to the scene of the crime (although I'm thinking what i've done is more the equivalent of a dog defecating on a croquet lawn during the afternoon tea break for cucumber sandwiches).

Anyway, find me in a DL "F" cabin some time soon (having actually paid an F fare for it...)
Your posting is a platitude. Do you really think that these US airlines are not trying to maximize revenue? If you are used to paying for the fleece-you-and-give-you nothing business class on intra-European flights, it's easy to see why you don't mind paying DL so much for a bigger seat, free alcohol, and enough Sun Chips to make your veins burst. If your seat mate got his Sun Chips for free on an upgrade, it's just proof that the cat's out of the bag. Having granted the free upgrades years ago, now what should they do? Your posting does nothing to address this other than to chide that it shouldn't have been done in the first place.
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Old Feb 22, 2011, 5:31 pm
  #53  
 
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Delta isn't doing anything they haven't done for years except pointing out to people that they can swap up to first class for $x. These Y-UP fares have always existed. There was really nothing special for them to fix.

You guys like to get your panties in a wad over a snipet of code that says IF YUP=TRUE then write "Upgrade to First for $xxx". Jeez.
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Old Feb 22, 2011, 5:36 pm
  #54  
 
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Monetise it.
When I pay for 1st class travel I want exactly that.

What I don't want is a parody of 1st class travel in a 100% full cabin.

More power to you Swiss Tony
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Old Feb 22, 2011, 5:48 pm
  #55  
 
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I've been researching fares to Europe for the past 3 weeks or so, playing with all kinds of points permutations for premium cabins x-IAH, of course running into multiple connections/non-availabilty/ridiculous points costs/Privatair, yadda yadda yadda...

and then I read this thread.

Dummy-booked the non-stop in economy, just to see how much the upgrade would cost, if offered. Got 2 round trips in "First", on a non-stop 777 (AF metal) for less than $4000 all-in. Sounds pretty good, but....

Delta website indeed states "Would you rather switch to First/Business Class?" and the "trip summary" describes the cabin as "first". The economy fare was T, but the upgrade books into....W. I'm going to call and see what their story is...4K for 2 round-trip nonstops in F or C is acceptable, but not in premium economy.
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Old Feb 22, 2011, 6:17 pm
  #56  
 
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Originally Posted by NurseRatched

Delta website indeed states "Would you rather switch to First/Business Class?" and the "trip summary" describes the cabin as "first". The economy fare was T, but the upgrade books into....W. I'm going to call and see what their story is...4K for 2 round-trip nonstops in F or C is acceptable, but not in premium economy.
I wonder who it all plays out. Sort of like the M up. Sure you are booked in F, but what happens if the flight is canceled etc, then where do you sit.
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Old Feb 22, 2011, 6:33 pm
  #57  
 
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Internation reservations confirms that W is indeed, W. Premium Voyageur seats on AF metal, despite all the "First" on the US website. I was transferred to the website people (presumably in India), where I am on and off hold. I have no idea what this "supervisor" is supposed to do for me...


....short answer - nothing. "The wording is incorrect on the website. We apologize and I shall make a report."

Caveat: heed the words of Admiral Akbar - "IT'S A TRAP!!"
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Old Feb 22, 2011, 6:33 pm
  #58  
 
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Originally Posted by andrewpartyman
No one denies that Delta is a for-profit business. I think what is frustrating is that Delta is trying to monetize seats for far less than $617 while simultaneously forgetting that their most frequent travelers regularly spend more to solely fly Delta. My case and point: I spent $600 more to go to Hawaii last week than flying United would have cost me. My routing was DTW-LAX-HNL there and OGG(Maui)-LAX-DTW on the way back. I know Delta doesn't upgrade to/from Hawaii unless you live there, but when in LAX en route to HNL they were selling gate upgrades for (don't quote me) $200 bucks and it may appear that it's a quick buck for them. What they forget is that a Diamond is sitting in Coach who spent $600 more to fly them in the first place. Similar frustration is what is rubbing some of us wrong. There are many frequent Delta flyers who think DL can do no harm, and will never cry foul. Others, like me, will at least put up a fight.
Please stop your charade. You are not a Diamond and you did get upgraded from OGG-LAX.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/15901342-post38.html

Originally Posted by andrewpartyman
You're right. I flew Delta at least hoping that I would get upgraded from DTW-LAX on a Saturday and LAX-DTW on the way back on a Sunday. I didn't get either. On the way back I didn't even get a exit row and was stuck in the middle. Gone was the small (albeit better than nothing) middle seat bonus I used to occasionally get. Even the guy next to me remarked that as a Diamond Delta couldn't do better for me. I have a lot of DL travel booked this year, and depending on how 2011 plays out, I will see where I go. Being in Detroit is kind of a crappy situation as options are limited. (Spirit $9 Fare Club anyone?) I have a feeling Delta will roll back their effort to monetize first class when they rub enough people wrong. They are very subtle with it so far in comparison to other programs.
I thought you said you were in an aisle seat (8D IIRC)
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/15894506-post28.html

Originally Posted by andrewpartyman
Honestly, I would say that toward the end of 2010 it seemed that Delta had really gotten their act together with domestic first class. Place mats, decent meals, pretty solid service. Is it first class on Singapore? No. However, it was decent. They had a lot of kinks but it seemed that it was getting much better. I would attribute that to medallions who fly a lot constantly pointing out the short comings of first class. Just my opinion, but if FC is filled with infrequent paying customers I really think Delta will cut back the recent quality of service. That may seem nonsensical, but they can get away with offering a lot less to people who have a very limited comprehension of what good service is and what they should expect.
Which I have provided multiple data points proving that your opinion is not currently justified.
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Old Feb 22, 2011, 6:41 pm
  #59  
 
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Originally Posted by Swiss Tony
Just passing through - literally. I saw this thread on the first page of FT and it's quite frankly a joke.

FC should be there to be paid for. To be aspirational. To be for the CEO or maybe the holiday of a lifetime. The US legacy carriers have created a monster through this upgrade expectation to loyal customers (of which they appear to have in the millions).

Just think, if anyone actually paid for FC then the product might become a little more fitting for the name. A snack basket and a (plastic) glass of something fizzy is worth the square root of f-all to the majority. Start charging realistic fares and providing decent service, then back-fill with the very occasional upgrade to lure them in and you'll have a decent proposition. Otherwise just go to an all Y service. It works quite well for SWA & B6 I believe!
I'm probably one of the few who agrees with this. Airlines in other parts of the world don't just hand out their "premium" product for free, they sell it! And because they sell it, it makes it worth paying for. Everyone complains about how american carriers' F classes are crap and no one would pay for them, well it's because very rarely do people pay for them. Believe me, I fully 100% appreciate an upgrade, but when people complain that this new monetizing of first class will hurt them and erode their loyalty, that's just a lot of DYKWIA talking. To be brutally honest, if you want first class, pay for it.
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Old Feb 22, 2011, 7:00 pm
  #60  
 
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Originally Posted by Swiss Tony
Apologies. I live in a parallel universe where DL upgrade Kool-Aid isn't served on draft.

Also, like a criminal, I couldn't help returning to the scene of the crime (although I'm thinking what i've done is more the equivalent of a dog defecating on a croquet lawn during the afternoon tea break for cucumber sandwiches).

Anyway, find me in a DL "F" cabin some time soon (having actually paid an F fare for it...)
Well aren't you great!
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