First Class Monetization, or FCM: The Definitive Thread
Mar 19, 2013, 1:05 pm
#1321
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: San Jose, CA
Programs: DL DM, HH Gold, SPG Gold, Hyatt Plat
Posts: 2,874
I just looked at that flight for next week. Wednesday is showing 6 complimentary upgrades (RU), Thursday has RU=8, and Friday has RU=9.
Seems like this route is typically quite empty up front and DL hands out a good deal of upgrade (in advance) to elites. On top of that, it's a 75X with 26 seats up front (one of the highest densities of F to Y of the DL fleet). It seems like they do indeed give out plenty of upgrades to elites, with many of them at the window. With that many F seats going unsold and a lot of elites getting upgrades, it does make sense for DL to cut the price on F to try to sell those seats.
Seems like this route is typically quite empty up front and DL hands out a good deal of upgrade (in advance) to elites. On top of that, it's a 75X with 26 seats up front (one of the highest densities of F to Y of the DL fleet). It seems like they do indeed give out plenty of upgrades to elites, with many of them at the window. With that many F seats going unsold and a lot of elites getting upgrades, it does make sense for DL to cut the price on F to try to sell those seats.
Mar 19, 2013, 2:15 pm
#1322
Join Date: May 2011
Location: NYC
Programs: DL PM. 1MM
Posts: 2,045
The rest of your post is very valid but looking at RU inventory T-8 is asinine.
And one more thing that really bakes my noodle is this hypocritical FCM pricing. They want to REWARD and VALUE medallions, but they'd rather fork over $150 in profit AND give an F seat to another pax rather than rewarding the medallion member with a comp UG. And that complimentary upgrade is not so "complimentary." Look at the $$$'s i've spent over the years with delta.
Last edited by mridley2; Mar 19, 2013 at 2:19 pm Reason: added comment
Mar 19, 2013, 2:36 pm
#1323
Join Date: Nov 2012
Programs: Delta DM, SPG Plat, Marriott Plat, IHG Spire
Posts: 1,021
I bought the A fare. It's just annoying when they do this. What should be an easy upgrade(and i never get upgraded, literally 0/22 on my normal flight) gets f'd by FCM. I know this happens, but when the price discrepancy is so big(F is ~66% of an economy seat), it's a little ridiculous.
Oh well. At least my flights are short.
Mar 19, 2013, 2:36 pm
#1324
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: LAS
Programs: PA FT, TW Gold, NW/CO PE, VK Eagleflyer
Posts: 7,173
As a fallen Plat (currently Silver) I'm happy to purchase an A fare and breeze right past the supplicating DMs and PMs on their K fares hovering at the gate.
If the trip isn't long enough to splash-out for a front cabin fare, I'm perfectly content to ride in the back. It's domestic first - ain't nothing worth getting worked up over.
Mar 19, 2013, 2:39 pm
#1325
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: MLB, MCO
Programs: Delta Plat, IHG Plat, Marriott Silver
Posts: 1,315
I think people are missing the point. Selling the FC seat at coach prices is an attempt to steal customers from competitors. Why fly United Y when you can get Delta F for the same price? That's the logic behind what they're doing. That's why you see FCM more on competitive routes like routes to FL and CA, or flights to competitor hubs (like DEN).
Mar 19, 2013, 2:43 pm
#1326
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Likely being followed...
Programs: DYKWIA Extraordinaire. TrollSlayer Mega Diamond. [insert esoteric sounding status level(s) here]
Posts: 5,240
Mar 19, 2013, 3:10 pm
#1327
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: Delta PM, Delta Reserve, Amex Plat, Bonvoy Gold, Hilton Diamond, Starbucks Gold ;)
Posts: 1,775
FCM is making Delta money. Period.
I bought more F tickets last year than ever before. Why? They weren't expensive and priced close to if not at the same as coach.
I will buy F every time if fares are as cheap as the OP posted.
I bought more F tickets last year than ever before. Why? They weren't expensive and priced close to if not at the same as coach.
I will buy F every time if fares are as cheap as the OP posted.
Mar 19, 2013, 3:54 pm
#1329
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: Delta PM, Delta Reserve, Amex Plat, Bonvoy Gold, Hilton Diamond, Starbucks Gold ;)
Posts: 1,775
Mar 19, 2013, 4:03 pm
#1331
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2008
Location: CHA, MAN;
Programs: Delta DM 1 MM; Hz PC
Posts: 11,169
Mar 19, 2013, 4:16 pm
#1332
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: ATL
Programs: Delta PlM, 1M
Posts: 6,363
Mar 19, 2013, 4:23 pm
#1333
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: KUL/TPA/OTP
Programs: UA1k, DL
Posts: 3,138
Wirelessly posted (iPhone 3G: Mozilla/5.0 (iPhone; CPU iPhone OS 6_1_2 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/536.26 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/6.0 Mobile/10B146 Safari/8536.25)
Word 
!
Originally Posted by indufan
Gotta love FlyerTalk...the only place they complain when a FC seat is cheaper than coach.
!
Mar 19, 2013, 4:35 pm
#1334
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: DTW
Programs: AA EXP, DL FO
Posts: 1,719
I think the real answer is a lot simpler than some people think.
Delta is still charging a premium for business travelers who want the flexibility of the coach fare and is quite happy to profit from those who cannot book "first class" fares no matter what the price. If employers are too inflexible to adjust to this reality, then they will just have to accept losing money. Maybe if companies start adjusting to the new travel realities then Delta will back off on such extreme price differences.
I believe the primary goal here is to extract more revenue from leisure flyers who don't need the flexibility that a Y/B/M/F fare gives but are willing to pay a slight premium to fly First Class.
Delta is still charging a premium for business travelers who want the flexibility of the coach fare and is quite happy to profit from those who cannot book "first class" fares no matter what the price. If employers are too inflexible to adjust to this reality, then they will just have to accept losing money. Maybe if companies start adjusting to the new travel realities then Delta will back off on such extreme price differences.
I believe the primary goal here is to extract more revenue from leisure flyers who don't need the flexibility that a Y/B/M/F fare gives but are willing to pay a slight premium to fly First Class.
Mar 19, 2013, 4:37 pm
#1335
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: DTW
Programs: AA EXP, DL FO
Posts: 1,719