avidflyer

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta...s-morning.html

BearX220

A much better arrangement than making you loiter in the gate area while the Y bin space goes away and gate-check risk rises.

aubreyfromwheaton

after clearing UG's, they should give #1-3 on the list a pager like they do at a restaurant, then if their are seats still empty they should page you to your new seat.

FA collects pagers, and hands them to GA and door closes.

win win win

mbarreto

Could be, but I've been pulled from Y (I don't stick around if UG doesn't clear) SEVERAL times in the past 12 months... my guess is that it happened at least 4 times these past few months... seems to me it happens way too often to constitute a clear rule.

On the other hand, I only "lost" my UG by boarding early once. I care more about overhead space then the seat in most flights, so I don't bother waiting around the gate area...

Often1

The DL policy (also policy on UA and, I believe although am not certain) is that he who boards loses his UG. The software is designed to do this when the gate reader scans the BP as "boarded." The reason for this policy is that it can delay a flight's departure if the GA, then FA walk through the aircraft and then swim back upstream with a pax who may not be in an aisle seat to an F seat which may be a window, all of this when the aircraft is going through final prep for pushback.

While it's nice for the indiv (and I won't complain when it happens to me), it's terrible policy or practice to go onboard and that's why the pager idea is even worse. At crowded (ATC) airports such as ATL and LGA, missing pushback can mean losing a departure slot and a lengthy delay.

So, the choice is to remain at the gate and risk the OH issue or to board and be resigned to Y.

The real policy change which DL could implement and which would eliminate the reason for wanting to board is by enforcing its own carry-on policy. If pax weren't carrying on steamer trunks, there would be enough OH room and nobody would need to gate check. That eliminates this issue and frankly also eliminates the gate lice and mob scene for another.

In the day, F was boarded last because nobody wants to sit through the boarding process.

jzumrick

You are removed from the upgrade list once you board. On several occasions I was around 10th and saw my status increase as boarding progressed. So my concern with waiting is overhead space.

BearX220

If your only argument against pulling upgradees out of coach is that you might miss your pushback slot, that's silly. There's ten minutes between the boarding cutoff and pushback during which everyone is just sitting there. A battlefield upgrade takes two minutes to execute at most. Do it then. I had a bunch of battlefield upgrades on NW, HP, and CO, back in the day, and I never caused the flight to miss its takeoff slot.

This is actually all about ground staff doing less and less and making the service aspect of the experience even more automated and minimal, if such a thing is possible.

That much I agree with.

LoganFlyer

This is my strategy; of course, this assumes the GA is honest about the answer. Probably about 25% of the time, the GA doesn't even look at their computer before saying "yes," then I walk on board the aircraft and see a couple of empty seats in F. Next time, I might try asking "How many of the first class passengers have boarded?" so they can't as easily just give me a yes/no answer.

Ispahan1

I've gone by this thread without realizing that it pertained to me a few months ago while I was still an FO. Before leaving my hotel to get a PHX-ATL flight, I checked the upgrade list and was something like third with four seats remaining. At the gate I inquired and the GA said (rather more condescendingly than she needed to, I thought), "We won't be upgrading any silvers today." Fine. As she scanned my BP, the machine hiccuped and spit out another one. I was distracted and didn't think about it until I'd stored my bag and looked at the BP--which was for First Class. So the system took care of it when the GA was willing to let things stand. YMMV.

Singleflyer

Boy, you are a dreamer to think DL (or any airline) would do anything like you suggest

avidflyer

I like it. Just like they do at PF Changs... The only problem is when they come to get me I will expect Lettuce wraps and Pf Changs "Special Duck" waiting for me in FC

Often1

Not sure why you would say it's "silly." The 10 minutes are supposed to be consumed by: 1) the GA closing out the flight so that s/he gets the gate count to the captain and electronically to dispatcher to handle weight/balance; 2) baggage guy closing up the hold and notifying captain and dispatcher; 3) FA getting OH closed, pax seated, exit rows checked, etc. and then doors closed. One thing does happen and delay occurs.

That is why every US carrier has a process and that is what the 10 minutes exist for.

But, they are apparently "silly". Not

DMIrishFlyer

^^^

And i've read your response several times!!!

There is no mystrey - if you board the plane you give up your place on the upgrade list. To prove it to yourself just stay back once after boarding zone 1 begins (when you are #1 on the list with no seats ) and you will see when the medallions start boarding they drop of the gate display. .

As to the rest - its common sense. ASK the GA - if the GA says no chance -you BOARD. If the GA says there is a chance, hang back don't board.

What do people have against communication....

peezondeez

Was on ATL-LAX last week, and was number 2 on the list with the board showing 0 seats available but 1 seat was in the unreserved bucket. I was just hanging out by the gate agent and saw the person #1 on the list come up and ask the gate agent if there is a seat available. She said that the person hasnt come yet, and it might be available, and to board the plane and if it is still free, she will come and get him.

I watched him board, and saw my name now first on the list. I asked the gate agent about availability when zone 2 started boarding, and told her i'm now first on the list, and told her i was waiting to see if that person claims their seat. By the time zone 4 started, she gave me the seat and i got the upgrade.

TheRoadie

What, and run the risk of being labeled one of the upgrade lice by the GA? (They must have a forum where they talk about *us*.)