Dear Gate Agents: Checked in full does NOT mean boarded full!
 

AUS-ATL...number 2 on the list after all upgrades cleared. I asked the GA if she wanted me to hold off or if they'd pull UGs from the plane.

He reply...well F checked in full so just board. :td:

Do employees even know the difference?

How many seats open?

She cleared all upgrades. I'm number 2 on the list following the upgrades being processed. Since dl doesn't have a clear and consistent policy on pulling people from the plane for upgrades or waiting to board I asked the ga what would be best.

She didn't answer the question. Just with a reply that f checked in full so board...implying that everyone will be there despite f not boarding full.

And of course they pulled the guy that was #1 on the list up...

#1 on the original list or #1 on the list after everyone else besides you and #1 boarded? If you boarded before they pulled up #1, they did it right. If you hadn't boarded yet, then they did it wrong.

#1 on the original list. I boarded (and he did as well) because I was told to and I'm not there to educate GA's on how the UG process works. Had I waited, I would have received the upgrade, but the GA decided everyone is there because they "checked in".

Gate agents have a strong motivation to get you on board as soon as possible. The more pax they have lingering around the gate the harder it is for them to close out the flight and get an on-time departure.

I has a LAS gate agent tell me that the plane had boarded full when in fact they hadn't, probably just to get me aboard. Later, my friend in F said we took off with empty F seats. Didn't even get skypesos when I complained about that. (A redeye from Vegas to MSP... I could have really used a nicer seat to try and catch some Z's.)

Getting pax some battlefield upgrades is probably really low on a GA's priority list, but it is frustrating to experience (especially my first year when I was earning my stripes as an FO). :p

Are you sure about this? If the agent came on the aircraft and got the person who was #1 on the list, there is nothing to suggest that he wouldn't have done the same if you were still waiting outside.

Now if the agent skipped #1 and you, then gave the upgrade to someone who happened to have not boarded yet, you would have reason to be really upset.

Yes the official policy is that once you board you lose your position.

However, if the GA tells people high on the list to board, and then comes and fills empty seats in F in the order in which they appeared on the list before boarding, I have no problem with this.

Frankly I think it is preferred to waiting while all the bin space fills for an upgrade that is unlikely to occur.

Further, if his response to you was "First class has checked in full." You should have then said, "but have all First class pax boarded?" It's possible he was just telling you that there was unlikely to be an empty seat, and then when there was, he took the person who should have gotten it.

This is the most doofus policy. But the fact is...if you are savvy enough to know the difference between checked in full and boarded full, and the upgrade meant enough to you, then you should have followed up with a "yes, but has FC actually fully boarded?" You can say it's not your job to educate the GA all you want, but...

I know, I know...it's a total pita. But that's how the current system is. You get to play roulette with overhead bin space in Y versus getting a shot at the last banana from the snack basket in F.

At least the guy who got the UG actually outranked you on the list. You could have gamed him and gotten the seat yourself, but at least there was no Sheena.

This same thing happened to me today at LAX for ATL. I did wait at the gate politely informed the GA that I was #1 on this list and there is 1 seat showing unclaimed to which her reply was "but you weren't number 1 before everyone boarded.". My point exactly! She (and a Redcoat) ended up forcing me to board. Then they came to get whomever from Y and move him to FC. I just would like a policy for ALL to follow and consistency across DL. I did send them a nice little email from 35,000 feet.:). I will post the reply from DL.

DL's official policy states otherwise.

I do because it goes against DL's policy and leaves inconsistent results from its staff, thus confusing the hell out of its premium passengers.

That's fine, but she didn't respond with a factual answer. Checked in full does not mean boarded full, nor does it even mean that the pax is at the airport.

Not according to DL policy. He had boarded. Granted, I did as well, but had I been told to board and I didn't feel like educating a GA on their on company policy.

Remember that the policy is that if you board, you lose your right to the upgrade. I don't recall reading a policy that says GAs can't advise people to board, and promise to get them if they are u/g.

It's one thing to complain about u/gs you should have gotten and didn't get, but to complain because you didn't get an upgrade someone else was in line for....a little much.

I'm just following the rules...dumb or not, its DL policy.

Now THIS is BS!! I couldn't agree with you more...ONE policy enforced the SAME way, every time. It's one thing for the OP, who had a GA that was either ill-informed at best or deliberately misleading at worst. But for you, this was an outright disregard of the procedure, and you got hosed, my friend.

Wow...my blood is starting to boil just at the thought of your episode...

The OP is not dumb for following the policy. He's stuck following a dumb policy. Big difference.