Formulanone

I'll bite:

- I'm only 0.4 MM.
- Definitely not in Delta 360 territory ($20K spend of my company's money last year, so it cleared their MQD hurdle).
- No Delta credit card in my wallet.
- Not aware of any Delta shares in my portfolio.
- 45-50 minute connection which became 25-30 minutes due to weather.
- Paid vaguely $1000 for my ticket with taxes (I can't tell or recall the booking class, but it was below Y). That's not a particularly costly ticket, but probably on the high side for a coach ELP-ATL seat.
- Only two others boarded with me in the Premium Cabin on a Friday morning, if that matters...the rest were possibly gate upgrades.

Probably just a Medallion-limited day at Hartsfield-Jackson.

juuceman

I believe the DL-VS connection was an issue. I have received the porsche transfer several times, as the result of the VIP Select service. They will not transfer to non-Delta metal at this time.

clr4t8koff

Thank you for your post. Honestly, I would have been happy with a simple T2-T4 transfer. I didn't necessarily need them to take me to the VS gate. But with my tight connection and having to make my way to the Jitney @ T2, que for it and wait for it to leave, then wait for the bus to unload @ T4, it made for a very tight connection.

BHammy

My wife and I - both recently DMs as of late last year had a tight (40 min) connection in ATL a couple months ago and got the pleasure of Larry picking us up in a Cayenne. She had bumped to FC, while I was a few rows back.

Since then, she's been tempted to book tight connections to see if we can get that experience again.

Didn't have to. Last week, we had a 2+ hour layover in ATL and Larry was at the boarding door again to pick us up (both in FC). Took us to our departing concourse, but dropped us off at A17 - and walked us to the Sky Club.

Spoke with him briefly about the Porsche xfer program... He and 15 others are on two shifts from like 7 am to 11pm (ish) with 8 Porsche's to ferry pax across the tarmac. He has a list of 'potential' pax that I take it to understand: if he can get to them, he gets them - but he (they) rush nobody and depending on where they drop off and when/where the next pickup may be, it's completely random...I'm assuming with higher $tatus, tighter connections getting some priority ??

So I'm not sure what status composes the complete list of who 'can' get picked up, but apparently, having a tight connection is not a requirement.

mnredfox

Not sure on DL's algorithm here. It appears sometimes used for tight connections, sometimes just to reward HVCs. Two times I've gotten the Porsche were both in LAX with semi-tight connections, one time it was due to a delay. I've flown into MSP/ATL/JFK with tighter connections and on higher fares but never gotten it then. Go figure.

pvn

heh, the last time I connected at LAX and had to go from T6 to T5 with a tight connection, I got down to the tunnel and a guy in the golf cart had just dropped off some pax and was turning the cart around, he looked at me and said "you wanna ride?" to me and I was like "dang this is almost like the porsche!"

MEMLawGuy

I have been told by DL staff that it is strictly a "surprise and delight" program.

davetravels

Having arrived at LGA 42 minutes late on Wed nite (hence my "LGA is out of ice" thread), leaving me with an 18 minute connection to get from gate D1 to C18, I certainly could have used the Porsche treatment - - or even a Chevy, or a Pinto! Got to C18 at about T-8 minutes.

I guess I know how I rate!

lking

I tend to agree with that statement. Both times that I've been met at the door, I was in no hurry to get to my connecting flights. Both times they walked me to the Sky Club, checked me in, gave me my next flight gate info, and left.

One ride I was travelling alone. On the other ride I was travelling with my family so when we were met at the door, the driver said he had two others he was taking to another gate so would we wait right there for his return. He was back in about 3 minutes, drove us to the new terminal, walked us to the Sky Club, checked us all in and left.

Very nice surprises.

mother-

That was the exact phrase that was used to describe it to me in JFK last week.

I've only gotten it when I have had a <1hr connection between concourses or terminals, and was flying on a Saturday. In this case I was going from T2 to B32 in T4, which is about the longest transfer you can make keeping it all DL in JFK.

However this last time Shelagh(Shelaigh?), who typically handles VIP's, gave me the full treatment including walking me to the departing aircraft door.

It's a really nice treat when it happens, I'll say that for sure!

monitor

Both times that I have had that transfer, I have had connections that were impossible to make (<15 minutes or so). I have been booking long layovers recently due to frantic's blown knee, I have not seen nor expected any rides nor have we had any substantial delays. For another month, before the replacement procedure, she will ride in the wheelchairs which actually work very well at the airports we use, such as DCA, LGA, MIA, and FLL.

We have learned that the service does not work so well at PBI and hardly at all at JFK. But I do enjoy seeing the look on the GA's faces when they see a wheelchair patron with DM on her BP.

N501US

Flew FLL-JFK-AMS on Saturday May 21. Greeted on Jetway upon arrival at JFK with 2:15 layover by Sal. He stated he was going to save the two us some time and took us for the Porsche ride and escorted us to SkyClub.

My impression is that is intended to be a pleasant surprise and is truly a random act based upon whatever is going on at that particular time. They have 3 cars to cycle through. Also, we returned to JFK on May 28 from AMS on May 28 and the only thing to greet us (thankfully) were our bags at baggage claim!

It is also my impression that being a Diamond on a paid J class ticket had something to do with putting me in the pool for the Porsche ride. This was the first time for me and I am very appreciative that everything fell into place that day. Thank you, Sal!

EditingFX

How about a fleet of golf carts with Recaro seats & winglets for inside the terminal if the Carrera isn't available?

Canarsie

Delta Air Lines used to have an extremely valuable and helpful Pinto.

appleguru

I got the Porsche ride!!!!

DM + GM, flying delta one through JFK with a *very* tight connection.










Just kidding :-( both Porsches sitting at the bus stop while we took the worlds slowest jitney ride and nearly missed our plane. Ah well, maybe next time ;-)