brocklee9000

Exactly, I stand with everyone else who thinks this isn't DYKWIA behavior. On many occasions, I've had to pull the almost-DYKWIA card when I have tight connections and run to my connecting gate (at a place like JFK or ATL where everyone is a medallion) and there is a hoard around the gate, at which point I have to ask "what zone is boarding?" I always feel awkward asking, since it's usually only F at the time, and then when SP is called moments later, I have to then fight through the throng, shoving past the zone 1 people I had to just ask about the current zone being boarded. Oh well. Since I often have a bulkhead seat, I have absolutely no qualms with making sure I board as soon as possible to get my carryon over my head. I actually like this idea, and might start doing it on 757s and 767s, since I almost always seem to have a seatmate who shows up late and has to put their bag 10 rows back.

I also dislike this. Especially since I rarely, if ever see FAs actually get anything out of their bags on flights. Some planes are worse than others, such as the 757s and the A319 or 320 (can't remember which one it is) with the oxygen tanks and emergency gear already taking up half the bin at row 1.

I have noticed, over the past few months, many FAs on 757s using the space behind the last row of F to stow bags and purses. I think that's a great way to place their things securely, conveniently accessible to them, and without taking up passenger space.

yessams

The other day I ran across some FO Medallion tags and decided to place them on my carry-ons.

Today on the last leg home I was upgraded at the window. I boarded with FC and took my seat. A little while later, a passenger boarded and as he was walking toward me he was staring straight at me an mumbling (loud enough to be heard)- "you took my seat, you took my seat, you took my seat" over and over.

Good times!

puddinhead

Perfect - my next 4 flights are all paid FC. I'll be sure to have the FO tags visibly displayed in the overhead bin.

HatAndJacket

^^^

tampa2euro

This is great, I'm doing the same.

I have a similar story, this happened last month, 4 of us were returning from SFO to DTW then TPA on a 752/MD90, at T-24 we all checked in (I was in charge of the checkin) now, we have in our party, NO Status at all, except for my PM stat, we were all offered paid upgrades at $100ea, I wasn't even upgraded at the window for some reason, so I purchased the buy ups.... Fast forward to the gate... There were 3 DM pax (saw the tags on their carry ons) we saw them heading back to economy comfort one was staring HARD at my PM tag on my laptop bag, I wanted to say, hey I got this seat for $100 on top of the $375 "T" fare!

I haven't been at all lucky with upgrades this year... Could these cheap buy ups be the reason?????

Btw $100 for first class and 3 checked bags Free and a hot lunch was worth it for the fellas with NO status, less than 1,000 miles between the 3 of them on DL.

brocklee9000

My biggest reason for lamenting never receiving an FO packet

stencil

If you say so...

Bowgie

Congrats, but this sounds like some warped Delta version of a United "TOD" -- an upgrade for Tens Of Dollars at check-in. Definitely a something a Delta elite should be angry about. Note that tampa2euro says they booked a "T" fare and the TOD appears to have been good for both segments to TPA.

This report comes from someone with seven posts. It'll be good to get reports of similar experiences from others for verification. Only "K and up" domestic fares are supposed to be upgradeable with money on the day of travel. (Hawaii excepted).

brocklee9000

I would definitely say so. The first flight of my Delta tenure two years ago was on a discounted F fare. There was no meal on the flight, but for someone who had no status (not even a single MQM on DL yet), got to check both bags free, and say in F for the first time in his life, it was worth it. The difference between the fare (I think I purchased a P fare both ways) was about $20 more than coach in each direction. So for basically the cost of checking one bag each way as a non-medallion, I got to sit I'm F. Win for me.

stencil

But in this case you spent $400 for some runny pasta and cheap chardonnay.

I mean, I get it. If it made you feel important, cool... but I'll spend that $400 on a quality meal after I land if I don't get the complimentary UG to begin with.

To each his own!

readywhenyouare

I'm not quite sure I understand the reason for higher medallions putting FO tags on their luggage. I bought first class seats when I was silver and I know other silvers who did as well. I'm a PM and if I saw someone with FO tags in first class I would just assume that they either purchased an F fare, bought a full Y fare and was at the top of the upgrade list, or used miles for the upgrade.

stencil

It makes them feel good about themselves I guess.

HatAndJacket

...and you're like "That's right, I'm here with NO status... DYKWIN?" (do you know who I'm not?)

puddinhead

I miss the 80's when I was IDKWIA - I don't know who I am...

I would try to match the cryptic characters on the boarding pass with the cryptic characters over a gate - hand my BP to the FA who would guide me to my seat where I would pass out until landing.

ILovetheReds

A diamond on an M fare (or even FO) has every right to be extremely angry if a non-status is buying up for $100 on a T fare, seeing there is well over $100 in difference between an M and T fare on that route one way.

At first I thought maybe the poster was talking about an old NW flight, but he mentioned diamond and EC so thiat had to have had happeneded recently.

A few things don't make sense here. Gate upgrades aren't suppose to be processed until everyone else has cleared (it's my understanding even SPG crossover's) so I don't understand how the gate agent was able to do that if there were diamonds in the back. If there were diamonds that didn't clear (and I have sat in back on SFO/DTW and SFO/MSP as a diamond and my wife has only cleared SFO once or twice as a gold and those were a saturday and a weds flight) the waitlist had to be long.

Also like you said K and up are only eligible.

And $100 doesn't make sense either. I have never seen gate upgrades being sold at SFO, but one time I was flying MSP/LAS or DTW/LAS with a non status employee and they were able to get a gate upgrade for $150 a couple years ago. I know the upgrade price is based on miles so if DTW/LAS is $150, SFO would have to be at least that amount.

Also the three checked bags makes no sense. If it was a gate purchase upgrade, the bags would have been checked.

If this event really occured, I hope the diamonds were sending emails to delta the second gogo went live on the flight. If I was a diamond and found out gates upgrades were being sold for $100 and didn't clear I would be demanding to speak to a redcoat.