FlySkyTeam

I have been quiet for a while, and don't mean to go on a rant.. but want to share something I have been noticing lately (and if I am late to the game, sorry!) There seems to be more people in the Sky Priority Lanes, in the Sky Clubs, and they are clearly not our usual medallions...

Currently on a JFK-LAX flight. At T2 today, the security lane was longer for the Sky Priority / elite folks, (and the TSA had all Sky Priority people going through the x-ray, and the non elites going through the regular mag. this isn't about screening levels.) Since the non elite line was shorter, I went over there.

It almost seems as if there are more elites these days or sky priority people than non. Even at the gate, the Sky Priority lane was stacked with non medallions who had "SKY" on their boarding pass. Assuming it is because of the DL Amex. Also in the lounge, it was packed with tons of folks that were gorging on the food like it was the last supper.. now I know Friday's are busy, but there was something clearly different about the people in there..

In my opinion, SKY Priority for Amex card holders should be restricted to Delta Reserve card holders...

Am I wrong on what I am seeing or just having an off day?

davetravels

NOT flaming you! NOT disagreeing with most of what you say! The bulk of what you say has been discussed here A LOT! Just curious about the following . . . .

How do you know this? I could see that maybe you were able to see a boarding pass or three, but . . . . .

Vuelos

Non medallions w/AMEX don't have SKY on their BP... they are Zone 1.

122554

Agree! AMEX members should go after the people who support DL with their fare purchases.

stils

Off day. Amex cardholders don't receive SKY priority. As a Platinum DL Amex holder and silver medallion I did not have Sky priority unless I was upgraded to First.

Bicostal

It all boils down to enforcement during boarding. Some days are just better than others.

lovecabo

Back in the "old days" when we had real zones and FO's were considered "real" Medallions, on popular flights such as ATL-ORD, etc., the gate person would announce that, as an example, of the 130 passengers, 95 were medallions, and he would disband the priority boarding. I just think today that there are a lot of GMs and up at certain times.

dilbertsdaddy

At the ticket counter I find that many times the regular line is quicker. SP line can be long and usually only one person working it. I rarely use the SP line.

Today I tried, because 7 of 8 kiosks were inop and I had no BP and a bag to check. One agent working and I thought she would pull from SP but she kept pulling from regular line while I stood in SP lane.

3 flights leaving, one agent at the ticket counter, and no one manning SP line. Nice. Then a mass boarding - preboards/SP/FC/zone one all together. I did not board then because I had a client in zone 4 so I waited. Zone 2-4 were also called as one group.

NYCflip

^

davetravels

I always thought you could board a companion with you in your zone?

FlyingUnderTheRadar

When there is mass boarding and I finally get to the GA I politely tell them that I do not like the mass boarding calls and would appreciate it if they would call by specific zones. Delta really needs to clean up the boarding process.

Zone 1 First Class via SkyPriority
Zone 2 DM/PM via SkyPriority
Zone 3 GM/FO via SkyPriority
Zone 4 AmEx via general boarding
Zone 5 Back of the bus via general boarding
Zone 6 Front of the bus via general boarding

Yes you can ... I always do that with the wife.

ElPresidente

You labor under some misconceptions:

I hold a Reserve card, it gives Zone 1, not SKY.

You know you can also BUY the SKY during booking? Yep. So maybe they did that. Heck I bought EC seats a time or two last year.

How do you know they were "non-elite"?

Oakshadow

2 things. There are only two security lines at JFK T2. A TSA agent I spoke with blames the Port Authority. Dubious.

The second thing is the SP lane is just not enforced, or at least not well. I know this because when I was an FO I cheated too, at JFK T2 and everywhere else. When I showed my BP to the agent tending the SP lane, I would point to the part that read "elite" with the part that read "silver" kind of bent back. It would always work.

FlySkyTeam

Thanks for the responses. I was definitely having an off day, but there were a lot of people using the benefits which just had me thinking how watered down the real benefits are these days. I know it came of as "elitist" but that really wasn't where I was going with it. Though I did push past everyone on like saying "Long time medallion coming though, out of the way.." kidding!

I'll give it to DL, tons of people were buying lunch boxes, snacks and everything else on the flight.. Way to go for trying to be profitable. That's a good sign.

pleasantsn

OP, first off let me say I understand your frustration, but I want to explain why you experienced this.
Long security line: This has to do with DL operations at JFK. They don't offer SkyPriority at most of the T3 entrances (only the upstairs entrance, but that is the slowest checkpoint by far), so what happens is anybody going out of DL (T2/3/4) tend to use the T2 checkpoint that has SkyPriority
Crowded SkyClub: this happens because the SkyClubs in T3 suck, so everyone uses the SkyClub that is just beyond the T2 checkpoint (on top of Wendy's).
Crowded Sky Boarding Zone: You were flying JFK-LAX which is a very elite heavy route. Note that it only take 10 rt to make GM on this route. I fly JFK-SEA monthly, and I made GM by August this year. Most people that have bi-weekly or monthly meetings on the West Coast will make GM, and thus get to use the Sky lane.
Again, I totally agree with your frustration, but DL is working to improve JFK ops. I can't wait for the new T4 to finish. Also, even if JFK-LAX is out of T2, may I suggest using T4! Go to Oasis Lounge, which is free as a SkyClub member/DL DM. Then clear security at T4 Priority Lane, which will allow you to simply cut to the front, and then choose your desired screening (x-ray or not). There are usually 4 or 5 lanes for screening at that checkpoint. Then take the DL shuttle bus to T2/3 and away you go!
Happy Travels OP! Thanks for sharing your experience on this route, and know that in the next year or so, DL at JFK should get a lot better