Delta, Air France and KLM Announce Final Steps toward Fare Class Alignment
Jan 31, 2013, 5:20 am
#91
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: HKG
Programs: DL FO, UA, AA, AsiaMiles, SPG, HHonors
Posts: 7,982
I don't understand this comment. Using the same inventory for both types of upgrades will implicitly change the priority ordering in some cases, but the ultimate constraint is the number of seats that remain in FC/BE at the gate. The only impact would somehow be when not offering as many early upgrades results in more FC/BE tickets being sold, but if revenue management is doing things right, this case shouldn't happen.
RP replaces G and OP replaces Z; these classes are used for non-ECU upgrades (e.g., mileage upgrades, systemwide upgrade certs, etc).
Just checking a random flt from JFK-SLC in December and there is 1 RU open while G is 0, so yes, they appear to remain separate.
Feb 3, 2013, 9:30 pm
#92
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: So Fla & NYC
Programs: DL DM/2MM, UA MM, BV LT Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 23,766
I don't know if it has anything to do with the recent fare class alignment situation but today I received and e-mail from Air France containing a survey about the Delta website.
Now I am very accustomed to seeing such surveys from companies that have recently made changes of some sort but I have never received one from Company A asking about Company B. @:-)
Now I am very accustomed to seeing such surveys from companies that have recently made changes of some sort but I have never received one from Company A asking about Company B. @:-)
Feb 3, 2013, 10:26 pm
#93
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 1,621
I received some correspondence from Delta today regarding a question that I posted upthread, so I'd like to pass on some information.
Upon implementation of phases 3 and 4, all previously-booked inventory will be mapped into the new fare class hierarchy. For instance, on the 23rd of this month, all itineraries with segments booked in S (departing on or after the 27th) will see the displayed class of service change to Z. For those using a non-Delta FFP, Delta will report the paid class of service as Z; this means that if your FFP's earning tables have not been updated by the time of your flight, you will not be credited with miles at the current S fare levels.
Currently, most partner earning tables identify Z as a non-earning class of service, as it has not traditionally been associated with revenue fares; the same will apply to X, G, and V after phase 4 has been implemented in March. I encourage those of you who credit to partner programs to check your respective earnings tables prior to departure of the first segment of your journey, as the FF number cannot be changed after the first segment departs. Many of Delta's parter FFPs - Flying Blue, I'm looking at you - are notoriously slow in updating their earnings charts, so receiving credit for travel in Z may be like pulling teeth. If your preferred FFP does not show earning tiers for Z/X/V/G on the day of departure, it would probably be wise to credit your flights to a different program, rather than risk earning 0 miles.
The above advice is especially pertinent to those with S fares booked within the first months after the transition to Z. My correspondence with DL did not clarify which, if any, of the existing classes of service will map into X, V, G, or S after implementation of phase 4.
Keep in mind that this information came from the "canned response generator" after I posed the question via the delta.com comment card. So it may be wise to take the above with a grain, or perhaps even an entire mine, of salt.
Upon implementation of phases 3 and 4, all previously-booked inventory will be mapped into the new fare class hierarchy. For instance, on the 23rd of this month, all itineraries with segments booked in S (departing on or after the 27th) will see the displayed class of service change to Z. For those using a non-Delta FFP, Delta will report the paid class of service as Z; this means that if your FFP's earning tables have not been updated by the time of your flight, you will not be credited with miles at the current S fare levels.
Currently, most partner earning tables identify Z as a non-earning class of service, as it has not traditionally been associated with revenue fares; the same will apply to X, G, and V after phase 4 has been implemented in March. I encourage those of you who credit to partner programs to check your respective earnings tables prior to departure of the first segment of your journey, as the FF number cannot be changed after the first segment departs. Many of Delta's parter FFPs - Flying Blue, I'm looking at you - are notoriously slow in updating their earnings charts, so receiving credit for travel in Z may be like pulling teeth. If your preferred FFP does not show earning tiers for Z/X/V/G on the day of departure, it would probably be wise to credit your flights to a different program, rather than risk earning 0 miles.
The above advice is especially pertinent to those with S fares booked within the first months after the transition to Z. My correspondence with DL did not clarify which, if any, of the existing classes of service will map into X, V, G, or S after implementation of phase 4.
Keep in mind that this information came from the "canned response generator" after I posed the question via the delta.com comment card. So it may be wise to take the above with a grain, or perhaps even an entire mine, of salt.
Feb 4, 2013, 5:58 pm
#94
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Atlanta, GA
Programs: DL 3 MM/DM, Marriott Titanium Elite, Hyatt Globalist, National Exec Elite
Posts: 4,004
It seems to me that this would have been the perfect time to establish a separate inventory for those using an SWU versus those using miles to do upgrades in advance.
Feb 5, 2013, 5:46 pm
#95
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Kingdom of the Sun
Programs: DL GM/MM
Posts: 3,708
Delta Updates Travel Professionals on Status of Fare Class Alignment
(February 5, 2013) -- On January 22, Delta announced the final steps of an initiative to align fare classes for published and private fares with Air France and KLM, a process that started in early 2011. (Click here to view the Jan. 22 E-Mail)
As previously communicated, the final steps are occurring between now and March 2013. Delta would like to provide a brief status update for the initiative:
(February 5, 2013) -- On January 22, Delta announced the final steps of an initiative to align fare classes for published and private fares with Air France and KLM, a process that started in early 2011. (Click here to view the Jan. 22 E-Mail)
As previously communicated, the final steps are occurring between now and March 2013. Delta would like to provide a brief status update for the initiative:
· Phase 1 - Delta is pleased to inform travel professionals of the successful completion of the first phase whereby all V/X segments for travel on/after Jan. 30 have been successfully converted to RU/OU class of service.
· The dates of implementation for Phases 2 & 3 have been adjusted as follows:
All dates are tentative.
· The dates of implementation for Phases 2 & 3 have been adjusted as follows:
o Phase 2 dates have been adjusted from effective Feb. 6 for travel on/after Feb. 19 to effective Feb. 20 for travel on/after Feb. 27.
o Phase 3 dates have been adjusted from effective Feb. 23 for travel on/after Feb. 27 to effective March 2 for travel on/after March 6.
· Phase 4 - The final phase continues to be scheduled for completion on March 19.o Phase 3 dates have been adjusted from effective Feb. 23 for travel on/after Feb. 27 to effective March 2 for travel on/after March 6.
Last edited by Pharaoh; Feb 6, 2013 at 11:58 am
Feb 6, 2013, 9:49 pm
#96
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,417
Do we know anything about whether EF will show the replacement inventory class (claimed somewhere in this thread to be OP and RP but AFAIK not officially confirmed) for Z and G?
Feb 6, 2013, 11:15 pm
#97
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: HKG
Programs: DL FO, UA, AA, AsiaMiles, SPG, HHonors
Posts: 7,982
Feb 11, 2013, 6:41 am
#99
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,417
Feb 13, 2013, 9:28 am
#100
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 417
If you have DL-coded, VA-operated in paid S (Business), read carefully:
Delta is moving ahead to provide certain Phase 3 details, as travel agencies could begin seeing changes to PNRs booked in “S” Class for DL-marketed flights as early as February 12, 2013, for travel on/after March 6, 2013. Not only will changes be visible for DL-coded, Air France and KLM-operated flights, but similar changes will also be made for DL-coded, Virgin Australia and Aeromexico flights.
With this Phase, Delta will begin rebooking DL-marketed AF/KL/AM/VA- operated flights to the operating carrier AF/KL/AM/VA in the appropriate class of service for the operating carrier, based on fare class mapping.
...
·Delta will rebook the VA-operated flight(s) in I Class and cancel the DL-marketed flight(s).
With this Phase, Delta will begin rebooking DL-marketed AF/KL/AM/VA- operated flights to the operating carrier AF/KL/AM/VA in the appropriate class of service for the operating carrier, based on fare class mapping.
...
·Delta will rebook the VA-operated flight(s) in I Class and cancel the DL-marketed flight(s).
Feb 19, 2013, 9:55 pm
#101
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,417
BUMP. Check post #95. It might be smart to check G and Z availability one last time NOW before these inventory classes disappear.
Feb 19, 2013, 10:00 pm
#102
Suspended
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: HKG
Programs: DL FO, UA, AA, AsiaMiles, SPG, HHonors
Posts: 7,982
Do we have a definitive answer on which code to use for miles/SWU inventory now, and whether EF will still be able to provide it?
Feb 19, 2013, 10:02 pm
#103
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,417
Not as far as I know, although somewhere in this thread someone, perhaps the OP, stated the new inventory classes to replace Z and G, IIRC something like OP and RP respectively, but I don't know whether this has been confirmed yet.
Feb 20, 2013, 6:27 am
#104
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: ATL
Programs: DL SkyMiles PM/2MM, AA Plat, IC Diam. Amb., Peninsula regular, amanjunkie
Posts: 5,848
As of today, EF now showing RU and OU fare classes. So if you're checking for upgrade inventory for travel after 2/27, be sure to look for RU and OU, not G and Z fare classes.
Feb 20, 2013, 6:39 am
#105
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,417
EF has been showing RU and OU for several weeks now. These replace V and X inventory buckets, for free elite upgrades only. The issue is the inventory buckets that replace G and Z for miles/SWU upgrades (from more expensive fares).