turkeyRIOO

Flying ATL-LGA this morning. I was talking with the GA about her improper management of the upgrade list (another story). A DM walks up at 20 minutes prior and asks to be put on the standby list. GA asks him to look at the already long list (20+names) and says she will be full since the list is long and there are only 2 seats left. DM asks to be put on the list because he believes he will be near the top. GA tells him "is that fair to all these other people 15 minutes prior to departure?" She refused to put him on list. All I can say is wow!

MSPeconomist

It's not the GA's job to determine what should be considered fair or to make comments on this topic to customers. She should follow her employer's policies regardless of her personal opinions regarding fairness or face unemployment for willful refusal. When stuff like this happens, I hope the affected customers report it.

What did she do with the upgrade list and do you plan to report the GA for this behavior?

Often1

Having policy disputes with GA's isn't the way to go. A short (not a word over 3 sentences) note on the web form, listing the date & flight is all that is either required or appropriate.

MSPeconomist

True, but there's no reason whatsoever for a GA to discuss her personal feelings about her employer's policies with her employer's passengers. In particular, she should not critisize her employer to the customers; doing so is unprofessional even in a failry low-level customer service position. The job of GA is not a policy-making role.

keeton

What IS policy in this case? I thought the list "froze" at departure-30. At 20 minutes prior to departure, they should already be in the boarding process.

If the DM was truly eligible, s/he could duck in the SkyClub and have it taken care of there.

Starblazer

However, because of the weather, she might have had 10 DMs with Y tix because of irrops. We can see the upgrade list in our gate program and see the clearing order. Also, time of request plays a role in your upgrade position, which at 20 prior puts you at the bottom.

I would suggest he sends in a note to DL just to rule out Shena, but at 20 prior, I wouldn't doubt it if his chances were pretty much nil. Additionally, at 20 prior, she's working on more important things, like making sure the flight gets out on time. I know customer service is part of a GAs job, but at some point you need to cut down on oddball requests and get to the more important tasks, such as documentation, other pax, and the crew.

At our station, the first person a supervisor talks to after a flight takes a delay (unless they know the reason) is the gate agent. Then it goes from there.

I'm sorry for the wishy-washy answer, but that's how the cookie crumbles.

Loquascious

Delta does fly places without SkyClubs.

Ti22

Yes, but as OP stated this was ATL-LGA

Loquascious

Whoops. I missed that.

SCEflyer

The flights to ATL from LGA are nearly always full. The gate areas are tightly packed, and on a Saturday AM many passengers are leisure travelers who crowd the entrances to the jetways. None of this is conducive to a pleasant customer experience.

Add to the equation one seemingly disgruntled passenger (OP) who is having some sort of dispute with one of the GA's, and then add yet another passenger who is concerned about his position on the upgrade lost.

I wasn't there, but just reading the posts leads me to understand why the GA might have let her opinion slip, if that is what actually happened.

This is only a two hour trip. If a traveler genuinely feels that he/she is being treated unfairly they should not push the point with the GA, but rather direct an e-mail to customer care, outlining the situation, and let DL investigate the matter.

indufan

This is not the issue. Put the DM on the list and see where it falls out.

MSPeconomist

Time of request only matters as a tiebreaker for upgrades, among elites of the same status level, same fare class, and same DL Reserve card or not.

GRALISTAIR

IMHO - this is the absolute crux of the matter. ^

turkeyRIOO

Scenario- boarding had all but completed about 5 minutes prior. There were 3 left to board, myself and 2 open standby seats. I was at the desk, all others were seated waiting for T-15 for standbys to clear. No chaos at all.

I was having a conversation about the "you board you lose your upgrade" policy as GA was planning on upgrading a Y pax already on board. There was one F seat not yet checked in. I was #1 on GIDS. Conversation was cordial and not confrontational. Yes, I will report the GA, especially since she makes her own policy for a couple of different situations.

There was the T- gate skyclub right next door for the DM.

troyintn

I agree the list is what it is. The challenge for DL is thins like this where the GA never knows who they are talking too. Yes most people will not make the list who knows what status and fare class they are on until you put them on the list.