upgrade jackpot!
 

After dropping from GM to Silver this year, upgrades seemed pretty much out of the question until a few weeks ago, MSP-RSW was travelling with
my wife using an AMEX Platinum companion certificate. Checked in and told
agent my Delta app said we were upgraded (which it did) but boarding pass said otherwise. She replied that she could not figure out why my wife was not on the same reservation??? She then linked us, and said we should be upgraded at the gate (we were!) as there was ample space available. I did read that companion certs were not supposed to be upgradable...
Sounds like there are ways around this if you get the right Agent:D..
Thanks Delta!!

You're correct that companions are not eligible. Great that this agent made an exception!!

Yes, there have been recent reports that some flights have actually gone out with empty F seats, even with Medallions in the back who have used these vouchers, because of ridiculously strict GAs - - which is just plain silly!

Congrats on getting upgraded with the companion cert. Supposedly according to the T&C neither of you are eligible when using one of those.

I did not have such luck... had a recent trip with a companion on the Plat cert and we were not upgraded (me as DM and companion as GM) even though seats were available at the gate. GA would not do anything to help and the flight left with open seats in F.

Just an example of an agent who doesn't know the rules and it worked in
your favor (instead of the other way around). It happens, although I will guess she will be called on it by management. They frown on this type of thing and you can bet your boots they are audited.

This happened to me as well when I was PM, although my companion had no status.

Let's see . . . . In a regular BF gate UG situation, the (supposed) company policy is that the GA has discretion as to whether to to UG someone who has already boarded and sitting in Y, or to UG someone who held back and didn't board yet. Why wouldn't they have the same discretion in this situation, as to leaving an upper level Medallion in the back, vs F seats flying empty? :confused:

Where did you get that from? It has been posted repeatedly that the company policy is that you lose your spot if board. It is supposedly a violation of policy to upgrade someone who has already boarded.

I think whatever the actual policy might be, the main point is that GAs must have some discretion because of the different experiences people have had. I personally have been pulled up to the front after boarding as well as been UG'd with a ton of higher elites on the flight because I was an FO running late and boarded last.

It appears to be the same scenario with AMEX companions, some will do it and some don't. My personal feeling is that Medallions shouldn't be flying in the back with open seats up front, so I'm glad when I hear stories like this.

Yes, it's been posted repeatedly that one FlyerTalker (I believe) has an eMail stating this, and it's repeated over and over. It may have also been discussed briefly at the big ATL "DO". It's also been posted that GAs can UG from Y who have already boarded if they feel they have the time without delaying the flight.

I've talked to RedCoats who insist on UGing from Y whenever possible, and at a few west coast outstations, when I mention the "holding back / not boarding" thing, I have always been told - "We don't do it that way here" line.

As a result, there really is no official policy, which allows for our beloved Shena, etc, to make an appearance.

It has been posted but I doesn't make I policy. It has been posted that delta policy per the customer service side of the business that GAs can and should upgrade from the original list.

I had an instance in which I was using the AMEX Companion Cert and the Fly Delta App showed me as upgraded, but delta.com did not show me as upgraded. Perhaps there is an issue with the app when dealing with a Companion Cert?

Curious - did you check in with the App or via the web? What happened to your Y seat assignment?

Wife and I used the companion cert for an ATL-IDA trip over memorial day. Checking in at the Kiosk in ATL and on the return in IDA, we were asked if we wanted to be added to the upgrade list. :confused:

I think the difference is that the companion coupons specifically state medallian upgrades are not permitted. In the case of pulling people from Y to UG, there seems to be no specific policy (at least in writing). That leaves it to the GA to determine what they want/have time to do without delaying the flight.