Shena Nigans

Some DL Medallions would be happy to experience this problem!

arkangel

Just slightly off topic, but neither my wife(GM), nor I(PM), received an email notification about our respective upgrades for flights this Sat. First time that has happened to us. Has something changed in this regard? Only way that I knew was when I logged into our accounts and noticed that we had been upgraded.

brocklee9000

Just FWIW, I don't always get mine, either. The only two notifications I've received were a few weeks back when I had 1 of 4 clear at the window, and then yesterday when 2 of 4 cleared at the window for an upcoming flight. The first time I ever had an UG (while still FO), the only reason I even noticed is because I was checking the seatmap to see if I could move to a better EC seat (in the hopes that other elites had upgraded), and saw the red SP banner at the top of the page; I got excited and, sure enough, I was upgraded. My connection was upgraded about 8 hours later, but no email for that.

As for seat preference, DL.com done did good this time 'round for my upcoming trip. My profile preference is aisle, and on a 75X with 5 window seats and one aisle available, it put me in the aisle. It did the same for the MD-88 I am upgraded on, but I changed it to a window seat (I like 4D a lot better than 1C).

MSPeconomist

My impression is that when DL does upgrades at the DM/PM window, they assign the best seats in order of the upgrade priority. In the days of EF, if OU/RU was still available after the window, it wound seem that I got a prime seat as a DM. When this didn't happen and I was upgraded as a DM on a lower fare class, I might get a window, or bulkhead, or be in the last row of FC on a 757, presumably as one of the last elites to clear at that window. I observed pretty consistent better seats on higher fare classes for equivalent flights with the same level of expected difficulty to get upgrades.

brocklee9000

I've always chalked it up to people knowing which seats are better/which they like. I notice the seats fill up slowly, until the UG windows open. Then as the days go by and it's my turn (if I'm lucky enough to get an UG), I get to pick from what's left. During the time between the DM/PM and GM windows, I'll notice a lot of musical chairs going on, presumably UGs that clear and then individuals who wish for a different seat. I've noticed a pattern of aisles almost always going first, then middle-row window seats (i.e. 3 and 4 on a 6-row plane, 2 and 3 on a 4 row plane, etc). Then the last row (if it's a hard bulkhead; soft bulkheads sometimes go faster, and I personally like row 4 on CR9s and MD-88s/row 3 on A320s and 319s). And then finally first row bulkheads, first the aisle seats and then the windows.

MSPeconomist

I'm talking about the original seat assignments when DL confirms the upgrade in the days before the flight. Even a few minutes after the first upgrade sweep, you see the aisles assigned if they weren't taken previously. Afterward, you see elites trying to improve their seat assignments, but at the time that upgrades are granted, DL seems to assign the best available seats based on upgrade priority order.

pointy

My profile says that I want a window seat. 100% of the time I get an aisle though

MSPeconomist

It should be easy to either switch to a window on line when you notice that your upgrade has been confirmed or during OLCI. On board, people will be eager and willing to swap a prime window for your aisle. In fact, you could probably auction off the aisle seat on most domestic FC flights.

Miniflyer

So, a couple of weeks ago, I was #1 on the list from ATL-SAN. There were several seats open in F, so I knew I would get the UG. SC agent wouldn't process the UG, had to go to the gate. By the time I walked from the SC to the gate the GA had processed. I was the first to clear, but assigned 6A, when 3 and 4 had been open. Response when questioned is that UGs clear by computer from back to front. So, I get one of the worst seats and GA wouldn't/couldn't change. I couldn't really fuss--thankful for the UG. BTW, I never get an aisle seat (my pref) with gate UGs.

RockStarLurker

Yes, this is my problem and no one has fixed it yet.
You all are just telling me to change it. And I do.
Then some of you are telling me your problems. I don't care.

DYKWIA?

Help me.




.


you know i'm kidding, right?

rjg319

While the upgrades cleared ahead of time during the window are processed automatically, the "gate lottery" processing is done manually by the gate agent. If for some reason my upgrade doesn't clear during the window, I am almost always #1 at the gate. I just check to see what seats are open in FC online and then go up to the gate agent and NICELY ask for a specific seat when they clear the upgrade. Problem solved. Not sure why the system isn't automatically assigning you the "preferred" seat in your profile during the clearing window. Call the Medallion desk and ask.

mnredfox

These all bring up good questions, how are UG's assigned whether by EUA or GA during BG UG's. I'm not talking order, but seats.

It appears to me that the EUA picks via your preference.

IME, GA's go by Aisle non bulkhead, window non bulkead, aisle bulkhead, window bulkhead.


I often don't get my preferred seat, so I change seats quite a bit after I get the EUA notice.

Agree it's manual, but I wonder if the GA's follow some list.