That is the truely unfortunate part...DL is free to do whatever they want as a business, but people flew in 2013 assuming something and are getting something else.

Obviously they're allowed to do it, but it is poor form.

Quite frankly, also cost them money....If I knew I could get legit upgrade certificates for cheapo international travel I would have gotten to Diamond. Instead I dialed it back and flew some AA to remain under the 125,000

Because Delta said they don't.

They doubled the prices for JFK-SEA when they went full BE. I bought a J ticket over memorial Day weekend, it was about $1000. now it's $2000. I thought I was going to get no upgrades when they went to 757s with 16 seats in the front, but because they ran the price up so high, I have gotten upgraded about 50% of the time since then.

I think they aren't going to budge from the price. They told themselves the product is worth more than it is, the market told them no it isn't, and now they're thinking that somehow if they give less to passengers they will benefit.

Dropping the price to something reasonable would freeze us all out without them having to explictly insult us. If they sell gate upgrades I'm buying them if they're some reasonable price. But I'm thinking no, I think it's a reaction to there being something of a lack of market enthusiasm for their product at its price.

It's fascinating when businesses think that they determine the price of a nearly generic product, rather than the marketplace.

Bruce

this is what they have done with their INTL J product and ended up filling the J cabin with Non-revs

I'm happy

Even as a PM and at times when I was a GM I got UG's on these routes over the past year. If this stays, I am definitely looking at different routing and carriers.

In the microcosm of that flight, you are correct. However, they are looking to modify future behavior. When you are in the front of EC on a TCON watching a dude in BE having a delightful lunch followed by a lay-flat nap, Delta is betting that you will consider ponying up for the BE next time if you know in advance that you have ZERO chance of an upgrade. If you have a 50/50 chance of free upgrade you would be much less likely to purchase BE.

To those who say this is to help sales of J class transcon seats, I totally agree. Businesses will feel the pressure when people that travel a ton can't sit in front, Employees will ask for the benefit. So good for Delta. My issue is not letting the 4 regional certs work on transcons. I travel paid J transcon for work but would never do that for personal. So I think I would be the type of pax that Delta wants in the J seat upgrade as they DID NOT lose a sale. If the regional certs worked on my 1 or 2 personal transcons where I WANTED J, I am fine with this change. Its very much like AA, you use your certs only when its highly valued to you. What I hate is that I can't use the certs internationally as a Plat. Painful. Again only for personal travel.

I've tried the Delta end around to AmEx a couple times in the past year or so and have been redirected to Delta. AmEx seems to be happily gaining business from DL and vice versa and both companies seem to have chosen to bury their heads in the sand and pretend that they don't hear any frustration from the changes they enact.

....so...is it this:
Actually, it's not that easy. Many folks will tell you it's the hardest route to get UG'd on. DL already has FCM implemented in that EUA's rarely happen in advance, almost every single time it goes to the gate (giving every chance for a buy up or outright J fare to be purchased). Last week, the last two flights from JFK-SFO were sold out in J, DL isn't giving away a ton of UG's to cheapo DM's for free.

...or is it this?

It's fascinating when businesses think that they determine the price of a nearly generic product, rather than the marketplace.

Bruce
.


Continuing the chorus of what astute airline executives many of you are, you might want to at least coordinate your stories.

You really think a business is going to change their travel policy based on a few employees asking for to sit in a J seat that costs $2k+ than their coach seat because they aren't getting upgraded? Only shot is it DL aggressively discounts and goes after a few additional select businesses that use the route a lot... and then they're selling the seats by dropping the price substantially below published fare.

Amex is probably tired of the complaints, and hasn't seen any drop in their cash flow from their Delta tie-in so they are likely quite happy.

Delta - well by now, they are probably used to the complaints and with a projected 2013 net profit of well over $2 billion, I imagine they are quite happy as well.

David

Well with only three airlines out there, they can pick their price and hope that some sucker will pay sky high prices for some sub par service. I did the SEA-JFK service recently, it was nice, it was nice to have a lie flat, good food choices, etc (we didn't have wi-fi on the plane). the 752 with the cradle seats leave a lot to be desired, I avoid them at all costs, I'd rather have a 752/3 with domestic seats. Like many have said, if you want first don't gamble with the upgrade lottery and buy it. That is what I do cross country. Not worth the chance you might or might not get the upgrade.

By no means, am I sticking up for DL mgt, but, every time they make a change, we see posts like this. By now, we should be used to it ~ ~ No offense, Ti22!

But, I seriously doubt they can run the program by ONLY announcing changes a year in advance, and not closer in.