WestSideBilly

Normally, yes, but 442 on the 18th is a 763 with 26 seats - when I've looked at SEA-JFK it's mostly 752 with a 763 about 1 out of maybe 10 times. Not sure if it's a pattern or not.

And for what it's worth, 8 of the 20 formerly empty seats filled up at the diamond window.

I can only imagine how that discussion will go. My guess is it won't be favorable for Delta.

Maybe I'm misinterpreting the nature of DM/PM travelers, but based on FT and conversations on airplanes, I'm guessing most of them don't have that choice.

It makes more sense to have a "team" account that multiple people can access.

MSPeconomist

Did Dwayne join FT in October 2012 and make less than 30 posts? It looks to me like just a change of FT username, but it does seem more anonymous. I wonder whether DL is now going to use just one group account for a bunch of people. AFAIK other corporate representatives here on FT don't obviously do it that way, although we don't really know whether for example EF Voice is just one person.

Sabai

Ironic in way as there is little "team" (or recognition of status levels, or IT interoperability) in DL's alliance - Sky"Team"

MS02113

Here's hoping the always responsive DLCorpGalNYC sticks around.

DiverDave

You may run your business however you wish, and your customers may do whatever they wish.

Unless you run an airline loyalty program, I rather doubt your experience is comparable to the continual series of changes to SkyMiles.

Compare the Delta program with the UA program. For the most part, UA announces a program and sticks with it for a year. Delta sends out changes whenever, such as the 72 hour award ticket rule. You just never know when the rules will change.

I will disconnect my AT&T service sometime in the next year, and one reason will be that I rarely get more than two bills for the same amount. They are constantly changing their silly @ss little surcharges, but I plan to cure that. I will convert everything to cable. I dislike the cable company almost as much as I dislike AT&T, but the cable company manages to stick with one annual price increase. (And they even claim to regret it. )

David

WestSideBilly

I don't think that's unique to AT&T.

Carl Johnson

Yes, I've ridden it from SEA-JFK and of course it has to get to SEA somehow or other. I'm jealous that you're going to ride it for 442. I rode the redeye SEA-JFK about a month ago; I took a chance because I wanted to ride the 767 so I booked it and hoped hoped hoped my upgrade would clear - if it hadn't, that would have been a tough flight. Mine (as a PM) cleared at the window (which is the same as the diamond window I believe, but diamonds get priority) and all the window seats got taken (I think they sold 3 seats before that).

I would love to ride that as 442; you can enjoy the plane so much more than I could on a redeye. I had to sleep so I couldn't watch one of the huge huge selection of movies they had, and they only had the burger (great, but I had already had a meal so ate only half of it).

DiverDave

I cannot recall anybody else changing my billing terms with such frequency.

Airfares change all the time, but that's the nature of that business. And my airfares don't change after I've bought them.

David

k2

How do these changes have any beneficial impact on DL's corporate sales? You're assuming Wall St. fat cats are giving DL sales the heisman because there aren't enough J seats to LAX? Come on... this does nothing for corporate sales, it's all about FCM - which is still good for your DAL position.

But there is downside for DL stockholders, I'm going to stop allowing my team buy MBY fares overseas. The PMs and lower in the group don't have a shot, and the DMs can now book cheapo econ fares (and cross their fingers). I like the change, it will save my company $.

agarc

What a deal breaker.

I used to really enjoy flying JFK-SFO because frequently/occasionally you were upgraded. I guess those days are over.

What's really screwy is that PMs have no instrument (other than miles with super high fares) to upgrade. Getting rid complementary upgrades makes sense on a BE route, but to not even offer the instruments for PM is really low.

I'm also baffled that Regionals won't work on these domestic trans con routes. This makes United's JFK-SFO look good. And THAT is really sad.

Ultimately this means few leisure trips out to SF. And for work travel, it makes much more sense to consider other carriers.

JBJ2435

I was waiting for this one to surface again to comment. As a PM for several years (I can never quite make DM), I use the SWU's for UG on TATL, although increasingly hard to do so. Now with the lack of visibility on EF for inventory, it just seems hopeless.

I will say though that the UG with miles has the same fare restriction that the international SWU's had, M+ fares.

Seems Delta wants only DM's on their flights.

StayingHomeIsBetter

^^^

How would you like to be a GM making regular JFK to LAX trips, who just bought enough MQMs to grab PM status in hopes of improving his UG percentages?

Just like the folks who grabbed the advanced purchase SkyClub discount last year, just before the beverage downgrades.

To paraphrase Wimpy "I will gladly downgrade on Tuesday a benefit you paid for today..."

Back for more popcorn and beer... have already put on 3 pounds due to this thread.

itsaboutthejourney

She's been awesome and hopefully a model for other DL ambassadors on how to engage customers and often comes back to threads she's participated in for follow-up ^^

GeorgeBurdell

I like the west coast to Hawaii upgrades. Its kind of stupid to exclude the direct flights out of Atlanta, though. I just completed ATL-LAX-OGG last week and got upgraded on the ATL-LAX legs both ways. I noticed the $225 first class standby upgrades on LAX-OGG didn't get many takers. I deliberately chose that routing to give me a chance at the transcon upgrade.

Regarding the JFK upgrades: Delta adds some additional food and a better blanket and pillow to justify taking away upgrades? Not much of a deal, especially for day trips. Not that the Westin blanket and pillow are bad. I had the same service on CDG-ATL recently and thought it was better than AF on a 777. But how is that something special on a 5 hour transcon flight?

DeltaFan4Now

I think you mean Wimpy...