const3

Unfortunately, that's probably true. Though It would make sense for them to clear these at the gate instead of flying with emply seats or norevs...

I pushed back and got this:


Me: Thx. I thought you are now able to move these stdby mlg upgrades to the gate list so that gate agents can clear them. my friend did it last week

Delta Assist: While it is in the system (and I promise you, it is), if it becomes available it will do so automatically. I'm not sure, but perhaps... 1/2

...the gate agent can retrieve. *RB 2/2

Will try again at the airport....

const3

Thanks. Will try from the airport and report.

Jonsparks

I fly the JFK-LAX route frequently and used to enjoy the upgrades (DL Platinum). I asked DL why they blocked the upgrades only on certain transcon routes. Their response (from several different employees).. " the lie flat seat is too good of a service to give away." So, that will give you some perspective about what DL management thinks about it's best customers.

Frankly, the lie flat service is overkill on a transcon flight (unless your taking a red-eye). Irritating your best customers (on a heavily traveled city pair like JFK-LAX) will ultimately prove not beneficial to DL. AA is now rolling out new aircraft with three classes of service (we'll have to see how good the new AA is!). But DL's 1980 and 1990 aircraft (the 767 and 757) that they have retrofitted with new interiors have been showing signs of wear. My recent trips had lighting that didn't work and a video monitor that kept falling and striking my leg. Too bad, DL had been improving for many years and this, I believe is simply a bad management decision. Especially since I have seen DL sell upgrades to non medallion travelers to fill up Biz and make a few extra bucks. The whole approach demonstrates an utter disregard for medallion members!

bubbashow

1) DL ISN'T selling gate upgrades to anyone on this route

2) It has been done to satisfy DL's growing portfolio of corporate clients.

3) Paid BE is up 5% since the change.

sushi lover

I flew last night, and yes, it could get pulled in the next few days. However, since they used the wrong upgrade priority I am guessing it wont be. Even if it is, it wont matter since I am starting a new job next week and wont be traveling on Delta anymore (except to burn my miles for vacation with my wife)

sethb

They mean the "tell a lie about flat seating service". I haven't seen any actual lie-flat seats on those routes yet. (I'm not saying they don't have any, just that they haven't appeared on the flights I've taken. So the reason for not upgrading clearly isn't because they don't want to give away a service that isn't even actually available.)

sethb

Except for the observed cases reported here, but perhaps your claims have more credibility than other people's actual observations, because you underlined them.

Like the ones who pay for coach domestically and want their employees never to get free upgrades on the long routes? Those corporate clients?

Compared with what? Say, how is paid F SAN-JFK doing? (That's a comparable route without the "no upgrades" change so it's a fair comparison.)

Carl Johnson

Flight 182 (SEA-JFK) had regular F yesterday, lots of empties. I guess this is Delta's reaction to its overestimation of the number of barcalounger seats it was going to sell at the enhanced price.

cfischer

so how does it help if they have more seats Delta has a lot of domestic F on the SEA-JFK route which IMO is outragous considering they are selling it as a premium route ... I guess they are short on BE equipped 752s over the summer.

GYEWorldTraveler

Definitely appears DL is short on 75Es this summer. One appears to be in mods now (hasn't flown since early April) and another just came out with the flatbed seats. I hope to get lucky and get on one of the 75S modded planes in the near future. I was surprised to see so much 75E TATL flying this summer - SNN, CPH, ARN, PSA, AGP, DKR from JFK and then BOS-CDG, PIT-CDG and PHL-CDG in addition to the transcons and ATL-BSB. It's amazing that they are able to run such a tight schedule with what appears to be over 1/2 the frames devoted to international.

timboy219

FWIW, DL 2550 (SEA-JFK) yesterday ended up going out full in BE. Didn't look like many non-rev's either. The awesome FA's and service showed me exactly why DL protects their transcon "premium" product, instead of giving it away. On another note, I spotted a rather disgruntled DM at the gate wondering why he couldn't get a "free" upgrade...

bubbashow

sethb

The ones with confirmed premium flights in their contracts prefer to sit next to non-revs rather than medallions? That's certainly possible, I suppose. But how likely are they to put that in a contract?

sky303

I've said this before, and I'll say it again: There are pretty objectively less nonrevs on almost any given flight than medallions, especially medallion heavy routes like the JFK BE TCONs, thus leaving more empty seats up front and a more exclusive cabin. This is confirmed by much of the anecdotes shared upthread. Back when medallions got upped on these routes it was incredibly rare to see an empty seat on these flights in J except on certain low-travel holidays. So yeah, I think they'd rather have an emptier cabin than one that is basically guaranteed to be completely full with mostly those who paid a coach fare.

mnredfox

Well time will tell to see if DL's bet is right to take this away. From the reports thus far it seems like BE is more full of NRSA's vs elites purchasing J. Not sure how that is "too good to give away." But admittedly this is anecdotal and we'll see what happens over time.