tphamBU

Maybe, but I received an upgrade on a JFK-LAX and LAX-JFK a few weeks ago. I'm far far far from an HVC. I was flying on a U fare at the time.

JFK-LAX had to be added manually by a SkyClub agent while LAX-JFK was automatic.

cheesewhiz

Just did a tcon roundtrip LAX-JFK.

Outbound, called PM res and they said they can't add to the upgrade list, but confirmed that upgrades are back for DM and PM. Suggested I speak to someone at the airport.

App showed that there were 8 F seats available with 5 on upgrade list.

LAX: Was told unequivocally by the gate agent that there are no upgrades for medallions on tcon. And she also said that even if there were, she had no way to add me to the list or upgrade me. Basically lying through her teeth. I stated that she was wrong and walked away. A the time I wasn't interested in dealing with her incompetence.

Later called PM res line again, and again they confirmed the new policy of limited upgrades. Agent essentially told me the LAX gate agent was wrong on both counts. Said that if I am not on the upgrade list to inquire at the airport, escalating to a redcoat if needed.

Return flight basically worked the way the policy states. I appeared on the upgrade list day of the flight (I would guess the 6 hours is right, but I don't know exactly when I was added). At check in, I inquired and agent verified I was on the list, putting me at 4, with 4 seats available. Checked again at gate. Gate agent stated that I was 4 with 6 seats available. Cleared for upgrade at the gate.

Long story short, upgraded one way, on the flight with fewer F seats actually available. I wish I had gotten the name of the LAX GA.

Delta really needs to inform their employees better. It's fairly ridiculous that medallions often know more about DL policies than the employees do.

FitTraveler

What an entitled jackass you are. If I were the gate agent I would have assigned you a seat in the lav and made sure the crew locked you in it for the flight. Get real. WFBF.

iamhereandthere

So you're saying he was wrong to tell the gate agent she was wrong? Maybe she wasn't lying, but she was clearly wrong.

So was I wrong to tell the phone agent and the @DeltaAssist agent that no, they are wrong, I don't need to pay for SDC when I bought first and want to switch my flight according to the published premium cabin SDC rules?

When they are wrong they are wrong. Why shouldn't we tell them? I'm paying a ton of money and I'm not being paid to train Delta's agents, yet that's what I'm doing on the phone and the internet and the airport.

Cheesewhiz is right. Delta needs to better inform and/or train their agents. TCONs are only at 4 airports. Whether it's a very targeted group of people to update (like for TCONs) or a large group (all res agents), it's Delta's job to make sure their employees are up-to-date. They fail at this far too often.

Carl Johnson

Could be Shena. Taking away the upgrades opened up a lot more space for NRs, and putting them back secretly like this, with us having to collect data through experimentation to get a picture of the rules, certainly opens up opportunities for Shena.

MNAudiS4

Have you thought that they already had the 5 they wanted on the upgrade list and you didn't make the cut. So they were not going to add more.

TrojanTraveler

You have discovered the joys of the LAX gate agents.

bennos

Given the lack of transparency on the new rules, it could just as easily have been... "Have you thought that the person adding people to the upgrade list went for a cup of coffee in the middle of the process and forgot what they were doing when they came back?"

bubbashow

Let the cheap and overly-entitled keep it up. The LAXJFK flights are top priority for DL and they are constantly seeking employee feedback. Seems like a good way to get the phantom upgrades taken away again.

Carl Johnson

Too late. Delta is now careening toward bankruptcy, because high value customers won't fly an airline that gives upgrades on premium routes (or routes marketed as premium). Even high value customers that don't fly to or from JFK are leaving Delta in droves. True high-value customers don't care about the product or benefits they receive nearly so much as keeping the unworthy from receiving benefits. Delta made a great move by kicking out the unworthy, but then they wavered, and now high-value customers will never trust them again.

DL2SXM

Obviously, your kidding.

DL2SXM

What I don't understand is, if you were added to the upgrade list at T-6 hours like u said you were, then why did you even bother asking the GA?

DL2SXM

Flew SEA to JFK last week, 757nwith very worn looking recliner seats. Y was completely packed, plane pushed back with 1 open seat in J

cheesewhiz

Oh, ad hominum attack based on poor reading skills. Nice.

Your idiotic post doesn't really deserve a response. But perhaps one will help you learn something.

I suppose you think that if I get denied Sky Priority check in and security, and inquire as to why, I am acting like an entitled jackass? Or being told I need to pay to check a bag (which has happened before), I should just shut up and pay?

I am acting entitled for stating that PER DELTA POLICY, she was wrong? I am acting entitled because I didn't get an upgrade and DID NOT EVEN BOTHER TO ARGUE FOR ONE AND SIMPLY WALKED AWAY? You have an exceptionally poor understanding of the word entitled. Maybe you should check a dictionary.

She may not have been lying regarding the new upgrade policy. If that was the case, she was just lazy or ignorant, or both. I stated in my post that Delta needs to do a better job of keeping their employees informed of policy changes. I guess you didn't get that far.

But she was clearly lying regarding the physical inability to upgrade anyone at the gate. She stated that even if she wanted to, the computer doesn't allow it. That is absurd. They can put anyone in any seat at the gate. They MUST have that ability to deal with various gate issues, like an oversold plane or improperly assigned seat.

Not that it matters, but the conversation went along the lines of:

ME: Hi, I don't see my name on the upgrade list. I'm wondering where I am on the list and why my name isn't appearing.

GA: Oh, we don't do upgrades for this flight anymore. We stopped that in January.

ME: Well the monitor is showing that there are 5 people on the upgrade list.

GA: Oh those people are using miles or certs to upgrade. Besides, first class is full anyway.

ME: Well I called the medallion line to find out if there was a policy change and they said yes, Delta has brought back upgrades for DM, PM and other high value customers. And the monitor is showing empty seats in first class, even after those 5 people on the list.

GA: Oh, well the phone res people have the ability to upgrade you. The monitor is wrong.

ME: That doesn't sound right. Phone res told me they don't have that ability, but the gate agent should. I'm confused that they said one thing and you are saying another. Which is it?

GA: Well, I couldn't do an upgrade here at the gate even if I wanted to. The computer doesn't allow it. We don't have the codes for that. Besides, first class is full anyway.

ME: That doesn't sound right.

At that point I thanked her and walked away and boarded. FYI, at no point did she even bother to ask for my boarding pass, let alone check.

I don't care if I don't get an upgrade due to my lowly PLATINUM status. Or if first class is full. Or if there are too many people ahead of me on the list.

What I do care about is getting a runaround and string of excuses. Delta's policy (THOUGH NOT ACTUALLY ANNOUNCED) has brought back complimentary upgrades on TCON for some medallion levels. I do not expect an automatic upgrade. But I do expect to have the chance for an upgrade. Call that entitled if you want. I call it simply expecting the benefits I am supposed to get.

And FYI, on my flight back, the Delta 360 sitting next to me was quite angry that they brought back TCON upgrades but didn't bother to announce it. Found out because another passenger was talking about getting upgraded. Stated that she paid out of pocket for a domestic F ticket because of the January policy change and would not have otherwise.

cheesewhiz

Yeah, the 360 sitting next to me was obviously cheap and overly-entitled for wanting a domestic TCON upgrade.