No luck with GUC..(sigh)
 

Booked PDX--BHX more than 21 days ago. decided to use a routing through SEA since they had total (no seats sold according to both DL.com and ExpertFlyer) availability when I did.

Called and was immediately told that they had "no availability" and was wait listed. Expressed incredulity about this alleged non-availability but figured I'd tough it out.

Fast foward to now, 26 hours to check-in. Expert flyer and seat map both showed 4 still unsold ...checking in in the next two hours...now all seats are accounted for and guess who never got their UG. And of course, there is still the off-chance that there'll be no-show in SEA but I doubt it.

Thanks Delta, thank you.

Employer is now moving to a new system where we can switch to any carrier we want....I think I'm done playing this game. DL can go to hell. The real burn here is that this is the last int'l trip I have to take for work for the rest of the year..really thought I did a good job in making sure i picked a route where I was most likely able to get it only to have it blow up in my face b/c they like to play their stingy BS games with their inventory.

I think I can say that since 0 seats were sold when I booked this flight--there are indeed routes where they dont make any GUC usage possible at all.

That was all the proof I needed.

I don't have enough experience to comment on the rest of your post but I redeemed GUCs for two on SEA-AMS and return for travel in a couple of weeks.

Based on my experience, SEA-AMS isn't a route where they completely prohibit GUC usage.

I wish you luck in finding a new airline of choice.

TTT; thanks for not being an XXX in your response. (No sarcasm there)

I am going to assume that when you booked; there were also 0 seats sold? I am so mad right now I can't see straight.

I was all excited to get this benefit and of course the first time I try to use it; even with careful planning on my part..it doesn't work. I'm just done with it.

I'm ready! ;)

http://imageshack.com/a/img854/1107/y6qx.gif

I can't recall if there were no seats sold when I booked, there may have been one or two occupied. I was able to confirm the SEA-AMS segment at booking and then decided I wanted to use them on the return too and was able to confirm that a few weeks later.

The seat map currently shows about 7 BE seats available on SEA-AMS and 8 available on the return.

I might call Delta and see if your GUC is coded properly before it heads to the gate upgrade list. It doesn't hurt to double check.

To be the Delta apologist for a minute, if they did sell out the entire BE cabin then the revenue management folks did a good job of limiting GUC usage. It is also possible that other DMs with higher fare classes or earlier request dates got a few upgrades. In any case, it seems like Delta managed the BE loads well on this flight to maximize revenue.

I love upgrade availability as much as the next guy, but, revenue management is going to try to block upgrades for seats they think they can sell. In this case, they seemed to do a good job? They sold seats instead of giving them, seems like a solid business strategy?

I really wasn't calling TTT out, i was serious. I appreciated that he wasn't putting me down in his post...no need to start thinking I'm trying to start drama, dave :)

Anyway; our company moved to a more localized approach to my job; so I will probably stop flying intl for work anymore and no longer need to use DL.

Status on another airline will work better for me; methinks. But I will be writing DL corporate and ask them to take back the GUC's and give me miles instead as I can at least use those.

If my travel patterns allowed, I think I wouldn't hesitate to move to AS and the Mileage Plan program. Alaska runs a great airline, has a good FF program, and has a nice Pacific Northwest route network.

Yes, but breaking up with DL is hard to do. I have flown other carriers a few times since moving back to PDX (just because I wanted a direct flight) and the lack of wifi..etc makes it annoying. Domestically, DL treats me well; its just that with the nature of my job (when flying int'l): I often can't ever book early enough to even get EC. I should have known that my real-life luck trying to use a GUC would follow suit.

Not entirely DL's fault. I really am just pissed off that when I went to book--all signs told me that I was "doing it right."

Delta Air Lines | SkyMiles > No luck with GUC..(sigh)
 

After booking the reservation why not call right away and try to apply the GUC then. If no availability you can still cancel and try an alternate routing where a GUC can apply if you have flexibility

Based on my experience, MSP-AMS, JFK-AMS, and AMS-BOM, are routes where they completely prohibit GUC usage.
Tough to get ... yes, got to wait patiently for a few days/ weeks.

Now waiting to see if:
1. BOM-AMS and AMS-MSP in mid October will clear.
2. DTW-AMS & AMS-BOM in early November will clear

Have tried that tactic.
It does not matter.
Have had no availability at time of reservation, applied GUC, been cleared at 5 to 7 days from date of reservation.

I had great success with two GUCs earlier this year. Today I just applied the other two to an upcoming reservation. I was informed that since my TPAC is a through flight number both legs will have to open up before I can get either. At first I thought no big deal, because I wouldn't want to burn it for just the domestic portion, but... what if the TPAC happened to be the only part that ever opened up? I'm sure I'd be as furious as JulienMSP!

Suggest that you consider applying it only for the TPAC portion first.
Once that clears, then consider applying it for the within USA/ Domestic portion. This should clear, at worst, at check-in.

This way, you will not lose a GUC should the with-in USA domestic portion clear and the TPAC portion remain waitlisted.

Now if it is: USA Gateway --> NRT ---? Asia destination then apply the GUC to both legs.

Not a great week to travel and be on an UG wait list. The AF strike is causing a significant amount of rerouting. Flights that might not normally be packed this time of year are proving to be very full. I'm sure DL and KL are picking up quite a bit of the AF pax.

So, while the J cabin may have filled up, it could be people already booked in J.

That's a good point and not one that I thought about. I am sure you are correct in that there are quite a few AF refuge passengers occupying otherwise empty Delta seats.