Difficulty using GUC in AMS
 

First time using GUCs.

On Weds the spouse and I flew AMS to MSP. I had called about a week back to use a few GUCs and was told I was waitlisted but there were 10+ open seats. I called again a few days out and now there were 14 open seats but still wait listed. The I sent a message to DL Assist day before and there were 15+ open seats. I was told they would "clear at the gate".

We checked in and went to the gate desk to ask. The KLM lady said "we don't do upgrades". I was like "um, yes you do". She asked her colleague and she added, "no upgrades!". I was like "are you full in One?". She said if I want to do an upgrade "I have to do it with Delta". I said "well this is a Delta plane an a Delta flight number" to which she jumped in and said "and we are KLM and we don't do upgrades" quite rudely. So how am I supposed to use these??

I called the Diamond desk and was on hold for 45 min while they tried to sort this out. I was told there were 16 empty seats but none for upgrade use. I was like "why"? and they said they were holding them for sale. This was 60 min to departure! I pleaded my case and then they had to go to revenue management to get 2 seats released and then used my upgrades to get us into One. What a pain!

To top it off the KLM agent walked over with my boarding passes and said "you are welcome!". I said "for what?" to which she replied "my generosity!". ...!

Sooo... not sure I am complaining that this was so hard (what did I do wrong?) or complimenting that the Diamond desk went out of their way to get the seats released.

Discuss please!

Did you try the KLM lounge? It's possible that because they have a business providing this function then the gate really does not.

No, it was a tight connection. And with the added stupidity that is D1 at AMS now, the connection was even tighter. Had to go straight to the gate.

I know I've seen posts here from AMS regulars who have had success at getting UGs processed at AMS, but, on DL.com, it actually says this under Global UG Certificates:

10. Airport Standby: If an upgrade for the SkyMiles member and companion (if applicable) is not confirmed from the reservation waitlist at least three hours prior to departure, then the SkyMiles member and companion may request to be placed on the Airport Standby List, provided that request is made no less than 60 minutes prior to flight departure. Passengers on the Airport Standby List will be accommodated according to Delta's priority rules, which Delta reserves the right to change at any time. Airport standby is not available on Air France or KLM operated flights as well as Delta operated flights originating from AMS, BOM and CDG.

http://www.delta.com/content/www/en_...tificates.html

Wow, good catch! So why would both the Diamond desk and DL assist tell me I am on airport standby and that it will "surely clear"?

Because no one at DL seems to have any idea how their own program works.

Probably because under the heading "DAY OF DEPARTURE" it says this:

DAY OF DEPARTURE

If a Medallion member and companion (if applicable) do not clear the waitlist prior to departure, they will be automatically added to the airport standby list at time of check-in and will be cleared at the gate if space is available.

You hafto go deeper into the rules to find the other wording with the AMS exception.

Once you @AMS and you didn't clear;
Option 1: Lounge 52 (Non Schengen) or 25 (Schengen)
Option 2: (This location is before security and if you want to use the privium lounge instead for example KLM lounge 52 or if you want to have that upgrade secured before you check in/drop off luggage @AMS) KLM ticketing desk departure hall 2, opposite check-in desk 16
Option 3: One of the transfer desks

Only upgrades that will happen at the gate are generally the opups....remember KLM does run the show @AMS

Well....we are dutch...somewhat direct and if they also live in the AMS area, they can be really uuhm... 'direct'

Fixed that for you;).

For the unsuspecting and in some (many) cases still seasoned travelers all the quirks that KLM has (OPS, IT and systems that are an order of magnitude worse than DL) can be quite frustrating. Mostly because there's a number of small things that KLM does differently than most other airlines/airports. There really should be signs at each gate saying: "If you are expecting anything more than us scanning your boarding pass, you are in the wrong place".

Once you figure it out (lounge, transfer desks etc) it's much better, but I bet that most FT-ers on their first (few) passes through AMS have had a "dat is helaas niet mogelijk/that is not possible" flung at them once or twice.

I've had SWUs processed at the lounge and also buy-ups. I know others have had GUCs processed (though some reported issues at least early in the GUC program). AMS is definitely different, and much easier as long as you have time to go to the lounge, which wasn't the case with you. It's a bit odd your GUC didn't clear before your departure given how many seats were free, though. I suspect your whole UG process was FUBAR, what a surprise.

DL giving KLM & AF control of their gates in AMS & CDG truly ruins the experience that Delta claims they want customers to have.

Delta needs their own staff in these airports. Badly.

21 seats for sale for four weeks before flight (no zero movement in bookings at all or maybe 21 people booked w no seat assignment). Upgrade cleared 24 hours out bht with lots of back and forth with delta. Had to reissue ticket twice. Delta Assist insisted nothing is wrong, although they're clueless that tickets need to be reissued after an upgrade. They told me to call res! Why do they need us to tell them how to do it?


Plus ticket when into airport control 36 hours out preventing any online checkin, is that specific to AMS?

hahaha - so true! (Belgian here) I don't think there was any offense meant with that, it's a cultural thing...

I can confirm that KLM processed a day of upgrade for me off the GUC waitlist without me doing anything special - by the time I showed up at the transfer desk at T-45 the upgrades had already been processed by KLM staff, even though no upgrade inventory was technically available.

As others have said, the gate staff at KLM have basically no power. For any ticketing or seating related questions, go to the transfer desks - they seem to be staffed with the most capable agents. The lounge agents are hit or miss - they are supposedly empowered to do everything the transfer desk is, but they tell me Not Possible™ much more often. (Not sure if they just get sick of dealing with elites constantly in the lounge, while the transfer desk is more inclined to be helpful because there's a different mix of passengers and they see fewer folks with status there?)

I've been bounced around at AMS with the lounge agents and transfer desk sending me to the gate to ask about taking an earlier intraEU connecting segment (with no checked bag), and then the gate saying no.

At CDG, my experience in a similar situation is that the transfer desk makes a phone call and tells me how much the earlier flight would cost.

Just wait until they take the same approach someday in PVG with the China Eastern partnership...

For what it's worth, I asked about this language and was told (variously) it is out of date or doesn't apply... and sure enough, I did clear at the gate in AMS.

I suspect it's still there because Delta knows KLM is unpredictable in how they handle flights, and they'd rather underpromise and overdeliver so they have something to point to when experiences like OP's occur.

I thought all open seats become available for upgrade day of departure?

It just seems weird that AMS airport takes control of reservations 36 hours out and does not permit changes to seats within that time frame or even online checkin?

bumping this thread as i am waitlisted with GUCs SEA-CDG and AMS-SEA next week and wondering what the best procedure is ensuring the waitlist is properly applied on AMS-SEA especially. thanks!

I'll piggyback on this thread even though I'm in HKG. DL certainly keeps us in the dark with the GUC's. I'm waitlisted out on Fri going back to SEA. There are about 23 seats not claimed, but DL is A) holding back on the upgrade inventory or B) not coded the certificate correctly. And because we can't see the OP availability, we just might not ever know which case is correct. Thanks DL for keeping things "shady". I'm inclined to hold short of DM this year just due to the uncertainty of what is involved in using the GUC's.

You should call and ask your position on the wait list and also ask the agent to verify that everything is coded correctly. You can also call at many random times and without giving your PNR, etc., just ask the agent to check for upgrade space OP on flight XX on date YY. The latter can also be done by twitter.

Since DL doesn't make it possible for us to check for upgrade inventory, we shouldn't feel at all guilty about calling repeatedly to ask.

Can they tell this even though it's outside of the period to check in?

I just called and was told that they could not see my status on the waitlist until it was within the 24 hour period before departure. More DL darkness......

You didn't tell the agent that there will be no waitlist @AMS? :p

I am confused. Aren't airlines (esp. for longhaul flights) interested in protecting the premium cabin yield-wise?
Who would buy a Business Class longhaul ticket, if all non-sold seats will be given to upgraders?
The notion that - because 16 seats are empty - it should be given to an upgrader is beyond me. If an airlines operates like that on longhaul, its not a good way to do business, because you sacrifice your yield.

All empty seats are available for upgrade at the DoD (miles/GUC's/vouchers,money).
If you have been at AMS you know when they call the standby's/NSRA's, if you still have to argue at T-60 about your upgrade you have a problem ;).

Please stick to UA. No one is giving anything away. It is not easy to qualify for DM, and all of us who are EARNED the GUC benefit.

I am sorry, sir, subtlety is Not Possible™.

Well, my SEA-CDG leg cleared a day after booking. AMS-SEA still waitlisted. What is the collective wisdom if it hasn't cleared day of departure? Ask at the KLM lounge? Transfer desk? Or call the Diamond line?

You connecting @AMS? Watch availability on DL 143 and if there is still availability go to the KLM Crown Lounge asap (or a KLM ticketing agent). One might also consider the SkyPriority line at a transfer desk (if they are not crowded). Have the numbers ready.
Remember, you will not only competing with any FB member but also with other Delta SM members and even regular non-status pax. Ex-AMS anyone can walk up to their ticket desk landside and buy up with EUR if they don't have miles.
Wouldn't call the Diamond line as they can't do much anymore at this time and have outdated data (KLM has operational control).

Some additional reports from the field

I have cleared the GUC waitlist at the gate in CDG and at AMS recently and both times the GUC was not removed from my account.
Not even months later as I used them for other flights

So....it gate clearance does happen there is a chance it could be a free bump

What is the situation in CDG. currently have a GUC waitlisted. How does AF handle?