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Delta Comfort for flights on/after May 16, 2016

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Old Dec 4, 2015, 7:08 am
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Delta Comfort+ FAQs
Delta Comfort+ - A New Domestic Branded Fare Product

Summary (effective November 14, 2015, for travel on or after May 16, 2016, in the U.S.50 and Canada):

No selecting C+ seats at time of booking. Eligible pax must request a C+ upgrade by checking the box in the UPGRADE REQUEST section or calling Delta. If upgrade inventory is available, DM and PM may clear after booking. If upgrade inventory is not available, you will remain in your C- seat until such time that DL either releases inventory, or it goes to the airport for gate upgrade.

GM and FO window remains the same at T-72 and T-24 hrs respectively.

Upgrades may automatically place you in any C+ seat, including middle.

F and C+ are separate checkboxes, so you can request an F upgrade without requesting a C+ upgrade. "Double upgrades" from Y to C+ followed by C+ to F are possible.

In your My Delta Preferences page there is a new box where you can choose the default setting for 1st class upgrades and C+ upgrade preferences.

Pax with a companion will be ranked for a C+ upgrade according to the highest level... ie a DM + general member companion in the same PNR will clear after booking..

Maximum of 1 companion may request a C+ upgrade. Per DL FAQ: "If you have three or more passengers in your reservation, all passengers in the reservation must have Medallion status in order for any passengers to be eligible for Delta Comfort+."

Amex Companion Cert flyers are eligible for C+ upgrades.

To "downgrade" to C- seats (exit, other preferred seats) you must call Delta.

Complimentary upgrades to C+, once on board the aircraft, are not allowed regardless of status.

C+ currently not available with corporate discounts, because C+ currently uses ticket designator /WCOM and corporate discounts also use ticket designators. A fare code can only have one ticket designator. This limitation is apparently temporary.

So far Delta is saying this does not impact upgrades to F.

Originally Posted by BarbiJKM
I have two separate flights on May 16, on two separate itineraries. As a PL, I was able to choose C+ seats shortly after booking months ago, by going through the new rigamarole... Today I was notified of upgrades to F on both itineraries, at the upgrade window. So for those who were wondering if a "double upgrade" can happen, yes, it can.
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Delta Comfort for flights on/after May 16, 2016

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Old Dec 4, 2015 | 5:50 am
  #1246  
 
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Originally Posted by aCavalierInCoach
How does this work for award tickets? I have booked a few which have all allowed me to book into C+ instantly.
The status of the lowest-status person on the PNR determines everyone's upgrade eligibility.

For flights after 16 May, you cannot select C+ when you make your reservation, unless you pay cash for the upgrade. Complimentary upgrades will be made available based on the lowest-status passenger on your PNR. If your flying partner has no status, you have no status and are not eligible for complimentary C+.
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Old Dec 4, 2015 | 6:43 am
  #1247  
 
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Delta is in a fine position to do whatever it wants. Everyone on here hates it, but no one actually votes with a wallet.
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Old Dec 4, 2015 | 7:01 am
  #1248  
 
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Originally Posted by ehipres
What is left for Delta to take away?
Never say this. They will find a way.
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Old Dec 4, 2015 | 7:04 am
  #1249  
 
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Originally Posted by jrl767
I think what we're seeing is the direct consequence of rushing a marketing- and RM-driven idea into practice, without giving much if any consideration to either the hypothetical what-ifs or the range of customer perceptions, and coupled with their omnipresent relatively non-robust IT
Or put another way, they just don't care.
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Old Dec 4, 2015 | 7:06 am
  #1250  
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Originally Posted by airmotive
The status of the lowest-status person on the PNR determines everyone's upgrade eligibility.

For flights after 16 May, you cannot select C+ when you make your reservation, unless you pay cash for the upgrade. Complimentary upgrades will be made available based on the lowest-status passenger on your PNR. If your flying partner has no status, you have no status and are not eligible for complimentary C+.
Assuming we're talking domestic, that isn't entirely true. Medallion+companion are still eligible for the "upgrade" but not until T-24hrs. From the FAQs:

When will my Complimentary Upgrade to Delta Comfort+ clear if Im traveling with a companion?


The clearance of you and your traveling companion for Delta Comfort+ will be based on the clearance window of the lowest level SkyMiles Member status in your reservation. If your companion is a General Member, you and your companion will be cleared no sooner than 24 hours in advance of departure.
I don't like this change for the reason many others have stated (I think either 1 or 2 companions should be allowed at the elite member's priority), it isn't quite as bad as being ineligible because you have a companion.

Note: I'm also going to add a link to the FAQ page to the wiki.
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Old Dec 4, 2015 | 7:09 am
  #1251  
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
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Originally Posted by aero0729
Delta is in a fine position to do whatever it wants. Everyone on here hates it, but no one actually votes with a wallet.
Hub captives cant do much but im predicting most out station people will get smart and gain status on other airlines (delta loses revenue) and start booking away if traveling with family (delta loses revenue) where they can get the extra leg room at time of purchase for themselves and a traveling companion. Then if all remains equal and delta doesnt change the c+ rules i believe most will leave. Delta is dead wrong on this. I see a roll back as May 16 gets closer.
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Old Dec 4, 2015 | 7:15 am
  #1252  
 
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Originally Posted by dzflyer
Hub captives cant do much but im predicting most out station people will get smart and gain status on other airlines (delta loses revenue) and start booking away if traveling with family (delta loses revenue) where they can get the extra leg room at time of purchase for themselves and a traveling companion. Then if all remains equal and delta doesnt change the c+ rules i believe most will leave. Delta is dead wrong on this. I see a roll back as May 16 gets closer.
DL will not roll this back. Aside from a few key strategic issues, DL's mgmt is very much focused on the short term. Like DL's other "enhancements", if this does push people to competitors, it will happen over time, not right away. The medium and long term damage will not be the problem of the current mgmt, as they will be gone.
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Old Dec 4, 2015 | 8:41 am
  #1253  
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Originally Posted by azeckel
Which begs another question. If they are now holding inventory for C+, that means that the number of Economy seats overall is getting cut by ~10-20%. In theory, that would mean 10-20% higher fares for economy, right?
No, they'll oversell C-, and (if necessary) "op-up" people into C+.
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Old Dec 4, 2015 | 8:44 am
  #1254  
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Originally Posted by azeckel
Ok, but if the fare classes used to be X-10, V-10, U-10, T-10 ... (You get the point) and all the coach fares added up to (for the sake of math) 100, now you add in a fare class (above Y?) that is 20 seats. So now the seats for economy are 20% fewer. I would equate that to a 20% fare hike.
It never worked like that. It might have been Y20,B18,M16...T10,V8,X6. That would mean there are 20 seats available for sale in coach; Delta is perfectly willing to let you pay Y for any coach seat. (You can see this if you try to book multiple seats, they'll all price at the fare class necessary to have sufficient availability; e.g. in my example, 8 seats would all price as V and every class would drop by 8.)
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Old Dec 4, 2015 | 9:08 am
  #1255  
 
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Sort of a workaround to sit together. DM flying with non status companion.

If DM upgrade clears, keep the upgrade do not call and reassign seats.

When companion clears into a middle seat in E+ sit in the aisle or window seat next to them. When XXC or D shows up, hand them your FC Boarding Pass and hope they don't mid swimming upstream a few rows for a wider seat.

This obviously assumes the DM clears, but when I travel with companions, its rarely on peak travel days so this would work well for me.
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Old Dec 4, 2015 | 9:42 am
  #1256  
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Originally Posted by airmotive
The status of the lowest-status person on the PNR determines everyone's upgrade eligibility.

For flights after 16 May, you cannot select C+ when you make your reservation, unless you pay cash for the upgrade. Complimentary upgrades will be made available based on the lowest-status passenger on your PNR. If your flying partner has no status, you have no status and are not eligible for complimentary C+.
Missed the May 16 point. thanks.
aCavalierInCoach is offline  
Old Dec 4, 2015 | 10:30 am
  #1257  
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Originally Posted by scracer14
Sort of a workaround to sit together. DM flying with non status companion.

If DM upgrade clears, keep the upgrade do not call and reassign seats.

When companion clears into a middle seat in E+ sit in the aisle or window seat next to them. When XXC or D shows up, hand them your FC Boarding Pass and hope they don't mid swimming upstream a few rows for a wider seat.

This obviously assumes the DM clears, but when I travel with companions, its rarely on peak travel days so this would work well for me.
DM won't clear into F unless you split the PNR (unless both pax clear at the very bottom of the list). However, if you split the PNR, the companion is no longer eligible for C+ "upgrade."
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Old Dec 4, 2015 | 11:03 am
  #1258  
 
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Originally Posted by mattp1987
DM won't clear into F unless you split the PNR (unless both pax clear at the very bottom of the list). However, if you split the PNR, the companion is no longer eligible for C+ "upgrade."
Unless you request the "upgrade", then split the PNR. Unless they fixed this. I'm guilty of doing this to get preferred seats for companions and still wanting to be on the FC upgrade list.

I'm very disappointed in this. I do not see a middle seat in C+ as an "upgrade" AT ALL over an aisle (or even window) somewhere farther back. This is a huge devaluation of status for me. And now when I travel with my family I may as well have no status at all. Which means I should shop based on price and convenience instead of loyalty.
azeckel is offline  
Old Dec 4, 2015 | 11:12 am
  #1259  
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Note: Word is that the Amex companion cert is NOT eligible for the C+ "upgrade" even if seats are open at the gate.
rylan is offline  
Old Dec 4, 2015 | 10:57 pm
  #1260  
 
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Originally Posted by azeckel
I'm very disappointed in this. I do not see a middle seat in C+ as an "upgrade" AT ALL over an aisle (or even window) somewhere farther back. This is a huge devaluation of status for me. And now when I travel with my family I may as well have no status at all. Which means I should shop based on price and convenience instead of loyalty.
BINGO! I agree. If I can't get C+ at booking without having to pay an additional fee, then I may as well book any airline and pay the fee. Loyalty is a two way street, Delta.

In my situation, I often find that American normally has lower fares and good flight times, so I'll go with what's best for the specific situation, no longer focusing my business on Delta.

This shows Delta is more concerned with revenue fees from the kettles, many of whom fly once or twice a year..who are surprised and later disappointed they paid more for seat that is just as narrow as the ones in the back of the plane..but because there are so many people who fly only once or twice a year. that pool of candidates paying C+ fees could last a long time.

Last edited by cmh flyer; Dec 4, 2015 at 11:14 pm
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