Delta to change 1st/C+ upgrades for two based on highest medallion level
Sep 28, 2016, 11:55 am
#466
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: MSP
Programs: Delta PM, 1MM
Posts: 3,783
Sep 28, 2016, 12:12 pm
#467
Join Date: Jan 2015
Programs: delta dm
Posts: 1,677
Delta has decided not to change the companion FC upgrade policy at this time. I have had many discussions with my contact at delta about this very issue. My contact does not make the final decision but had told me my concerns about the potential new policy were definitely valid and being taken under consideration. Lots of people had called Delta about the same concerns per my contact. I was just one of many.
Sep 28, 2016, 12:19 pm
#468
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: JAX
Programs: Delta DM, SPG Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 317
An interesting quirk about the new policy I just thought of. I just booked an award ticket for my wife and I. As a PM, I get upgraded to C+ after booking (even with an Award ticket).
I'm thinking then that once this policy goes into effect, my wife (no status) and I would then get upgraded after booking to C+?
I'm thinking then that once this policy goes into effect, my wife (no status) and I would then get upgraded after booking to C+?
Sep 28, 2016, 12:32 pm
#469
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: ATL
Programs: Delta PM, IHG Spire
Posts: 356
And not every elite disagrees with it.
They announced this change after receiving negative feedback from the LAST change (C+ upgrades for companion losing any reasonable ability to sit together by shifting to low priority)!
They announced this change after receiving negative feedback from the LAST change (C+ upgrades for companion losing any reasonable ability to sit together by shifting to low priority)!
Sep 28, 2016, 12:39 pm
#470
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Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Look up - On a ✈ DELTA ✈ jet NOW!
Programs: Blogger & Delta Diamond Medallion Million Miler
Posts: 4,174
Delta has decided not to change the companion FC upgrade policy at this time. I have had many discussions with my contact at delta about this very issue. My contact does not make the final decision but had told me my concerns about the potential new policy were definitely valid and being taken under consideration. Lots of people had called Delta about the same concerns per my contact. I was just one of many.
Sep 28, 2016, 12:41 pm
#471
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Upper Sternistan
Posts: 10,034
Yeah - if I can't sit near my wife in econ+ without paying, we're flying AA on any flight longer than an hour. I'm a Diamond, and she isn't even Silver.
I get the issue at the F level, but at econ+, they need to get in line with AA and UA (or B6, which has more legroom anyway for non-elites).
I get the issue at the F level, but at econ+, they need to get in line with AA and UA (or B6, which has more legroom anyway for non-elites).
Sep 28, 2016, 12:44 pm
#472
Join Date: Jan 2015
Programs: delta dm
Posts: 1,677
Sep 28, 2016, 4:36 pm
#473
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Santo Domingo, Dom. Rep. / Washington, DC
Programs: AA PPro/DL PLT, PPass, Marriott / Hilton Gold, JetBlue Mosaic, Hertz Presidents Circle, Amex Plat
Posts: 4,630
I might be only one of the few in favor of this policy, but it has worked at AA for years and as AA Gold or Platinum I don't think it has really affected me.
My contact's story differs from your contact's. This is supposed to go live soon.
Delta has decided not to change the companion FC upgrade policy at this time. I have had many discussions with my contact at delta about this very issue. My contact does not make the final decision but had told me my concerns about the potential new policy were definitely valid and being taken under consideration. Lots of people had called Delta about the same concerns per my contact. I was just one of many.
Sep 28, 2016, 5:34 pm
#475
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: CHA
Programs: DL-DM (1.75MM), Bonvoy LifeTi, Hertz-PC
Posts: 618
For any FF who likes to (gets to) travel with a +1, this is great.
Many time we travel with one or more of our daughters. Most of them used to be GM while traveling with my wife (also DM) and I. But with the spend, they barely maintain silver.
In the past year, we almost lost loyalty with Delta as the perks while traveling with family was nearly gone. If/when this comes around, it'll restore sway us back more for traveling with DL as we'll all to get to reap the benefits that we've earned.
I certainly understand that the solo medallions could be impacted. But I think that is why the announcement is taking so long. I think there will be some tiered system between solos vs +1s....and the integration into the upgrade automation/web site is taking time to get it right.
(or they put the issue on back burner as they are upgrading/verifying their entire IT infrastructure when it comes to backups, redundancy and failovers)
Many time we travel with one or more of our daughters. Most of them used to be GM while traveling with my wife (also DM) and I. But with the spend, they barely maintain silver.
In the past year, we almost lost loyalty with Delta as the perks while traveling with family was nearly gone. If/when this comes around, it'll restore sway us back more for traveling with DL as we'll all to get to reap the benefits that we've earned.
I certainly understand that the solo medallions could be impacted. But I think that is why the announcement is taking so long. I think there will be some tiered system between solos vs +1s....and the integration into the upgrade automation/web site is taking time to get it right.
(or they put the issue on back burner as they are upgrading/verifying their entire IT infrastructure when it comes to backups, redundancy and failovers)
Sep 28, 2016, 5:38 pm
#476
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: San Francisco, CA
Programs: DL PM/MM, Hilton Silver, SPG+, Hertz PC
Posts: 7,899
Just tried to use RUC's on a Transcon for myself and Mrs. (FO) who was travelling on a separate reservation.
I was top of the list, she was on the bottom.
According to present rules, had we been on the same reservation, would she have been together with me at the top, but with the catch that if only one seat had been available neither would have been upgraded ?
Or would have we been at the bottom, due to her being only FO ?
Between the two of us there were a bunch of other people on the upgrade list.
Not clear who those might have been, since I requested the RUC upgrade only a couple of days before departure.
Could have they been mileage upgrade awards, which always rank below RUC's regardless of medallion status ? If so, why as she at the bottom of the list ?
Perhaps the explanation is that upgrade awards rank the same as RUC's and none of those people was a PM ?
Confused by the entire precedence affair...
I was top of the list, she was on the bottom.
According to present rules, had we been on the same reservation, would she have been together with me at the top, but with the catch that if only one seat had been available neither would have been upgraded ?
Or would have we been at the bottom, due to her being only FO ?
Between the two of us there were a bunch of other people on the upgrade list.
Not clear who those might have been, since I requested the RUC upgrade only a couple of days before departure.
Could have they been mileage upgrade awards, which always rank below RUC's regardless of medallion status ? If so, why as she at the bottom of the list ?
Perhaps the explanation is that upgrade awards rank the same as RUC's and none of those people was a PM ?
Confused by the entire precedence affair...
Sep 28, 2016, 6:39 pm
#477
Join Date: Nov 2009
Programs: DL PM 1MM
Posts: 3,439
Just tried to use RUC's on a Transcon for myself and Mrs. (FO) who was travelling on a separate reservation.
I was top of the list, she was on the bottom.
According to present rules, had we been on the same reservation, would she have been together with me at the top, but with the catch that if only one seat had been available neither would have been upgraded ?
Or would have we been at the bottom, due to her being only FO ?
Between the two of us there were a bunch of other people on the upgrade list.
Not clear who those might have been, since I requested the RUC upgrade only a couple of days before departure.
Could have they been mileage upgrade awards, which always rank below RUC's regardless of medallion status ? If so, why as she at the bottom of the list ?
Perhaps the explanation is that upgrade awards rank the same as RUC's and none of those people was a PM ?
Confused by the entire precedence affair...
I was top of the list, she was on the bottom.
According to present rules, had we been on the same reservation, would she have been together with me at the top, but with the catch that if only one seat had been available neither would have been upgraded ?
Or would have we been at the bottom, due to her being only FO ?
Between the two of us there were a bunch of other people on the upgrade list.
Not clear who those might have been, since I requested the RUC upgrade only a couple of days before departure.
Could have they been mileage upgrade awards, which always rank below RUC's regardless of medallion status ? If so, why as she at the bottom of the list ?
Perhaps the explanation is that upgrade awards rank the same as RUC's and none of those people was a PM ?
Confused by the entire precedence affair...
There's like a dozen goofy steps involved in correctly coding an RUC request. There's no feedback to the agent that each of the steps is actually coded correctly. If any one step is coded incorrectly, the result is the upgrade request doesn't work. The only way to really tell if the coding is correct is the result - showing up at the top of the wait list after check in. If you are using an RUC and aren't at the top, it's almost certainly coded wrong.
The DL RUC process is dumb.
Sep 28, 2016, 6:54 pm
#478
Join Date: Jan 2015
Programs: delta dm
Posts: 1,677
For any FF who likes to (gets to) travel with a +1, this is great.
Many time we travel with one or more of our daughters. Most of them used to be GM while traveling with my wife (also DM) and I. But with the spend, they barely maintain silver.
In the past year, we almost lost loyalty with Delta as the perks while traveling with family was nearly gone. If/when this comes around, it'll restore sway us back more for traveling with DL as we'll all to get to reap the benefits that we've earned.
I certainly understand that the solo medallions could be impacted. But I think that is why the announcement is taking so long. I think there will be some tiered system between solos vs +1s....and the integration into the upgrade automation/web site is taking time to get it right.
(or they put the issue on back burner as they are upgrading/verifying their entire IT infrastructure when it comes to backups, redundancy and failovers)
Many time we travel with one or more of our daughters. Most of them used to be GM while traveling with my wife (also DM) and I. But with the spend, they barely maintain silver.
In the past year, we almost lost loyalty with Delta as the perks while traveling with family was nearly gone. If/when this comes around, it'll restore sway us back more for traveling with DL as we'll all to get to reap the benefits that we've earned.
I certainly understand that the solo medallions could be impacted. But I think that is why the announcement is taking so long. I think there will be some tiered system between solos vs +1s....and the integration into the upgrade automation/web site is taking time to get it right.
(or they put the issue on back burner as they are upgrading/verifying their entire IT infrastructure when it comes to backups, redundancy and failovers)
Sep 28, 2016, 8:21 pm
#479
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,399
Sounds to me like Mrs thesaint's RUC is coded incorrectly.
There's like a dozen goofy steps involved in correctly coding an RUC request. There's no feedback to the agent that each of the steps is actually coded correctly. If any one step is coded incorrectly, the result is the upgrade request doesn't work. The only way to really tell if the coding is correct is the result - showing up at the top of the wait list after check in. If you are using an RUC and aren't at the top, it's almost certainly coded wrong.
The DL RUC process is dumb.
There's like a dozen goofy steps involved in correctly coding an RUC request. There's no feedback to the agent that each of the steps is actually coded correctly. If any one step is coded incorrectly, the result is the upgrade request doesn't work. The only way to really tell if the coding is correct is the result - showing up at the top of the wait list after check in. If you are using an RUC and aren't at the top, it's almost certainly coded wrong.
The DL RUC process is dumb.
We don't know how instrument supported upgrade requests are prioritized by DL, either in advance or at the gate.
What fare class did you and wife have? Did you observe any evidence of upgrades being done in advance for your flight, such as C+ seats becoming empty at the same time as seats in FC/D1 are filled, especially around 5pm ATL time or in the middle of the night?
Sep 28, 2016, 10:25 pm
#480
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Toledo, OH
Programs: Delta DM & MM, Hilton DM, Marriott gold, Hyatt Globalist, Alaska 75K, Wyndham Diamond,
Posts: 15,398
If they have the same policy AA has I have no problem with this new policy. Now if Delta would only make their SWU's as easy to use as AA
