Lyaec350

Flew YXE-MSP today 7/31/2016 on DL 3760. At least 6 medallions on F upgrade list. 1 empty F seat at T-30. The GA boards FC then two uniformed FAs show up at the gate, there is tons of typing (2-3 min worth, during which time boarding was held) and the FAs are send down the jetbridge before sky priority boarding is called. One FA sitting in first and one in C+. Given that these seats were vacant right up until the Ga started boarding I think there is a good probability of shenanigans here, and since they were in those seats before I even had a chance to board, YBYL doesn't even apply. Anyone with powers care to confirm/refute? 2D is the seat in question.

Thanks in advance,

Widgets

Report exactly what you've told us to Delta. I hope you get compensation.

I didn't look into this because I can't share what I find anyway. If you think it happened, report it.

dzflyer

If I'm on that upgrade list I get a redcoat station manager etc and ask for my upgrade while this is occurring. Wouldn't have let it go down without a conversation.

DLERT

No doubt they were NOT pass riding for pleasure.
Perhaps they were a deadheading crew to operate another flight and if so
the priority is in Delta's court - they MUST ride - how the seats are assigned
could be factored that these crew members needed to be up front and first off
to their assigned flight without further delay.
Back of the bus is not a satisfactory solution to this or even swapping out
seats with frequent loyal passengers causing further delay thus possibly
delaying two flights.
Deadheading crews to operate another flight trump the standby/upgrade list.
So Delta had one person unhappy with this solution but scored a whole plane
load of passengers from delay or further delay or cancellation.

BHammy

I'm sure I'd be bummed if I was that close to getting a FREE upgrade.
But it is what it is...they are complimentary upgrades, not expected.

What would you do if you're the GA who has two fellow employees come up and ask to get on the flight. The GA may see those FAs twice a week. Odds are, they'll never see, much less remember #1 on the upgrade list ever again. Who would you play favorites to?

If they weren't dressed as FA's, just in regular clothes, you'd have to assume they were Delta 360s that just got bumped from another flight and they got higher priority and there would be no discussion or disgust.

woodford02A

The fact that the FAs were a) in uniform b) coming from an international outstation leads me to believe they were indeed deadheading to get to their next flight or back to base and were due the seats they were given

MSPeconomist

GAs aren't supposed to play favorites and steal upgrades from elites who are entitled to those upgrades according to published program rules. It shouldn't matter what the relation is between the GAs and the nonrevs or how often they might see each other. It's still theft from one's employer and should lead to immediate termination when it happens.

pvn

Something funny happened here if the GA started boarding before gate upgrades were processed.

dzflyer

This happened at T 30 right when upgrades were suppose to happen. Shenanigans.

Widgets

Assuming the OP's story is true, I wouldn't have given a deadheading crew member a first class seat so they could get off early. FAs could have let them deplane first on arrival. Seating them in the back wouldn't have delayed the flight because upgrading a Medallion would have opened up a seat immediately.

Widgets

I tell personal friend FAs to sit in the back all the time. If they aren't terrible people, then they understand that customers come first and customers bring in the revenue

Widgets

If the FAs were truly due First Class seats, then the OP would have reported both FAs sitting in First, not one in Comfort+.

flyerCO

However contractually they might be entitled. I know some flight crews get first class seats in order to have time counted as rest and not active flight.

However it sounds like agent didn't process the FC upgrade list before processing standbys and system cleared FA into the best available seat which was FC.

Widgets

This could be true, but I've never heard of such a contract for a Delta Connection carrier. #1 on the upgrade list could have gotten an apology and explanation from the GA if so.

MSPeconomist

If the FAs were contractually entitled to FC seats as deadheaders, the flight shouldn't have shown one FC seat as available for upgrade as the FAs should have been already confirmed into FC.

I also don't think it's likely that there would be deadheading crew on this flight unless there had been issues such as an ill crew member or a ferry flight. If the person lives near YXE, they would be based elsewhere necessarily and commute (NOT deadhead) internationally to work, although this arrangement for a MSP based FA would be very unusual, and even more unlikely for two of them on the same flight. Even so, in that case, the FA would fly to work at their duty station either as a nonrev with no entitlement to FC until all elites confirmed on the flight had already been upgraded or on a paid ticket, where again it would be extremely unlikely that one FA would purchase FC and the other one would purchase C+ just as the flight started boarding, especially when there were available seats and those FAs would have gotten on the flight as NRSAs. For the record, it's similarly unlikely that if they *purchased* a coach ticket when it wasn't necessary to do so, they would have had the status level and other priority indicators to go to the very top of the gate upgrade list.