Global upgrade certificate fiasco
 

Hi everyone, I wanted to share my story last weekend from AMS to EWR leg for a ticket PRG - AMS - EWR on a delta operated 767 with a delta ticket.

so on Wednesday I rang delta and I asked them to apply my global certificate to my flight back to NYC area, and they were glad to help. then come to the checkin time, there were 6 seats open. so I was liking those odds, so I came to check in on the delta app and it didnt work (Yes I am a US citizen) so I rang delta, and delta said why dont you check in through KLM and then you will see your name and wife's name in the global upgrade list on the delta app.

So I tried to checkin through KLM site, and guess what it worked I was checked in but when I checked the delta app, I couldnt see myself in the upgrade list. so ok call delta, they say that something is "stuck" and 60 minutes while I am in Prague and they uncheck me in and then ask me to check in through delta app and of course that doesnt work, then they say oh yeah we fixed it, checkin through KLM again so that works but I am still not on the upgrade list, they explain to me that the upgrade has been requested but will not kick in unless I am checked in through the delta system!!

so they said when you get to Prague ask the checkin desk to check you in and activate you your global certificate, so I did.....Guess what the lovely guy at the KLM counter had no idea and couldnt see what I was saying on the system, so rang delta again and they said ok when you get to AMS they person at the gate will do it there are still 6 seats empty. I am like ok.

so I get to AMS and meet my savior, I explain that I need my certificate activated and I am here, she says I see you on the list, but there are no more business seats left, btw delta planes are managed by those friendly full of common sense dutch KLM people. I asked her why I see 6 seats on the app.

so ok I am in the lounge and I say to myself why dont I ask the people at the desk there, the lady goes to me give me the reference number and certificate number there is a seat, I said I should be on the list as the lady said, she said I need the reference number and certificate number to get you upgraded, ok so I call delta get both reference number and certificate numbers, she applies it to my ticket, and says none left for the second one.

so I go to the gate and it is finally maned by someone normal, she explains that the ONLY way to get upgraded is not to call delta before and be on the list (like you do when you leave from the US) it is actually when you get to the gate you ask the agent to upgrade you and give them the certificate number and reference number and it is first come first serve not based on how your status!

so delta are you kidding me, how could that even be!!! and how could upgrades be based on a race who gets there first??? and how is it ok that no one I spoke to at delta (4 people at least) knew any of this.

Ok feel better now that I got off my system :)

Mike

2 thingz. . . . .

1) This is exactly why I will only book over-the-water flights with a GUC when I know in advance that the GUC UGs are available immediately. I realize that not everyone has the flexibility to do that.

2) I'm fairly sure, knowing KLM as well as I do, that they didn't say "GF yourself". Their boilerplate line is. . . ..

"I'm sorry sir, but that is NOT POSSIBLE!"

:D

This. Although way worse in Germany on LH (which I fly way more often) :)

As for being first to the counter to get upgraded. That does not sound right at all. You should be on the list and the KLM gate agents in AMS will process the list in order. Maybe they already processed the list and gave away the 6 seats? The original post is a little hard to follow given how it's written.

-RM

The main issue is less than 24hrs out control goes to KLM. Not just control but everything is transfered to KLM systems. I know there even at one point was specific wording about ex-AMS DL flights and the fact that it had to be done with a KLM agent. The problem is most DL agents don't understand this transfer of not just control, but everything to KLM.

yup, the T&Cs specifically state no waitlisting out of AMS

On wednesday that flight was already under airport/KLM control. When you where at PRG they where already selling those seats to anyone with FB miles, Skymiles or pax with a voucher or a GUC comming to the ticketing desk or the lounge. Seats that are left: between T-75 to T-40 those friendly KLM gate agents will call the NRSA's to the counter to clear them. It's SOP for years now @AMS.

OP, obviously you are upset but I encourage you to avoid profanity in a public forum.

TBH, GUCs, while a very nice perk, are a disaster in general IMO. They should really just clear into any available seat at booking for all flights. These games we have to play to use them, frankly, are absurd. I get that revenue management has a large role in this, but at the end of the day, it's a zero sum game... and the goodwill they would earn from the DMs (or, perhaps better put, less bad-will) would more than outstrip the "lost" revenue by making GUCs easier to use.

May be you are right, but what I think happens here is: once it is on the KLM system, it is like a KLM flight and the delta staff on the phone are actually blind to what is happening to the seats, also your delta app stops reporting the correct number of seats available. so you are left at the mercy of KLM staff and you hope they will do the right thing. however from my experience, KLM does not.

YESSS exactly! the delta agents don't also when I asked them on the phone, they don't have a direct way to communicate with KLM. It is an operation nightmare.

Mike

sorry don't understand do you mind explaining what that means?

so you are never really in the list then if you call delta to be waitlisted for a flight originating from AMS?

AMS = KLM, KLM = AMS. If you are AMS based and you want results aka want to be upgraded you don't waste time with anything called 'Delta' on the DoD.
Honey Badger Don't Give a ....! if you are A DM 360 MM Corporate traveler with a Delta reserve CC waitlisted for 2 months already currently in transit from PRG to AMS.
They are however very efficient upgrading anyone approaching them if they see the inventory @ Z=6 on a DL flight.
3 minutes after you appear you will have that upgrade. No need to bother with Delta, or such nonsense as waitinglists.

You can't even trust the DL app exAMS for flight status of DL departures. I almost missed a TATL flight because I was in the lounge waiting for boarding to start and the app kept saying that the flight was on time but not yet boarding.

I had the same problem last month on a flight from VIE-AMS-SEA-XXX. Checked in at Vienna was #1 for 8 seats. Time I got the gate at AMS I was #1 for 0 seats. Was told they sold 8 seats in the last two hours.

Heck things where so messed up I wasn't even on the upgrade list for the domestic flight out of SEA. Before you ask it was a different flight number than the international flight. Delta told me it was an IT glitch.