Dec 21, 2016, 3:11 pm
Last edit by: mnbp
Some Delta MD-90 aircraft have mis-configured C+ sections.
MD-90's are sold as offering C+ for rows 10-14. The original EC seats on this aircraft were rows 10-12, so the misconfigured rows have been row 13 and row 14 and happened during the C+ 3-row to 5-row conversion project in late 2015-early 2016.
Seat configuration errors include: Incorrect seat pitch, incorrect seat covers, incorrect row labels. When seat pitch is incorrect, the C+ seat has C- legroom in rows 13 or 14 or both. When seat labeling is incorrect, flight attendants usually refuse C+ service to C+ paying passengers when the seats are not correctly labeled.
Incorrectly configured MD-90 observations
Aircraft / Date of report (link) / Where is this aircraft right now
N957DN 10/02/2016 (AKC6) http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N957DN
N934DN 12/21/2016 (lucycan) http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N934DN
N906DA 12/14/2016 (cmh flyer) http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N906DA
N906DA misconfiguration may have been corrected per cmh flyer
N949DN 02/03/2016 (mnbp) http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N949DN
N949DN config possibly fixed in Sept 2016 per (LBJ)
Percentage of MD-90 fleet reported as incorrectly configured coming out of the late-2015/early-2016 3-row to 5-row C+ configuration update:
4 out of 65, or 6 %
MD-90's are sold as offering C+ for rows 10-14. The original EC seats on this aircraft were rows 10-12, so the misconfigured rows have been row 13 and row 14 and happened during the C+ 3-row to 5-row conversion project in late 2015-early 2016.
Seat configuration errors include: Incorrect seat pitch, incorrect seat covers, incorrect row labels. When seat pitch is incorrect, the C+ seat has C- legroom in rows 13 or 14 or both. When seat labeling is incorrect, flight attendants usually refuse C+ service to C+ paying passengers when the seats are not correctly labeled.
Incorrectly configured MD-90 observations
Aircraft / Date of report (link) / Where is this aircraft right now
N957DN 10/02/2016 (AKC6) http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N957DN
N934DN 12/21/2016 (lucycan) http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N934DN
N906DA 12/14/2016 (cmh flyer) http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N906DA
N906DA misconfiguration may have been corrected per cmh flyer
N949DN 02/03/2016 (mnbp) http://flightaware.com/live/flight/N949DN
N949DN config possibly fixed in Sept 2016 per (LBJ)
Percentage of MD-90 fleet reported as incorrectly configured coming out of the late-2015/early-2016 3-row to 5-row C+ configuration update:
4 out of 65, or 6 %
Misconfigured C+ seating on certain MD-90 aircraft
Feb 3, 2016, 4:02 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2009
Programs: DL PM 1MM
Posts: 3,439
Misconfigured Comfort+
This was frankly a "first" for me.
I recently flew N949DN which is an MD-90. DL.com sells rows 10-14 as Comfort+ on MD-90s. The DL.com seat map for our flight, and the generic seat map for the aircraft type indicated that rows 10-14 are Comfort+.
On this aircraft, however, Comfort+ is only available in rows 10-12.
Naturally, the flight attendants offer Comfort+ amenities only to those seated in seats marked Comfort+. With 2-3 seating and 5 people per row, that's 10 unhappy (feeling ripped off) passengers per flight segment that this aircraft operates.
I had no idea that the MD-90 fleet was inconsistently configured.
I recently flew N949DN which is an MD-90. DL.com sells rows 10-14 as Comfort+ on MD-90s. The DL.com seat map for our flight, and the generic seat map for the aircraft type indicated that rows 10-14 are Comfort+.
On this aircraft, however, Comfort+ is only available in rows 10-12.
Naturally, the flight attendants offer Comfort+ amenities only to those seated in seats marked Comfort+. With 2-3 seating and 5 people per row, that's 10 unhappy (feeling ripped off) passengers per flight segment that this aircraft operates.
I had no idea that the MD-90 fleet was inconsistently configured.
Feb 3, 2016, 4:42 pm
#2
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: Delta PM, Delta Reserve, Amex Plat, Bonvoy Gold, Hilton Diamond, Starbucks Gold ;)
Posts: 1,775
I saw this happen on an equipment swap about two weeks ago, 737-8 with an older configuration. The gate agent noticed the issue and offers people a voucher. She made a Pa announcement. This was in SLC. Depending on the fare I'd ask for a refund or voucher and still ask for the free drinks 
Feb 3, 2016, 7:09 pm
#3
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: CHA
Programs: DL-DM (1.75MM), Bonvoy LifeTi, Hertz-PC
Posts: 618
Other flights of the MD configurations have listed some seats in row 10 (first row of C+) as 'regular seats'. Not C+, not even prefered, but white spaces.
Was able to put a travel companion in the row (in front of me) and she got full C+ service.
Was able to put a travel companion in the row (in front of me) and she got full C+ service.
Dec 14, 2016, 1:15 pm
#5
Join Date: Mar 2004
Programs: DL PM, DL MM, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold, SPG
Posts: 804
Misconfigured C+ seating on certain MD-90 aircraft
Looking for some input from the FT community. Here’s the note I sent to Delta that explains the recent problem on our ATL-TPA 12/3/16 DL flight #2330. Gave all the pertinent info in the Delta Customer Care form as far as Conf #, Ticket #, FF#, Flight #, etc.
"Because my husband is 6 feet 5 inches tall, he hates to travel on planes. So when I can get him to travel, I do everything possible to make it comfortable for him, by getting a seat with extra leg room in the exit row, Comfort Plus, or first class. On this flight, I made sure we were in Comfort +, but this flight from ATL - TPA was NOT Comfort + in Seats 13A & 13B. On the website, it was shown as. Comfort +......the seats said they were Comfort +, but they CLEARLY were NOT Comfort +. There was 4 inches less leg room. My husband's knees hit the seat back, making for a very uncomfortable flight.....and a cranky husband. This is false advertising - to market these seat as Comfort Plus with extra legroom! I'm very disappointed in Delta for this misrepresentation."
I requested a response from Delta. Today I received a phone call from Delta Customer Care. She said she would reimburse me the Comfort + fee if I had paid a fee for Comfort + and I told her No, we were upgraded because I have platinum status. She kept telling me that our seats were designated as Comfort + seats, while I kept explaining that it was designated as C+, the seats said they were C+ on the seat backs, but there was no extra leg room as there should be. My husband, a contractor, measured the legroom difference compared to the row in front of our seats and our C+ seats had 4 “ less legroom than the C+ seats in row 12.
Frankly, it was frustrating and almost insulting to have someone keep telling me that the seats had the extra legroom, when they did not. As a Platinum and a Million Miler, I’ve flown Delta enough to know the difference. Unless they sat in the seats or went on the plane to measure the legroom (compared to the other C+ rows), they wouldn’t know.
The Delta Customer Care rep said they would refer this on to management and thanked me for calling. I asked if I could expect contact from Delta after management’s review and she said, “No”. She was calling because I requested a response. I told her that I would like another response once management reviewed it……or once someone went on the plane to see for themselves what the legroom was.
1. It was the last room of C+. Have you ever said in a designated Comfort + seat that didn’t have the extra legroom? This was the first time for me.
2. If so, what kind of response did you get from Delta about the problem?
Lots of things go wrong on flights and I rarely complain, but this was clearly a problem and a misrepresentation to market these seats as C+, especially uncomfortable for my 6’5” husband.
"Because my husband is 6 feet 5 inches tall, he hates to travel on planes. So when I can get him to travel, I do everything possible to make it comfortable for him, by getting a seat with extra leg room in the exit row, Comfort Plus, or first class. On this flight, I made sure we were in Comfort +, but this flight from ATL - TPA was NOT Comfort + in Seats 13A & 13B. On the website, it was shown as. Comfort +......the seats said they were Comfort +, but they CLEARLY were NOT Comfort +. There was 4 inches less leg room. My husband's knees hit the seat back, making for a very uncomfortable flight.....and a cranky husband. This is false advertising - to market these seat as Comfort Plus with extra legroom! I'm very disappointed in Delta for this misrepresentation."
I requested a response from Delta. Today I received a phone call from Delta Customer Care. She said she would reimburse me the Comfort + fee if I had paid a fee for Comfort + and I told her No, we were upgraded because I have platinum status. She kept telling me that our seats were designated as Comfort + seats, while I kept explaining that it was designated as C+, the seats said they were C+ on the seat backs, but there was no extra leg room as there should be. My husband, a contractor, measured the legroom difference compared to the row in front of our seats and our C+ seats had 4 “ less legroom than the C+ seats in row 12.
Frankly, it was frustrating and almost insulting to have someone keep telling me that the seats had the extra legroom, when they did not. As a Platinum and a Million Miler, I’ve flown Delta enough to know the difference. Unless they sat in the seats or went on the plane to measure the legroom (compared to the other C+ rows), they wouldn’t know.
The Delta Customer Care rep said they would refer this on to management and thanked me for calling. I asked if I could expect contact from Delta after management’s review and she said, “No”. She was calling because I requested a response. I told her that I would like another response once management reviewed it……or once someone went on the plane to see for themselves what the legroom was.
1. It was the last room of C+. Have you ever said in a designated Comfort + seat that didn’t have the extra legroom? This was the first time for me.
2. If so, what kind of response did you get from Delta about the problem?
Lots of things go wrong on flights and I rarely complain, but this was clearly a problem and a misrepresentation to market these seats as C+, especially uncomfortable for my 6’5” husband.
Dec 14, 2016, 1:26 pm
#6
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 2,881
Edit: Someone should walk down an MD-90 and check out row 13.
What were you trying to get from the communication? There wouldn't be a refund since you didn't pay extra. If they told you they would adjust the pitch during the next maintenance stop, would that be good? Or did you want compensation? Or just to be told that your observation was correct? Whichever thing you wanted, you should've made that clear to the Customer Care representative.
What were you trying to get from the communication? There wouldn't be a refund since you didn't pay extra. If they told you they would adjust the pitch during the next maintenance stop, would that be good? Or did you want compensation? Or just to be told that your observation was correct? Whichever thing you wanted, you should've made that clear to the Customer Care representative.
Last edited by Widgets; Dec 14, 2016 at 1:41 pm
Dec 14, 2016, 1:37 pm
#7
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: BWI
Programs: DL FO
Posts: 312
There are a number of reasons a plane may have more leg room in one row of C+, compared to another. The more important issue, IMO, is whether or not your C+ seats had more leg room than the regular Y rows - as long as your row had more leg room than (non-exit) regular Y seats on that specific aircraft, then DL upheld the promise of extra leg room.
Dec 14, 2016, 1:41 pm
#8
Join Date: Mar 2004
Programs: DL PM, DL MM, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold, SPG
Posts: 804
Are you saying it was the last row of C+? It looks like your airplane has C+ up to row 14.
Also, what were you trying to get from the communication? There wouldn't be a refund since you didn't pay extra. If they told you they would adjust the pitch during the next maintenance stop, would that be good? Or did you want compensation? Or just to be told that your observation was correct? Whichever thing you wanted, you should've made that clear to the Customer Care representative.
Also, what were you trying to get from the communication? There wouldn't be a refund since you didn't pay extra. If they told you they would adjust the pitch during the next maintenance stop, would that be good? Or did you want compensation? Or just to be told that your observation was correct? Whichever thing you wanted, you should've made that clear to the Customer Care representative.
What made me angry ....is the rep telling me it had extra legroom, when I know it didn't. Just because her diagram says so, doesn't make it so.
Have you ever had a C+ seat that looked like C+ with setbacks saying so but didn't have the extra legroom? It was the 1st time for me and Delta should know about it and correct it. Primarily, I want them to fix this problem. But my lesson learned...never book the last row of C+ and I normally avoid that, but not this time.
Frankly I expected something....I don't know....miles or a small voucher for our inconvenience. As I said, I rarely complain, so don't have much experience requesting compensation.
Last edited by cmh flyer; Dec 14, 2016 at 2:32 pm
Dec 14, 2016, 1:43 pm
#9
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 2,881
There are a number of reasons a plane may have more leg room in one row of C+, compared to another. The more important issue, IMO, is whether or not your C+ seats had more leg room than the regular Y rows - as long as your row had more leg room than (non-exit) regular Y seats on that specific aircraft, then DL upheld the promise of extra leg room.
Dec 14, 2016, 1:45 pm
#10
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 2,881
No I wasn't looking for a refund and didn't expect one. I wanted Delta to know about the problem which in my opinion is false advertising and misrepresentation to show a seat as C+ without the 4 " of extra legroom. Tall people need and depend on that extra leg room when booking a C+ seat.
Dec 14, 2016, 1:52 pm
#11
Join Date: Mar 2004
Programs: DL PM, DL MM, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold, SPG
Posts: 804
As a platinum and a million miler, please I understand that I've flown Delta enough to be able to tell the typical legroom difference between regular economy and C+. And oddly when my husband measured the difference, it turned out to be 4 ". I didn't need to measure; i knew it was wrong.
FWIW, Delta advertises it is up to a 4" difference.
http://www.delta.com/content/www/en_...%7C44860498068
FWIW, Delta advertises it is up to a 4" difference.
http://www.delta.com/content/www/en_...%7C44860498068
Dec 14, 2016, 1:53 pm
#12
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: Northern California
Programs: DL DM Charter, 2.9MM; 2019 PM and falling; Kettle everywhere else
Posts: 243
Wow. I guess I have to add a measuring tape to my carryon going forward 
. You might have had a better case if your husband had measured an economy row behind you instead of the row in front.
. You might have had a better case if your husband had measured an economy row behind you instead of the row in front.
Dec 14, 2016, 1:58 pm
#13
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 2,881
As a platinum and a million miler, please I understand that I've flown Delta enough to be able to tell the typical legroom difference between regular economy and C+. And oddly when my husband measured the difference, it turned out to be 4 ". I didn't need to measure; i knew it was wrong.
FWIW, Delta advertises it is up to a 4" difference.
http://www.delta.com/content/www/en_...%7C44860498068
FWIW, Delta advertises it is up to a 4" difference.
http://www.delta.com/content/www/en_...%7C44860498068
Dec 14, 2016, 2:22 pm
#14
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: DTW
Programs: Alaska, Delta, Southwest
Posts: 1,663
I suppose technically they delivered on their promise since their description says "up to" 3" rather than "guaranteed," but doesn't anyone else find it a bit shady that there'd be that big a discrepancy between two Comfort Plus rows on the same aircraft? They've basically just slapped the Comfort Plus embroidery on a standard coach row and called it equivalent.
Dec 14, 2016, 2:29 pm
#15
Suspended
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: MEM
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Posts: 5,431
Delta promises "Delta Comfort+ gives you space, with up to 3 more inches of legroom on domestic flights." It doesn't promise that Comfort+ seats will all have the same amount of legroom, just that every seat will have at least 3 more inches of legroom compared to Main Cabin seats. The row in front of the OP might have had 7 extra inches of legroom, and her row could have had 3 extra inches of legroom. It's hard to know if she didn't measure the full pitch of the row.
FWIW, I have suspected that there are C+ rows with the standard pitch for a while. When the MD88 originally got C+ (or whatever it was called when it first rolled out) there were three rows. Then suddenly I started seeing 5 rows with no indication that those planes had been in mods. The seats looked like they had just been recovered. I don't have any actual measurements to back that up, it was purely perception.