gooselee

Many here would probably say that technically, DL never does elite upgrades for int'l J - only op-ups. But I get what you're saying.

That sounds odd to me, and I have never noticed it happen on any of my flights in D1. Perhaps someone else has an idea. Not discounting your own experiences, but I'm still firmly in the crowd that enjoys D1 for what it is and am really not bothered by the other pax around me, nonrev or not. Perhaps I'm just oblivious...but if my lack of interest in other D1 pax is fueling my enjoyment of the product, so be it.

ChiefNWA

I can tell you that it is not nonrevs. A few years back when payload optimization and weight and balance became more prominent (why that's the case is a discussion for another day), agents would be required to clear standbys in the back in many cases. The original policy was to bring those standbys up to J after takeoff if seats were available as the weight and balance requirements were really only needed for takeoff. Obviously, that policy didn't last long and is no longer what they do. If we get cleared in 45F with 20 open J, that's more than likely where we'll stay.

Honestly, I don't know who they could be pulling up. Of my ~200K miles/yr for the last several years, I've never had that happen and other than the above assessment I provided, there aren't any other scenarios I can think of that would result in that. My guess is they were upgrades listed that weren't cleared then some J passengers no showed, so the FA brought up the upgrades.

What I can tell you is, nonrevs are very observant of improper behavior by gate agents and FAs in the case of clearing individuals behind them. I assure you, if the FA randomly brought up one of their NRSA friends, if they weren't at the top of the list, someone got reported...

apodo77

Usually for me it is the carry on luggage that gives it away or those who forget to take off their badge around their neck.
Leaving the boarding pass out for all to see can do it also.

pbarnette

I don't dispute that it is possible to know if an individual person is a non-rev, I dispute that it is possible to identify dozens of non-revs on multiple flights such that you would be able to infer any sort of trend. Heck, even identifying dozens of non-revs on a single flight would require a level of obsession with the topic that would call into question the objectiveness of your observations.

The idea that DL flights (or AA or UA) are routinely filled with nonrevs in J is simply not consistent with the financial performance of the airlines. Yes, there may be some destinations during some lulls in traffic, but for it to be a widespread problem that seriously and negatively impacts the "brand"? Crazy talk.

jdrtravel

Because they make more money selling 3 of 8 open seats for $8500 than they will selling 5 or even 6 of 8 seats for $3500. There really are people who have expense accounts or who are wealthy who will pay those high fares.

Also, DL sometimes does sell highly discounted D1 upgrades during online check in. What you could have done, I suppose, was to buy that $2300 ticket at T-24, and check in right away and see if you got an offer, and cancel if not.

RealHJ

I am also hardly interested in the pax around me (or the FAs...I just want quick & efficient service, no more). Just sometimes, may be more than sometimes, the type of pax in DL J is, well, louder and can be annoying vs. the more subdued pax on other airlines J (but that may be just my bad luck), and the service is noticeably slower when the cabin is full, vs. not always full as is the case with most other airlines.

I'll take flying as the only pax on the upper deck of KE 747 (where the ratio of FAs to pax then is 2:1), even though it is 2-2 seating any day, vs. on a full DL 747.

My enjoyment of the service is to get my food ASAP and be able to sleep undisturbed. I realize that may be different from others, who may like chatty FAs and a long and drawn out painfully slow service (the cake on that goes to AY, though, who has by far the slowest J meal service of any airline and some of the most turtle-paced FAs of any airline - time and time again).

gooselee

Fair enough. I can't say I also wouldn't enjoy having a 747 UD to myself on just about any airline. Not sure how that's a viable business move for that airline, but they have the data, not me.

I've had good and less-good experiences on a few different airlines in J. Not enough to spot a trend. I do end up on DL the most and have had almost entirely all good experiences there w.r.t. other pax. It's probably luck of the draw anywhere, and I can see how an emptier cabin in general lowers the likelihood of having annoying other pax, I would just never bank on the cabin being empty no matter what airline I'm flying.

The loudest pax in J I've experienced by far have been in a half-full MU A330 cabin (where the man on the other side of the plane apparently needed to clear his phlegm every 3-5 minutes during a 14 hr flight), and a nearly-full AF A380 cabin where three very important businessmen decided they needed to have a very loud meeting in the aisle around one of their seats. The FA told them to return to their seats a few times, and eventually they did, and just continued loudly conversing with each other across the aisle (which was arguably worse).

Widgets

I might've been her gate agent at one time. The pilot's wife was on the standby list and assumed she would be cleared #1 because her husband wouldn't leave without her. It was easy to imply that she'd be a wife, but not a pilot's wife, if her accommodation was a condition of the pilot's job performance.
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I think it'd be reasonable for U.S. airlines to charge a nominal fee for nonrevs to be seated in a premium cabin, and also require a truly business casual dress code. I think the fee and strict dress code would satisfy the truly premium customers and the behaved nonrevs. The dress code wouldn't diminish an employee's compensation package unless he/she is trashy and can't put together some khakis and a polo.

RealHJ

KE seats all J pax downstairs by default; to sit on the UD you have to change your seat assignment. Upstairs 747 is not infrequently used for Y overspill (Y service, J seats). But therein lies the beauty of picking a set on the upper deck. If it's changed to Y a few days prior to departure due to oversold flight, then you have a good chance to being moved to F at the very front of the plane, as the J downstairs is usually quite full (while upstairs mostly empty). Why or how KE does that I don't know, but that's my experience several times in the past.

davetravels

I know they used to hava dress code, but, I guess it's been relaxed.

My question is - Why? I typically wear comfy jeans and <a colorful> waffle thermal type shirt <as in my pic>. I remember being in the LAX SC, and I saw one of those paid RedCoat escorts with a man wearing, let's say, a designer sweatsuit with a good bit of flashy jewelry. I don't think it makes sense to hava dress code anymore, since the general public flying upper classes doesn't. When I sat opposite Leonardo DiCaprio, he was wearing black beat up jeans, a t shirt, a black leather coat and a baseball cap!

I always find it funny to see older gentleman types wearing a suit coat/blazer, shirt and tie <tied all the way up to the collar> on long haul flights - and even sitting in COACH!

tennessetom

I really was asking about branding. Delta is spending a rather large sum of money on the delta one brand. I was looking to see how others perceive the brand and what I see as disconnects. How do I know how many no revs were on the flight. I know the gate agent and she told me. So no guessing or looking at people and judging but facts provided by the gate agent. Why was I told. I asked how full the flight was and it was provided as part of the answer. So like another poster said I fly delta I international only enough to make diamond. I think they have a great domestic product. I fly a great deal. Less interested in upgrades than i am in access to the diamond desk and standby priority. Delta has zero flexibility for flight changes on international so another benefit that you don't get. American will actually let you on an earlier fight same day.

British air and American I was talking first class which have a much smaller cabin which provides a nice experience. My business class ticket normally results in an upgrade to first. Delta I pay the same price but no upgrade.

So not trying to find new way to make negative social comments but rather trying to understand something. Most people I know do not like th delta one product and the upgrade
Policy in many cases annoys its elite members. United and American can be upgraded off of lower fares for less miles. To me delta one is the one strategy delt has that I just don't get so I was out to understand what others think

Funny how so many turn things into being about elitism so quickly.

TheMadBrewer

I think Widgets was talking about a dress code for NonRevs in J.

Me, I change into "dressy" sweatpants and a baggy T-shirt just before boarding a long haul, especially if in Y.

xliioper

Elitism? So you expect to be upgraded from coach to J simply because you are a DM and there is an open seat? That's seems to me to be the very definition of Elitism.

davetravels

Yes, so was I, actually.

ijgordon

Not really sure what you mean.
I don't think many people here really pay attention to the branding. They care about the product. And see my earlier comments about the money they spend that seems like a waste, but I'm a financial guy, not a marketer.