Delta one
#61
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: ORD/MDW/MKE
Programs: DL, UA
Posts: 786
... what also sucks for the FA's is that non rev's are usually the most demanding service-wise...(I can say this because my Sis-in-law is a pilot's wife and she tells me stories of her behavior on the planes and she is kind of person I dread to meet in a premium cabin and I am pretty sure her behavior is fairly common)
I myself think that Delta employees and direct family should have the privilege to fly up front in D1 but that other non-rev should not have that privilege..it would improve the experience both for the employees and also the Revenue passengers....It would improve the brand, and isn't that what Delta wants to accomplish?
Employees and immediate family (parents, children, spouse) are the only people who get full free pass benefits (if the employee doesn't have a spouse, they can designate a travel companion). I understand your point regarding buddy passes though, however they do pay for the ability to fly standby (and transoceanic buddies are not cheap (not as much as a ticket mind you, but still not a cheap deal)). Other airline employees are not eligible for J at all, and this tends to be true for all airlines with a handful of exceptions.
Edit to add: DLMiddleSeats beat me to the punch. I agree completely with his assessment regarding buddy passes.
#62
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: MSP
Posts: 164
Willing to bet nearly anyone who's flown in J on DL has sat in the cabin with several non revs and had no idea. My experience is people try to keep their heads down and not draw any attention to themselves. Have I seen behavior by other non revs that I have cringed at, yes. But it's by far the exception.
#63
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Maryland
Programs: DL-Diamond, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 459
The original post was about branding, and to be honest the advertising and marketing don't match the product..though Delta should get points for major improvements over the past few years..
Flying in a half empty A380 upper deck on Korean Air (with 88 seats up there) even with a crappier seat is far superior than a packed front cabin on Delta..because the soft product is what really differentiates the flight experience..and when a cabin is packed the soft product is impacted...relaxed FA's that aren't being harried and run ragged...compared to practically nonstop service requests on a full flight...
Flying in a half empty A380 upper deck on Korean Air (with 88 seats up there) even with a crappier seat is far superior than a packed front cabin on Delta..because the soft product is what really differentiates the flight experience..and when a cabin is packed the soft product is impacted...relaxed FA's that aren't being harried and run ragged...compared to practically nonstop service requests on a full flight...
So Delta should remove seats? Or intentionally fly empty seats so a few people could feel more premium LOL
That's what First class is for, and why it's double or triple the cost of Business Class
If a Delta One cabin has 30 seats, the product should be able to shine if 30/30 are full or 15/30
#64
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: ATL
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Posts: 10,742
If you'd like to fly in an empty cabin, purchase additional seats or move up to IFC on another airline. DL doesn't put seats into their premium cabins just so they can fly them around empty.
While I'm happy you had a good experience on KE, I can assure you they would have very much rather flown with that A380 cabin 100% full, and if they send out enough flights that empty, they will adjust their pricing strategy accordingly.
#65
In memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2005
Location: PIT
Programs: DM life is over 2MM PM now & NW MillionAir Wyndham Rewards Plat -Hotels.com Silver -Accor Silver
Posts: 15,408
I think it's fair to say that, not EVERY single non-rev is identifiable - - - BUT - - - FOR SURE - some definitely ARE!
The way they act / behave - not necessarily badly, just the way they interact with the crew, <and sometimes each other>, etc. That said - equally as certain is, that there are non-revs who blend in with the crowd 100% who you'd never suspect!
I've also seen non-revs dressed in casual clothes, but wearing their ID's around their necks. Usually these are seen helping out the on-duty FAs with "stuff".
The way they act / behave - not necessarily badly, just the way they interact with the crew, <and sometimes each other>, etc. That said - equally as certain is, that there are non-revs who blend in with the crowd 100% who you'd never suspect!
I've also seen non-revs dressed in casual clothes, but wearing their ID's around their necks. Usually these are seen helping out the on-duty FAs with "stuff".
#66
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: TPA
Programs: DL Diamond, HH Diamond, IHG Plat, Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,256
Honestly other than the 8 buddy passes we all get a year, and most people don't give out all 8 in a year, I've given out less than 8 total in the 6 years I've been with Delta, the only people eligible on your flight list is your spouse or domestic partner, children and the employees parents, not even spouses parents or grandparents.
Eliminating J from buddy passes wouldn't really do all that much.
Eliminating J from buddy passes wouldn't really do all that much.
Last edited by ChiefNWA; Apr 13, 2017 at 4:27 pm
#67
Moderator: Hyatt; FlyerTalk Evangelist
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Location: WAS
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Posts: 18,820
#69
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: LAX
Programs: Fallen DL DM (PM) 2MM
Posts: 4,783
If Delta wasn't selling enough D1 seats to make them profitable, I'm sure they'd remove seats -- in fact, didn't they do that a few years ago (maybe when EC came around?)
I don't do D1 as much as many here as I travel completely on my own dime. But I have used all my GUCs, gotten a share of OpUps and bought the occasional discounted Z fare.
I can remember only two times where other passengers behavior rose to the level of disturbance. One was on a 767 where I try for 1A or 1D for the larger footwell. There was a party going on the fwd galley -- I'm assuming the passengers were DL employees since they were talking with the FA. The champagne was flowing (not by FA's) and it got so loud it woke me up. I went to restroom and just said off hand "Kind of hard to sleep" and things quieted down.
The other case it was a group of younger (20-something I assume since alcohol was being consumed) who were basically having a party in the cabin. I have no idea of they were non-rev or not but I got that impression from something they said (can't remember what). The FA finally came back and read them the riot act and things quieted down.
I've had noisy people when flying in the back as well. That is life...
I don't do D1 as much as many here as I travel completely on my own dime. But I have used all my GUCs, gotten a share of OpUps and bought the occasional discounted Z fare.
I can remember only two times where other passengers behavior rose to the level of disturbance. One was on a 767 where I try for 1A or 1D for the larger footwell. There was a party going on the fwd galley -- I'm assuming the passengers were DL employees since they were talking with the FA. The champagne was flowing (not by FA's) and it got so loud it woke me up. I went to restroom and just said off hand "Kind of hard to sleep" and things quieted down.
The other case it was a group of younger (20-something I assume since alcohol was being consumed) who were basically having a party in the cabin. I have no idea of they were non-rev or not but I got that impression from something they said (can't remember what). The FA finally came back and read them the riot act and things quieted down.
I've had noisy people when flying in the back as well. That is life...
#71
In memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2005
Location: PIT
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Posts: 15,408
That said, a few years ago I was flying PIT/CDG with a friend. We were in the first row of Y on the B752 - the twosie by the exit door and bulkhead, row 18. We told the J FA that it would be my friend's birthday when we arrived in Paris, and that he had never been to Europe before. She discreetly slid a plastic ice bucket with a whole bottle of champagne between our seats! Talk about NICE!
#73
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: SE USA
Programs: DL DM/MM , IHG Plat, MR Titanium, HH Gold, EK Frequent Kettle, UA Silver, AA Hater
Posts: 2,018
As someone who pays for J most of the time (since being able to use a GUC at booking is rare), I have just a few comments:
WJBJ - this is the way the system is set up. Period.
D1 is NOT an elite product. It may be advertised that way but I really don't think that is the intent. Surely someone at DL has sampled the food and service and realizes it is not an elite product. We could all get a better product but choose not to do so for MQM; I can't make DM without Intl J so if I choose something better I am sentenced to a year in Y domestically and lose SC the next year. I give up a little on a few international trips to make my domestic life on the most reliable airline easier; it is a tradeoff and a business decision. DL understands this. If all you did was fly international J and did not care about status you could fly a better product (depending on your route of course).
Stop hating on non-revs! I can count on one hand the number of issues I've seen in 35 years of flying. Jeez people.
Not that many non-revs are up there!!!!
Triva - who is more obnoxious, a non-rev or a DYKWIA? IME it is the DYKWIA.
Rant over.
PS - WJBJ
WJBJ - this is the way the system is set up. Period.
D1 is NOT an elite product. It may be advertised that way but I really don't think that is the intent. Surely someone at DL has sampled the food and service and realizes it is not an elite product. We could all get a better product but choose not to do so for MQM; I can't make DM without Intl J so if I choose something better I am sentenced to a year in Y domestically and lose SC the next year. I give up a little on a few international trips to make my domestic life on the most reliable airline easier; it is a tradeoff and a business decision. DL understands this. If all you did was fly international J and did not care about status you could fly a better product (depending on your route of course).
Stop hating on non-revs! I can count on one hand the number of issues I've seen in 35 years of flying. Jeez people.
Not that many non-revs are up there!!!!
Triva - who is more obnoxious, a non-rev or a DYKWIA? IME it is the DYKWIA.
Rant over.
PS - WJBJ
Last edited by dilbertsdaddy; Apr 13, 2017 at 5:21 pm
#75
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: BWI
Programs: HHonors Diamond, SPG Gold
Posts: 766
I'm not arguing about the benefit; like OP said, it's a curious branding decision.
FWIW this doesn't affect me personally in the least. I fly for schedule/price in the US now.