ATLawyer

Do you have a link to a release from Delta confirming the alleged change.

I still haven't seen this issue on any of my current bookings.

C W

No need to be rude...

Beyond whether or not we believe your unpublished, unverified Delta source on the intentionality of this, I disagree with your analysis.

I have several D1 bookings and I cannot see C+ or Main Cabin. How does this help Delta sell me anything?

I have several domestic Main Cabin bookings where I am in WU. I can see Main Cabin, C+, and FC because I have FCM offers. If I didn't have an FCM offer, how would not seeing FC make me any more likely to buy FC? It certainly would not make me go out of my way to call and upgrade. And I simply cannot believe that Delta thinks that the average flyer, not average FlyerTalker, will make a booking, see that they can't see the FC seatmap or FCM, and then remember that the next time they book as a reason to book FC. It doesn't make sense.

scongro

Not saying it's a glitch or not, but prior to this morning I couldn't see anything in F unless I was confirmed there. This morning, I can see empty seats.

MSPeconomist

Many people assume that a greyed out seat on a DL seat map means that it's occupied. If someone's been wavering about buying up to FC, maybe they see no FC seats being available, rush to call DL to see whether they can still accept the FCM offer that they saw earlier, and then are very grateful to be able to purchase an upgrade to FC at almost any price?

I'm starting to wonder whether DL is experimenting with trying to use behavioral economics to extract more money from its customers.

C W

Or maybe they just think that it's occupied and do nothing. And I think Delta is very clearly showing FCM when it wants to sell FCM, not playing odd mind games that are predicated on getting people to take up call center time in a panic.

gooselee

We FTers are thinking about this way more than the other 98% of DL customers (and probably thinking about it way too much in general).

We know that DL has been making changes (enhancing/improving/whatever) to the way they offer and sell buy-ups. For many, this is a good thing as it's an easier way to do buy ups for corporate portal tickets than past methods which required a call.

This might be something as simple as - if there's an FCM/C+M offer, show the seat map because clicking on the seat will show how much it costs. Plenty of other airlines do this - UA puts the price right inside the drawing of the seat itself.

OTOH, if no buy-up offers are available, no need to show the seats because there shouldn't be anything the customer needs to click on.

If you think about it in simpler, everyday UI terms, it makes sense. Show the button when people are able to click on it. Hide the button when they're not able to click on it.

laptoptravel

I have the Twitter conversation on my article..I also quoted from it in original post...at the same time, RenesPoints is reporting a change confirmed by Delta while fixing the Comfort+ (middle seat) upgrade concern...

Delta told me that 'since you can not manage seats in a cabin you are booked' you will no longer be able to see those cabins....

laptoptravel

I totally get your points...and I agree with the reverse theory (how does not seeing a lower class cabin help) but it may be as simple as easier for IT to block any other cabin other that the one booked.

I have about 28 segments booked right now...and I can see a wide discrepancy...on a few flights I can see all cabins (when I am in Comfort+) but if I am in First/Business Class I cannot see any other cabin. On all but maybe 6, I cannot see other cabins...

I have shared numerous seatmaps with Delta and they basically have said if it's not your cabin why do you need to see it? I agree with the possibility that Delta is experimenting with behavioral economics...making the 'other side of the wall' which cannot be seen through more likely to be purchased in a preemptive effort by the (lazier) casual flyers or less informed.

Delta is far too smart (and has shown their initiative in developing things like Basic Economy) to not know what they are doing..and fix it if that is what they wanted.

C W

RenesPoints has also reported that a Delta tech insider says that it is a glitch.

I'm not putting a ton of credence in either of your reports, but I think this issue is far from settled.

flyerslc

I have a waitlisted RUC upgrade and I see the duplicate seat map. It says " currently you may only view seats for this flight". Except the entire plane is grayed out, FC, C+ and Economy. The agent when I called in also had the same issue, and had to go to another portal she had access to, where she could see how many FC seats were still unassigned. It seems like a glitch since the only purpose of the duplicate map would be to allow you to see how many seats were open and then to choose or change once the upgrade cleared. Weird.

dinanm3atl

They don't need to sell you anything. You are in D1.

And you ARE seeing them but many people are NOT. Are you seriously not understanding how this MIGHT work? Seat Map shows 1 seat left in FC and you have an offer at 149 dollars. Versus Seat Map shows 10 seats open and an offer at 149. Or FC is greyed out with offer for 149. All are 100% the same situation?

C W

I understand that many people are seeing greyed out seatmaps. That is what this thread is about.

There is nothing in this thread to indicate that Delta is showing a different number of FCM seats (1 vs 10 as you suggest) than are actually available in some supposed attempt at psychological manipulation. I have not seen any indications that people are seeing FCM offers with a greyed out seatmap, everybody with an FCM offer can see the FC seatmap.

What are you trying to suggest?

Zeeb

I haven't seen this pointed out yet but one area where this sucks is if you've been "upgraded" to an economy comfort middle seat and you want to watch to see if any aisles (or windows if that's your preference) open up in the main cabin. Sure you can see if there are open seats via the standby list in the app, but you can't see if any of those seats are aisles unless you call in and ask or do a dummy booking. It needlessly obscures information that travelers could use to make their experience better.

C W

I can see Main Cabin for all my WU seatmaps. A big part of this change was the ability to self-downgrade.

xliioper

I have 9 flights currently booked and am in C+ in all of them and I can see open available seats in the Main Cabin on all 9 flights. 2 of the flights are international (TATL) and I cannot see open seats in D1, but I can still see open seats in Main Cabin. Whatever issue you are experiencing with your seatmaps, it is most certainly not universally true.