andrewk829

A couple of nights ago, I was on Delta 2440, the 12:55 AM "red eye" from SEA to MSP. As a Silver Medallion, I recognize that upgrades to F are going to be few and far between, but I've actually had amazingly good luck this year (Excluding RJ flights with no F cabin, I'm batting 4 for 8 on upgrades to F so far in 2017).

Anyway, for a half a day leading up to departure, I was #5 on the upgrade list with 6 F seats available. About 3 hours before departure, I fell to #6 , but I held steady at #6 and I was starting to think it might actually happen. Then, suddenly, 2 minutes before boarding I suddenly get "demoted" to #7 and lose my upgrade (makes me wonder "how did THAT happen?" and "who's the jerk who bumped me out of F?" [no, of course, he or she is not really a jerk but you cannot help but feel negatively towards that passenger]).

So I'm all p.o.'d. I board the flight and take my aisle seat in Comfort+ (my "consolation" upgrade).

But, guess what, the boarding door closes, and I'm the ONLY one in my row! Three beautiful Comfort+ seats all to myself, and fortunately I am NOT in the first row of Comfort + with immovable arm rests. Maybe that person who "got my upgrade" was the person who was to have been in my row. So, shortly after takeoff, I fashioned myself a "bed" spanning all three seats, and fell asleep, and next thing you know I wake up over southwestern Minnesota and we're 25 minutes from landing. It was awesome! Better than F! A blessing in disguise that I missed the upgrade! For an overnight flight where the primary interest is being able to sleep, I'd much rather have a row to myself than a seat in F.

Jus thought I'd relay this story even though it doesn't really have a point.

PayItForward

Not entirely the same but many a times I looked on with envy at those regular seats with only a single pax in the row while I sat in my C+. It is actually quite rare to see empty C+ seats.

davetravels

So, you didn't mind missing out on the champagne breakfast buffet and flaming dessert cart up front?!?

JKPFlyer

Ever since they burned my eyebrows off, not so in love with the with flaming desert cart.

EditingFX

Which begs the question; do they ever serve baked alaska for desert on AS?

MSPeconomist

Part of the problem is that GAs tend to assign seats at the gate from front to back. Kettles without seat assignments are placed into C+ as well as nonrevs.

It would be easy to make C+ more attractive by changing the policy to fill C+ and especially C+ middle seats last. Under the current rules, people should be less willing to pay for C+ since there's almost zero chance of having an middle empty seat even on a fairly empty seat and OTOH if you avoid getting (buying) a seat assignment, your odds are pretty good of getting C+ for free at the gate.

BenA

Trust me, you don't want what AS is serving. Their catering comes out of a bizarro portal to a different dimension. A giant plate containing only grapefruit? Microwave style mystery meat potstickers? Chicken gristle skewers? You name it, they've put it in front of me.

In Y, the Alaska buy on board food is actually quite tasty. But up front, it's been grim for a very long time. They've made some slight improvements lately, but there was nowhere to go but up...

For me, they're a fabulous Y airline and a mediocre to poor F airline.

BenA

On this route, one of the shortest redeyes out there, I wouldn't mind missing out on the whole dang flight if it meant I could sleep the whole way. I don't care if there's free flow Dom Perignon and caviar...

Crossinator

A lot of my flights have a lot of empty C+ seats..I guess it depends on the routes. I frequently notice that 2+3 seatings on planes usually have the middle seat of the "3" seat empty.

TomMM

Oh the humanity of having to do the the walk of shame to C+.

jdrtravel

Not on a red eye, but a few times I have been in the C+ bulkhead row of 3 seats with nobody else or with only one other person. When flying alone, I actually find this more comfortable than F because there is more space between me and the stranger next to me. F is nice but can still be pretty cozy.

apodo77

Last year I was upgraded to 1A on an MD88 and upon boarding I saw how empty the cabin was and asked the FA if I could take my original seat. He said no probelm. I got row 11 on the 3 side all to myself.

Was one of the best DL flights I have taken in the past 2 years.