SJC ORD LDR

Most planes have a few C+ bulkhead seats that are held back for special needs people and the upgrades go out on the day of flight. I've had that happen to me when I had to take a different flight due to IROPS and ended up in a bulkhead aisle. So, it's not like everything is taken prior to the flight.

AntonS

I have not see it. On domestic flights C+ seats suddenly open up before departure usually because of upgrades to F.

ethernal

Agree. At most I see 1 C+ seat held for the gate (if any). Incidentally, no one usually gets upgraded as someone on standby seems to clear into it most of the time.

SJC ORD LDR

Typically, I think it's 2 - 3 seats. Of course if there is someone that requires those seats, they are taken. But, the one time I was had to upgrade at the gate for C+, I was #1 with 2 remaining as a DM on a 717. So, my experience was actually fine.

Zeeb

They definitely hold back those seats, they don't sell them so if you are just trying to look to see if the cabin is sold out you won't see it but if you look at the upgrade list on the app there's almost always 2 C+ seats open up until the day of the flight.

AntonS

Another DL flight (JFK-SEA, 6 days advance purchase, expensive tixket) and only middle C+ left. At least this time I got exit row.

​​​​I am really curious who takes all C+, if its Platinum/Diamond members who get it for free at booking or C+ sales? Based on my place on upgrade list as PM on several flights with full C+, I strongly suspect that 70% or more C+ are taken by PM / DM.

• I think DL should just stop free upgrades to C+ at booking and offer discount to elites, like 50% discount (50% of difference between Y and C+) for PM/DM, 25% discount for GM.
• Inventory management should do better job at pricing C+ to maximize revenue and leave a few window/isle seats for expensive tickets and IRROPs.
• Upgrades for elites should only work Y => C+ or C+ => F. No double upgrades Y => F. It will add insentive for elites to pay for C+ at discounted rate and F upgrades will be much easier to get.
• Disallow upgrades to C+ middles to eliminate stupid lottery for elites who are not willing to pay for C+. Alaska model of upgrading isle => isle and window => window only is just fine too.

I realize that some if you would jump ship with this model, but does Delta really care? If elite pax is not willing to pay $50 for C+ for better seat and a fair chance of upgrade, they are too price sensitive anyway. Making C+ more available and upgrades more predictable , Delta would attract elites who value consistency and availability over a small price difference.

Zeeb

Basically you just want a model that exactly fits your travel patterns. Nothing wrong with wanting that, but don't expect anybody else to think its a good idea.

rylan

Just another thread of 'change the process so it benefits me most and screws other pax'...

ethernal

Say what you want (I don't necessarily fully agree with OP's solution posted earlier today) but it is highlighting a very real problem that Delta needs to resolve. It makes no sense for me to pay $1000 for a domestic ticket - certainly one of the highest paying customers on the flight (incl. many of those in First as connecting first is usually less than what I pay for Y-) and sit in a Y- middle seat which is an extremely common scenario for me. I avoid Delta whenever humanly possible for this reason.

pvn

You're a DM and "avoid Delta whenever humanly possible"? Where are you flying to/from that nobody else services?

ethernal

I live in Atlanta and will naturally default to a non-stop option, which is regrettably usually Delta. I get that they are going to ream me for being a hub captive. That's why I end up paying $1200 for tickets. I can rationalize that. I can't rationalize how that $1200 and top status ends up with me in a middle seat in Y when it's not a last minute booking. If I spend all weekend before my flight I can sometimes swing a window or aisle seat from people changing their flights, but I feel like I shouldn't have to spend all weekend fighting for an aisle seat in Y-.

I fly AA to PHX and DFW. I fly UA to SFO (and EWR, and ORD where possible but I don't do much East coat travel anymore). I fly Alaska to SEA. For international I fly whatever airline makes the most sense (which usually is not Delta).

Diamond is easy to get if you fly a lot of transcon. I flew around 250-300K BIS miles last year across all carriers (with probably 80-100K of that international).

aacar

I'd advise getting an ExpertFlyer subscription, and setting seat alerts.

ethernal

Thanks - that's a good idea.

FlyerWx

For some reason, this reminds me of:



As someone who flies both AA and DL, I feel like there should be a compromise between "let's save an unrealistically high number of (often aisle or window) seats until check-in" and what DL does. Both airlines tend to screw non-status pax on a close-in booking.

Over on the AA forum, I've seldom heard an elite complain about not being able to find a decent seat in Y close-in. Granted, it may also have to do with MCE prices being relatively high IMO.

rylan

Guess what, last minute tickets are expensive. Do you expect the airline to hold a seat just in case you buy a ticket, when they can get other people to pay for them earlier? Or if the tickets are really that expensive, then buying up to first is probably not much more.

EF is great for seat alerts as mentioned.