AntonS

I had to get back to SEA from Asia with one week notice. Out of all Asia-SEA flights +/- 3 days I found exaclty 1 flight with 1 C+ seat available. I am tall and I am not flying long haul unless it's 34+ pitch. Why I should spend time searching for DL options with good seat and adjust my schedule? Its insane. I am Platinum now and I do not need free C+ upgrades -- charge me whatever market value is, but make seats available on short notice. This ticket is a return portion of DL round trip, otherwise I would just go with Eva, ANA or Air Canada with real premium economy or Korean with good pitch on regular economy -- and all these options are actually available.

Delta, you are stupid, because I want you pay you more $$$ and you do not need it. And it's not the first time I am adjusting my schedule trying to find good DL seat, which is also stupid of me - why I am still loyal?

This would work for me:

- no​​​ C+ upgrades to any elites until day of departure
- charge market rate for C+ based on demand to keep good seats available (discount for elites OK)
- do not give exit row 22 on A330 to GM+ members for free until day of departure -- either make it C+ or charge a separate fee.

​​​​​

ethernal

I was told it was just me and everyone else is happy and I should stop complaining

pgh234

I think about 50% of FT posts revolve around what is good for "me"

I for one, do not like your requests for what works for you. I am a leisure GM/PM/DM, etc and like to book my exit rows about 10 months ahead of time.

ijgordon

Me, me, me, me.

Next time, fly LHR-JFK on a Saturday afternoon in the middle of January; you could have had your own row in C+.

Fred 3

It is a delicate balance -- how do you make seats available for last minute flyers, but still satisfy those that book in advance. No one will truly be satisfied with the process. My suggestion to Delta is to keep the last 2 rows open -- 1 for purchases and 1 for upgrades. Keep this until the 5 day window, so that those who are high value or want to pay high prices can get the seats. It does mean that those who plan ahead will have less seats, but again, no system is perfect. Someone will always complain

AntonS

Good point, but I think my requests would work for DL too, because they are revenue - driven, but what you want is loyalty - ddrivn, which is already a thing in the past. In your example, as a leasure GM/PM/DM who books 10 months out, you probably do not generate that much revenue for Delta. Why DL should care about you?

Maybe there is a compromise to limit number of free upgrades given in advance to PM+. Then give remaining seats on the day of departure.

There is also a point of dynamic pricing for C+ for non-elites.

It's simple -- those who book in advance pay less or some elites get it for free (but number of seats given for free or cheap is limited).

ijgordon

How do you have any idea whether the seats were given to elites for upgrades or whether people did pay for them?

AntonS

No idea, but probably both sold for cheap and given for free. Good dynamic pricing + limiting advance upgrades to elites would open more seats closer departure & more revenue for Delta.

Mr. Tickets

Yeah, and then people who see those seats opened or blocked, will say "I'm PM+, I want that seat for me now as there is nothing else left"

Me, me, me. Can't make everyone happy. The fact that you can't book further out is your problem, not everyone else's.

AntonS

Want C+ now => pay. It's not that expensive. I know elites complain when domestic F upgrades do not clear in advance, but it works and keeps a few seats to DL for sale / FCM / irrops. Why similar model can not work for C+?

xliioper

A330neo deliveries start next year and they are scheduled to be deployed on "select" west coast - Asia routes (don't know if that will include SEA - Asia routes). These will be PE only with no C+ and no comp upgrades to PE.

BenA

As a Diamond, if I can’t confirm a good C+ or exit row seat, I don’t book. The lack of advance seat assignments has entirely prevented me from booking with British Airways, for example, and the brief failed experiment where Delta prevented PM/DM with a companion from confirming C+ seating at booking was what drove me away entirely to Alaska for a year until they came to their senses.

I sympathize with your plight, but I’d also point out that people booking far in advance have infinite flexibility on which airline and flight to take, so available seating helps sell tickets. Closer in, you have fewer options and alternatives and are more likely to be forced to travel on a specific date, and it’s not really reasonable to expect that all of the choice bulkhead and exit seats will still be available...

us2

I suspect that on most routes keeping one row open until time of departure would largely solve this issue. Last minute tickets on high fares should reliably wind up with decent seating, particularly on longer flights.

dilbertsdaddy

This.

And I might add I have zero desire to enter a gate lottery for C+ on the day of departure. Irritating enough for F

MarkCron

I would think that on many International routes, DL could sell out C+ in advance.