RUCs on Domestic Leg of "INT" Itinerary
Sep 17, 2018, 9:17 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Atlanta
Programs: HH-Diamond, IHG-Plat, DL-DM, PnF Plat, Kroger +
Posts: 514
RUCs on Domestic Leg of "INT" Itinerary
Flying DL95 ATL-DTW-NGO and this is considered all "one" International flight, the ATL-DTW leg is not complimentary upgrade eligible. I have tried many times to get them to add me to upgrade list but it never works.
My question is, would applying a RUC be allowed on the ATL-DTW?
I hate it when DL does this. Any other way to get around it? besides taking a much earlier flight into DTW I see no options.
The return is the same way.DL94
My question is, would applying a RUC be allowed on the ATL-DTW?
I hate it when DL does this. Any other way to get around it? besides taking a much earlier flight into DTW I see no options.
The return is the same way.DL94
Sep 17, 2018, 9:35 am
#2
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: DL Diamond 1.7MM, Starlux Insighter, Bonvoy Titanium, Hilton Gold, Hertz PC
Posts: 3,947
You can avoid this during booking by booking the “direct” flight as two separate segments (sometimes possible using a third party booking site or by using the multi city tool). But once you’re booked on the “direct” flight, in my experience you’re basically stuck. Other passengers on the ATL-DTW flight will be on the upgrade list, etc. and it will be treated as a normal domestic flight for them - only the passengers booked on the full international itinerary as a single “direct” flight are affected.
I agree this is a deceptive practice and that the concept of “direct” one-stop flights is no longer relevant in the modern airline world, given that the airplane isn’t even the same and there is no benefit to the customer to the designation. (In fact, there is negative benefit because you will have seat assignment and upgrade issues, and you only earn mileage for the distance between origin and destination, ignoring the middle connection city.)
Now, if you can somehow get an agent to split the flight into its two component flights, it would be possible to apply an RUC to the domestic leg. It can’t hurt to call and ask - I suspect you’ll be told no, but if you’re successful it should result in all the various problems around the direct flight booking being resolved (including mileage earning).
I agree this is a deceptive practice and that the concept of “direct” one-stop flights is no longer relevant in the modern airline world, given that the airplane isn’t even the same and there is no benefit to the customer to the designation. (In fact, there is negative benefit because you will have seat assignment and upgrade issues, and you only earn mileage for the distance between origin and destination, ignoring the middle connection city.)
Now, if you can somehow get an agent to split the flight into its two component flights, it would be possible to apply an RUC to the domestic leg. It can’t hurt to call and ask - I suspect you’ll be told no, but if you’re successful it should result in all the various problems around the direct flight booking being resolved (including mileage earning).
Sep 19, 2018, 6:02 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Atlanta
Programs: HH-Diamond, IHG-Plat, DL-DM, PnF Plat, Kroger +
Posts: 514
Now, if you can somehow get an agent to split the flight into its two component flights, it would be possible to apply an RUC to the domestic leg. It can’t hurt to call and ask - I suspect you’ll be told no, but if you’re successful it should result in all the various problems around the direct flight booking being resolved (including mileage earning).
Sep 19, 2018, 8:51 pm
#4
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: LAX
Programs: Fallen DL DM (PM) 2MM
Posts: 4,783
I had something similar happen when I booked LAX-JFK-DUB and it turned out to be a direct flight -- though when booking it was shown as two segments and you had to look and see that both had the same flight number. I won't make that mistake again!
I was unsure whether I wanted to use an RUC -- my issue was the upgrade to C+ -- I was automatically upgraded JFK-DUB (this was before TATL C+ was a separate class) but LAX-JFK was non-upgradable -- even to C+. I called and the agent was totally unwilling to do it without rebooking (and doubling my fare -- there is a joke in there somewhere
)
So I just sent a tweet to @Delta saying "why can't I pick a C+ seat" and they took care of it -- took about 30 minutes. I ended up not using a RUC (did so on the return but I wasn't on the direct flight)
A number of years ago a friend and I were going to travel to London (for the Great British Beer Festival!) and he is not a frequent flyer and booked a direct LAX-DTW-LHR flight. So I was stuck -- leave LAX way early and wait for him in DTW or suck it up and no upgrades on the domestic leg. I whined about it here and somebody suggested using the multi-stop tool and book it as four segments. I did that -- it cost a bit more (I assume facility fees for DTW) but was worth it.
I was unsure whether I wanted to use an RUC -- my issue was the upgrade to C+ -- I was automatically upgraded JFK-DUB (this was before TATL C+ was a separate class) but LAX-JFK was non-upgradable -- even to C+. I called and the agent was totally unwilling to do it without rebooking (and doubling my fare -- there is a joke in there somewhere
)So I just sent a tweet to @Delta saying "why can't I pick a C+ seat" and they took care of it -- took about 30 minutes. I ended up not using a RUC (did so on the return but I wasn't on the direct flight)
A number of years ago a friend and I were going to travel to London (for the Great British Beer Festival!) and he is not a frequent flyer and booked a direct LAX-DTW-LHR flight. So I was stuck -- leave LAX way early and wait for him in DTW or suck it up and no upgrades on the domestic leg. I whined about it here and somebody suggested using the multi-stop tool and book it as four segments. I did that -- it cost a bit more (I assume facility fees for DTW) but was worth it.