btonkid12345

It wouldn't hurt to call.

Just today I noticed a previously requested C+ upgrade on a transatlantic hadn't cleared.

Yet a search for purchasing a new ticket, while logged in, showed C+ upgrade available.

I retoggled the request and I cleared immediately. Last seat in C+, too. It was supposedly to clear automatically but clearly didn't.

My point is, sometimes you just have to call as otherwise the system errs.

ethernal

Sure, you can call, but what are you hoping to achieve by calling? You're #11/13 on the list, which sounds about right for a Silver. Unless there are still at least 8-9 first class seats available, even if there was an issue and you should be #9 or 10, it won't really matter.

ijgordon

Well, my "hope" is that my priority is actually above the two folks who still haven't cleared into C+ by virtue of a high-ish fare class (H). Certainly there should be more than a one other silver on Q/K/L/U/T/X/V fares (now only 1 pax below me)?? On this particular flight, I wouldn't be surprised if most DM/PM/GMs already cleared, but obviously I don't know for sure. But I recognize that (1) even if I should be at a much higher position, a reservation agent may not be empowered to do anything, or really even fully understand the "situation", and (2) there's a chance the "glitch" is really impacting the two pax on the C+ list that should have cleared but didn't. (But still surprised an H fare puts me second-to-last).

ethernal

So you believe that there are 12 silvers on this flight but somehow all of the DMs/PMs/GMs already cleared into First? Given Medallion distributions this would probably be 30+ people. Not sure what 2x2 plane has that many F seats...

Like others have said, it doesn't hurt to call, but I just don't know why you're surprised by your position on the upgrade list.

MarkP24

Have there been any other data points of recent glitches?

Daitheflu84

This is a great question. Happened to me all the time as a FO. I get C+ on most flights and usually there's someone ahead of me on the FC list who doesnt get C+ until 40 mins before departure. I usually get my C+ at the 24 hour window, too.

GagaPilot

ijgordon

Exactly, this is what I wanted to understand but all I got was effectively "of course Silvers are toward the bottom of the standby list."

In any event, just to close the loop, I never bothered to inquire, by the time I got to the airport, there were a good 6-8 passengers behind me on the waitlist; I ended something like 11 of 17. I guess I forgot that names don't show up until pax are checked in; it's actually been a while since I've been on a coach fare as an Elite on DL...lol. Still can't explain why the 2 pax at the top of the FC waitlist hadn't cleared C+ in advance though. Interestingly the flight (this was LGA-CVG fwiw) was probably only a little over 50% full, heavy with elites. In contrast to the return today/Friday that only had a few empty seats but a much, much shorter FC upgrade list. I think I saw max 4 names on it (and only 1 on C+), I started as # 1 for FC and ended as # 2 when I cleared shortly before boarding (and I was on a lower fare class for the return).

So to recap the elite loads, for giggles -- Thurs AM LGA-CVG half empty flight with tons of elites. Fri AM CVG-LGA flight nearly full but few elites. Go figure.

troyintn

DL typically has to hold two of the bulkhead seats in C+ for passengers with disabilities those are cleared at the gate. So the other part to the how the list can change is a DM that did not get upgrade to First will ask the GA what seats are left in C+ if it is a seat they prefer they will ask to be added to the list and then become number 1,