Got an op-up AMS-LAX
Dec 18, 2018, 9:20 am
#1
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Got an op-up AMS-LAX
Yesterday I flew DL 79: AMS-LAX. When I look ated -8 hours I still had a whole row of 4 to myself in Economy Comfort. When I got to the airport about -4 hours (I was coming from Belgium and I always extra, extra time if I can -- the Belgians taught the French how to strike 
) I had been upgraded to D1. I was going to see about DoD upgrades (in October I was able to get one on the same flight for 35K Skymiles and no $$$).
There ended up being at least 5-6 empty seats in D1. After reading the other thread "Everybody Got Updated" is it possible for a 333 weight and balance issues that they need to move everybody forward? Or maybe it was just to consolidate passengers on a very empty flight to make service easier? *Move everybody up to the front of Y and those in EC to D1)
Or maybe it was just "Merry Christmas" from KLM.
) I had been upgraded to D1. I was going to see about DoD upgrades (in October I was able to get one on the same flight for 35K Skymiles and no $$$).There ended up being at least 5-6 empty seats in D1. After reading the other thread "Everybody Got Updated" is it possible for a 333 weight and balance issues that they need to move everybody forward? Or maybe it was just to consolidate passengers on a very empty flight to make service easier? *Move everybody up to the front of Y and those in EC to D1)
Or maybe it was just "Merry Christmas" from KLM.
Last edited by 3Cforme; Dec 18, 2018 at 9:31 am Reason: clarity
Dec 18, 2018, 10:37 am
#2
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Weight and balance is incredibly unlikely on a relatively full A330. It’s much more probable that the flight was full, and the many empty seats on the seat map were just waiting to be assigned to basic economy passengers at checkin/the gate.
Dec 18, 2018, 12:04 pm
#4
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Forget seat maps. How full or empty was the flight?
Dec 18, 2018, 12:27 pm
#5
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Dec 18, 2018, 3:16 pm
#6
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I didn't think W&B was a big deal on A330 but things are different on very empty planes and that was a legitimate question on my part -- I don't know.
Dec 18, 2018, 4:12 pm
#8
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The flight was very empty -- maybe 50% full in back, at least 5-6 empty in D1 -- wasn't really trying to count but no way was it an OpUp in the traditional sense.
That is why the original title mentioned "Phantom Upgrade" -- PMNW would sometimes upgrade Plats when there were a lot of empty seats up front.
That is why the original title mentioned "Phantom Upgrade" -- PMNW would sometimes upgrade Plats when there were a lot of empty seats up front.
Dec 18, 2018, 6:26 pm
#9
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Dec 18, 2018, 6:37 pm
#10
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This would really be against DL and their FCM model. However it wouldn't be the 1st, nor the last time they did something opposite of their norm.
Dec 18, 2018, 9:04 pm
#12
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Dec 19, 2018, 6:39 am
#13
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Seems very atypical for a flight to go with so many empty seats. Your status is probably what triggered your upgrade. It is a small or negligible cost to DL to please a Diamond who will remember that experience for years to come and therefore feed DL the business.
Closest I came to an OpUp was LAX-SYD about 10 years ago. I jokingly asked upon checking into the SkyClub about "any space up front?" Desk Agent said it actually looked possible and to stay within sight of the desk while in the club because economy was full and there were standbys they needed to clear. I was Gold at the time and ended up not getting the upgrade, but was surprised at what looked like a chance to spend 15 hours in the pointy end rather than with the hoi polloi.
Closest I came to an OpUp was LAX-SYD about 10 years ago. I jokingly asked upon checking into the SkyClub about "any space up front?" Desk Agent said it actually looked possible and to stay within sight of the desk while in the club because economy was full and there were standbys they needed to clear. I was Gold at the time and ended up not getting the upgrade, but was surprised at what looked like a chance to spend 15 hours in the pointy end rather than with the hoi polloi.
Dec 19, 2018, 9:07 am
#14
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They had light loads as well last month. Lots of open seats. On LAX-AMS counted 14 empty seats in D1, 12 NRSA's who got upgraded in the end. Would have expected some better loads on those segments (the KLM one seems always full)
Dec 19, 2018, 9:18 am
#15
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I have to assume it's a time of year/week thing. There's plenty of opportunity to downgauge this route (A330->767 and.. 747->pretty much anything else) so would assume this would be done if it was needed.