Possible Downgrade from equipment change
Apr 3, 2019, 12:57 pm
#16
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: MCO
Programs: DL PM, UA Silver, Marriott Titanium, Hertz Presidents Circle
Posts: 4,319
I had this happen to me a few months back on a MCO-DTW flight. Got a notification around ~T-20 from my Apple Wallet that my seat had been changed from 2A to 15A but my ticket still had the paid FC fare on it (Just like the OP). It turned out that there was an equipment downgrade from a 753 to a 75D and I was the one who got the boot. I suspected SHENA because before the DM window a T-120, FC was wide opened and pretty much filled up after the window with UGs. I called DL and told them this and they confirmed that there where pax in F who where Comp UGs, but there was nothing they could do but offer me a $200 voucher and a refund in fare difference if I ended up not flying in F. Thankfully when I woke up the next morning for the flight, I noticed a seat came open in FC on the app and I was able to change to it.
Apr 3, 2019, 3:03 pm
#17
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Paradise
Posts: 1,617
Update to some of the questions. No Status on DL(working on it, but pretty much fly based on schedule and destination over alliance). Fare class was Z. I received no notification of downgrade, or barely that the gate had changed from Terminal 4 to 2. Skyclub agent was apologetic, but couldn't do anything. We discussed the 2pm flight briefly, but she could tell I was exhausted from my earlier travels and waiting 5 more hours wasn't going to cut it. She told me to speak to the agent at the gate and make sure to contact Delta for compensation of fare difference and voucher.
Got to the gate where the agent was dealing with a woman with 7 passports, who wasn't verified. Who let her & family check in without verifying the documents??? Anyway, two redcoats walked up and I spoke to the one who was dealing with the flight. I showed my ticket and mentioned that I had been downgraded. She typed a little and moved me from 10C to 15D. She also told me hold on to my original ticket and contact Delta for compensation; same as the Skyclub agent. Here's where it gets' interesting. I sat down in front of the podium and overheard the main redcoat working the flight, tell the other one beside her, they still had one seat in FC. I decided to see how this would play out. I looked at the app and sure enough...
She paged a woman up who I assume was also downgraded and then..
I'm just going to assume the lady had status/purchased her ticket far in advance of mine.
Got to the gate where the agent was dealing with a woman with 7 passports, who wasn't verified. Who let her & family check in without verifying the documents??? Anyway, two redcoats walked up and I spoke to the one who was dealing with the flight. I showed my ticket and mentioned that I had been downgraded. She typed a little and moved me from 10C to 15D. She also told me hold on to my original ticket and contact Delta for compensation; same as the Skyclub agent. Here's where it gets' interesting. I sat down in front of the podium and overheard the main redcoat working the flight, tell the other one beside her, they still had one seat in FC. I decided to see how this would play out. I looked at the app and sure enough...
She paged a woman up who I assume was also downgraded and then..
I'm just going to assume the lady had status/purchased her ticket far in advance of mine.
Apr 3, 2019, 3:54 pm
#18
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: CHS
Programs: UA GS, Bonvoy Amabassador, Hertz PC
Posts: 2,589
OP, i am sorry for your troubles
I will give you credit for not starting out by bemoaning etc, you realize this is mostly done by status and probably somewhat by black magic. I am sure you probably realize if you were a diamond things might be different, you took it in stride. Plus, knowing what compensation you are due instead of trying to determine exactly how much compensation you are owed in addition to how much cust service gesture you can bilk out of DL will make the whole experience easier on your ticker.
Maybe it is the Bahamas talking...you might be more upset when you return to NYC LOL j/k, have a good time.
I will give you credit for not starting out by bemoaning etc, you realize this is mostly done by status and probably somewhat by black magic. I am sure you probably realize if you were a diamond things might be different, you took it in stride. Plus, knowing what compensation you are due instead of trying to determine exactly how much compensation you are owed in addition to how much cust service gesture you can bilk out of DL will make the whole experience easier on your ticker.
Maybe it is the Bahamas talking...you might be more upset when you return to NYC LOL j/k, have a good time.
Apr 3, 2019, 4:30 pm
#19
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Treasure Coast, FL
Programs: DL Diamond, Marriott LT Plat, HH Diamond, Avis Preferred Plus, National Executive
Posts: 4,578
Update to some of the questions. No Status on DL(working on it, but pretty much fly based on schedule and destination over alliance). Fare class was Z. I received no notification of downgrade, or barely that the gate had changed from Terminal 4 to 2. Skyclub agent was apologetic, but couldn't do anything. We discussed the 2pm flight briefly, but she could tell I was exhausted from my earlier travels and waiting 5 more hours wasn't going to cut it. She told me to speak to the agent at the gate and make sure to contact Delta for compensation of fare difference and voucher.
Got to the gate where the agent was dealing with a woman with 7 passports, who wasn't verified. Who let her & family check in without verifying the documents??? Anyway, two redcoats walked up and I spoke to the one who was dealing with the flight. I showed my ticket and mentioned that I had been downgraded. She typed a little and moved me from 10C to 15D. She also told me hold on to my original ticket and contact Delta for compensation; same as the Skyclub agent. Here's where it gets' interesting. I sat down in front of the podium and overheard the main redcoat working the flight, tell the other one beside her, they still had one seat in FC. I decided to see how this would play out. I looked at the app and sure enough...
She paged a woman up who I assume was also downgraded and then..
I'm just going to assume the lady had status/purchased her ticket far in advance of mine.
Got to the gate where the agent was dealing with a woman with 7 passports, who wasn't verified. Who let her & family check in without verifying the documents??? Anyway, two redcoats walked up and I spoke to the one who was dealing with the flight. I showed my ticket and mentioned that I had been downgraded. She typed a little and moved me from 10C to 15D. She also told me hold on to my original ticket and contact Delta for compensation; same as the Skyclub agent. Here's where it gets' interesting. I sat down in front of the podium and overheard the main redcoat working the flight, tell the other one beside her, they still had one seat in FC. I decided to see how this would play out. I looked at the app and sure enough...
She paged a woman up who I assume was also downgraded and then..
I'm just going to assume the lady had status/purchased her ticket far in advance of mine.
Enjoy the Bahamas and you should get at least a $200 voucher and fare difference.
Apr 3, 2019, 5:44 pm
#20
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: DTW
Programs: DL DM, National EE, Hertz PC, IHG PL, Bonvoy Amb
Posts: 1,342
He would have gotten the seat if he spoke up when he overheard the agent say they had a seat available. I assume he preferred the compensation, so stayed silent.
Apr 3, 2019, 7:29 pm
#22
Join Date: Sep 2011
Programs: Delta DM, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 1,495
Why would he have gotten the seat? There were likely 3 other displaced F passengers now moved back to Y, and I'm assuming they offered the seat to one with a paid fair and status.
Apr 3, 2019, 8:36 pm
#23
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: San Antonio
Programs: DL DM, Former AA EXP now AY Plat, AC 75K, NW Plat, Former CO Gold, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 27,042
Update to some of the questions. No Status on DL(working on it, but pretty much fly based on schedule and destination over alliance). Fare class was Z. I received no notification of downgrade, or barely that the gate had changed from Terminal 4 to 2. Skyclub agent was apologetic, but couldn't do anything. We discussed the 2pm flight briefly, but she could tell I was exhausted from my earlier travels and waiting 5 more hours wasn't going to cut it. She told me to speak to the agent at the gate and make sure to contact Delta for compensation of fare difference and voucher.
Got to the gate where the agent was dealing with a woman with 7 passports, who wasn't verified. Who let her & family check in without verifying the documents??? Anyway, two redcoats walked up and I spoke to the one who was dealing with the flight. I showed my ticket and mentioned that I had been downgraded. She typed a little and moved me from 10C to 15D. She also told me hold on to my original ticket and contact Delta for compensation; same as the Skyclub agent. Here's where it gets' interesting. I sat down in front of the podium and overheard the main redcoat working the flight, tell the other one beside her, they still had one seat in FC. I decided to see how this would play out. I looked at the app and sure enough...
She paged a woman up who I assume was also downgraded and then..
I'm just going to assume the lady had status/purchased her ticket far in advance of mine.
Got to the gate where the agent was dealing with a woman with 7 passports, who wasn't verified. Who let her & family check in without verifying the documents??? Anyway, two redcoats walked up and I spoke to the one who was dealing with the flight. I showed my ticket and mentioned that I had been downgraded. She typed a little and moved me from 10C to 15D. She also told me hold on to my original ticket and contact Delta for compensation; same as the Skyclub agent. Here's where it gets' interesting. I sat down in front of the podium and overheard the main redcoat working the flight, tell the other one beside her, they still had one seat in FC. I decided to see how this would play out. I looked at the app and sure enough...
She paged a woman up who I assume was also downgraded and then..
I'm just going to assume the lady had status/purchased her ticket far in advance of mine.
As for the lady with children, you can checkin online, get BP, and need to have docs verified. Also if they were connecting from OAL docs would need to be verified.
Apr 3, 2019, 8:53 pm
#25
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Apr 3, 2019, 8:56 pm
#27
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
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Yeah, although in the one case of an aircraft change leading to a smaller FC cabin on DL and involuntary downgrades, the GA was very careful to rearrange seats based on status.
Still, it makes me nuts when airlines treat the purchase of a FC ticket as an "option" for them to decide unilaterally whether the customer really sits in FC or not. If someone had wanted to sit in coach--or if they considered coach to be acceptable for the trip--they would have purchased a coach ticket. Since the customer declined to do this (and save money in the process) obviously they prefer to pay more and sit in FC. Hence refunding the fare difference certainly isn't enough, and if there's an offer of a $200 or whatever voucher, the customer might or might not consider this to be adequatge.
Still, it makes me nuts when airlines treat the purchase of a FC ticket as an "option" for them to decide unilaterally whether the customer really sits in FC or not. If someone had wanted to sit in coach--or if they considered coach to be acceptable for the trip--they would have purchased a coach ticket. Since the customer declined to do this (and save money in the process) obviously they prefer to pay more and sit in FC. Hence refunding the fare difference certainly isn't enough, and if there's an offer of a $200 or whatever voucher, the customer might or might not consider this to be adequatge.
Apr 3, 2019, 8:57 pm
#28
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Join Date: Sep 2003
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Apr 3, 2019, 8:59 pm
#29
formerly jackvogt
Join Date: Dec 2015
Location: Atlanta, GA
Programs: Delta SkyMiles,
Posts: 822
Yeah, although in the one case of an aircraft change leading to a smaller FC cabin on DL and involuntary downgrades, the GA was very careful to rearrange seats based on status.
Still, it makes me nuts when airlines treat the purchase of a FC ticket as an "option" for them to decide unilaterally whether the customer really sits in FC or not. If someone had wanted to sit in coach--or if they considered coach to be acceptable for the trip--they would have purchased a coach ticket. Since the customer declined to do this (and save money in the process) obviously they prefer to pay more and sit in FC. Hence refunding the fare difference certainly isn't enough, and if there's an offer of a $200 or whatever voucher, the customer might or might not consider this to be adequatge.
Still, it makes me nuts when airlines treat the purchase of a FC ticket as an "option" for them to decide unilaterally whether the customer really sits in FC or not. If someone had wanted to sit in coach--or if they considered coach to be acceptable for the trip--they would have purchased a coach ticket. Since the customer declined to do this (and save money in the process) obviously they prefer to pay more and sit in FC. Hence refunding the fare difference certainly isn't enough, and if there's an offer of a $200 or whatever voucher, the customer might or might not consider this to be adequatge.
Apr 3, 2019, 9:02 pm
#30
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Posts: 100,413
I agree. This may be an unpopular opinion but I think upgraded elites should be the first to be cut since they didn't spend the money to deliberately sit in F. Possibly they could still receive an offer even though they weren't entitled to the seat (or less so than someone who paid for it). Either way there is going to be a loser and hopefully the GAs are empowered enough to make it right.
However, when DL sells lots of very cheap upgrades to anyone, then I'm not so sure that elites shouldn't be prioritized. You can't be come DM by spending $10 or even $100.......