call wait times on diamond line?
 

What's up that has call times in the 15+ minutes to get to an agent???

Probably due to fog at ATL earlier this morning (it has since cleared up but assume that rebooking is well underway).

Also - are you a high value or low value Diamond? While anecdotal, I was dealing with serious IRROPS a few months back and I got through to an agent within 2 minutes while a co-worker I was traveling with - also Diamond but barely one - called at nearly the exact same time and didn't get through for 20 minutes. Could be coincidence but I believe even within Diamonds they prioritize calls depending on whom they deem as a HVC.

Even during the worst days I've never had to wait more than 5 minutes to get answered so 15 does seem unusual.

It can depend what call center your call vs. his routed to.

HUCA to get call routed to a faster call center?

Whenever I get the 10 or 15 minute prediction, whether I opt for a call back or actually stay on hold (when using wifi-phone from outside) the US, I get connected much more quickly, maybe 5 minutes.

DL's call back predictive timings are quite accurate.

I've asked why there have been hold times recently and the agents have told me it's because there are more Diamonds. Apparently the $250K Amex waiver didn't "thin the herd" as they said it would. Prior to last fall, I had to hold only a handful of times, but now it's anywhere from 1 to 11 minutes for me on a regular basis. Seems more likely that they've reduced staff or at least reduced staff allocated to the Diamond line.

Keep in mind that the Corona Virus is causing a lot more people to call in. But really, 1 to 11 minutes isn't that bad. I call a lot of customer service lines and the wait times can be 30+ minutes.

I was expecting something crazy at 11am Pacific today, but my wait time was 2 minutes.

How much thining did they say it would do and how much did it actually do?

Diamond line wait time has been 20 plus mins the last few evenings at ~8:00 pm Eastern

Keep in mind Diamonds no longer have a dedicated desk. We get sent whatever desk/city is available.

Delta's introductory email about the $250K Amex threshold said, "Because we want to ensure our most well-traveled Members can take full advantage of all the benefits of Diamond, a change is being made to how you qualify for 2019 Diamond Medallion Status." The implication seemed to be that Diamond would be a more elite group.

The Points Guy, among others, agreed: "At the heart of the airline’s decision is a desire to make sure that only its most valuable customers — those who spend the most money with the airline — are the ones that most often secure complimentary upgrades to premium cabins. TPG Senior Points and Miles Contributor Richard Kerr summarized why this move is actually positive for Delta's most loyal Diamond Medallions: “Diamonds in 2018, who earn either the $250k waiver or $15,000 MQDs, will be [a smaller] minority and rewarded more for their monetary loyalty to Delta. Thinning the herd to reward only those that earn you more money is a right business decision.”"

As far as exactly how much "thinning" actually happened, I have no idea. But it sure stands to reason that eliminating Diamonds who qualified under the $25K Amex waiver would have resulted in a decrease, not an increase, in Diamonds.

Was there a dedicated desk before? That was always my understanding, but taking a closer look at the website (below), I guess it only says that we have a dedicated phone number to call and that we will have priority over other calls.

VIP PHONE LINEYou receive access to an exclusive VIP phone line dedicated just to our Diamond Medallion Members and you'll receive handling priority above all other Members.(11) You can find the Diamond-only phone number when you login to the Fly Delta app under “Contact Us” or on the back of your Diamond Medallion card.

Nobody has provided proof that the Diamonds are NOT now mixed in with PM's and GM's at the same call desk.
Posts all over FT about operators now not knowing how to deal with GUC's and other DM benefits, which seem way more common than explained by the typical amount of operator turnover on a "dedicated DM line".

The excuse that there are more Diamonds after the AMEX waiver increase makes ZERO sense.
Those operators fielding more calls from PM's and GM's does make sense.