DL considering increasing F capacity to 75% (survey email)
Aug 6, 2020, 12:00 pm
#61
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2012
Location: MCO
Programs: AA, B6, DL, EK, EY, QR, SQ, UA, Amex Plat, Marriott Tit, HHonors Gold
Posts: 12,809
Okay?
I never said that an SO (or realistically anyone for that matter) shouldn't be allowed to move to an adjacent seat so long as both seat mates agree to that.
Let me see if I understand your position. Delta is currently not letting people traveling together book adjacent seats in first. I understand that this is changing - I got the email last week, too. But for now, that's how it is.
So, for now, If my wife and I are traveling together, and I book 1A for me and 2A for her, then 1B and 2B are blocked/go out empty. That seems to be OK with you. But if she moves to sit next to me during the flight, filling 1B, but leaving 2AB empty, that becomes a "ridiculous demand to want other rows in the cabin blocked on a commercial aircraft"?
Are you hard of thinking?
It is really starting to look like you just want make up your own facts so you can argue against them.
So, for now, If my wife and I are traveling together, and I book 1A for me and 2A for her, then 1B and 2B are blocked/go out empty. That seems to be OK with you. But if she moves to sit next to me during the flight, filling 1B, but leaving 2AB empty, that becomes a "ridiculous demand to want other rows in the cabin blocked on a commercial aircraft"?
Are you hard of thinking?
It is really starting to look like you just want make up your own facts so you can argue against them.
Aug 6, 2020, 12:08 pm
#62
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 1,884
Aug 6, 2020, 2:51 pm
#63
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2012
Location: MCO
Programs: AA, B6, DL, EK, EY, QR, SQ, UA, Amex Plat, Marriott Tit, HHonors Gold
Posts: 12,809
Aug 6, 2020, 3:01 pm
#65
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2012
Location: MCO
Programs: AA, B6, DL, EK, EY, QR, SQ, UA, Amex Plat, Marriott Tit, HHonors Gold
Posts: 12,809
Aug 6, 2020, 3:07 pm
#66
Join Date: Mar 2016
Posts: 1,884
See, this situation is precisely why I am willing to pay for F. If both my wife and I book, and we choose seats 1B and 2B, we would have two rows; we could then sit in 1A/1B once aloft and actually maintain multiple feet of separation in every direction throughout most of the flight.
If Delta forces dual bookings to sit together in an attempt to pack more people into the cabin, it makes an F booking less valuable if you're traveling as a group.
I understand front line employees probably get a lot of complaints from elites who see empty rows and are frustrated at not getting an upgrade, but right now that's the entire value proposition of the F cabin.
If Delta forces dual bookings to sit together in an attempt to pack more people into the cabin, it makes an F booking less valuable if you're traveling as a group.
I understand front line employees probably get a lot of complaints from elites who see empty rows and are frustrated at not getting an upgrade, but right now that's the entire value proposition of the F cabin.
Aug 6, 2020, 6:55 pm
#69
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2012
Location: MCO
Programs: AA, B6, DL, EK, EY, QR, SQ, UA, Amex Plat, Marriott Tit, HHonors Gold
Posts: 12,809
I'm by no stretch a DL apologist and I'm rarely the first one to go to the defense of any airline, however in this case DL is justified in trying to sell those additional seats IMO.
Aug 6, 2020, 7:25 pm
#70
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: DTW / SJC
Programs: AA EXP, DL DM, Marriott Titanium, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 764
I'm not sure how DL could possibly *require* people to sit next to each other.
Aug 6, 2020, 7:33 pm
#71
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2012
Location: MCO
Programs: AA, B6, DL, EK, EY, QR, SQ, UA, Amex Plat, Marriott Tit, HHonors Gold
Posts: 12,809
I'm not really sure how that would work either to be honest, which is why I'm skeptical as to what their plans are to sell 75% of the F cabin and how they decide who sits where. Honestly I think it would make more sense to just go to 100% like AA and UA have done.
Aug 6, 2020, 7:53 pm
#72
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Atlanta, GA
Programs: DL 3 MM/DM, Marriott Titanium Elite, Hyatt Globalist, National Exec Elite
Posts: 4,003
No one is saying that Delta should require two passengers on the same PNR to sit next to each other, but if they choose to do so, then let at least one person sit in the row behind them that is now empty because 2B moved to 1B to be with the spouse.
And in another scenario that I have frustratingly experienced twice now, if a couple are 1 and 2 on the upgrade list, and there is only 1 seat left in the reduced inventory available secondary to the 50% rule, and consequently only one on the upgrade list can clear because of the 50% F rule, override the rule, clear #2 in addition to #1 , with the provision that #2 sit next to #1 . That does not impact anyone else in that cabin in any meaningful way but sure rewards diamonds traveling together.
And in another scenario that I have frustratingly experienced twice now, if a couple are 1 and 2 on the upgrade list, and there is only 1 seat left in the reduced inventory available secondary to the 50% rule, and consequently only one on the upgrade list can clear because of the 50% F rule, override the rule, clear #2 in addition to #1 , with the provision that #2 sit next to #1 . That does not impact anyone else in that cabin in any meaningful way but sure rewards diamonds traveling together.
Aug 6, 2020, 8:46 pm
#73
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: MSP
Programs: DL PM, MM, NR; HH Diamond, Bonvoy LT Gold, Hyatt Explorist, IHG Diamond, others
Posts: 12,159
And in another scenario that I have frustratingly experienced twice now, if a couple are 1 and 2 on the upgrade list, and there is only 1 seat left in the reduced inventory available secondary to the 50% rule, and consequently only one on the upgrade list can clear because of the 50% F rule, override the rule, clear #2 in addition to #1 , with the provision that #2 sit next to #1 . That does not impact anyone else in that cabin in any meaningful way but sure rewards diamonds traveling together.
Aug 6, 2020, 9:22 pm
#74
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: DL Diamond 1.7MM, Starlux Insighter, Bonvoy Titanium, Hilton Gold, Hertz PC
Posts: 3,947
No one is saying that Delta should require two passengers on the same PNR to sit next to each other, but if they choose to do so, then let at least one person sit in the row behind them that is now empty because 2B moved to 1B to be with the spouse.
And in another scenario that I have frustratingly experienced twice now, if a couple are 1 and 2 on the upgrade list, and there is only 1 seat left in the reduced inventory available secondary to the 50% rule, and consequently only one on the upgrade list can clear because of the 50% F rule, override the rule, clear #2 in addition to #1 , with the provision that #2 sit next to #1 . That does not impact anyone else in that cabin in any meaningful way but sure rewards diamonds traveling together.
And in another scenario that I have frustratingly experienced twice now, if a couple are 1 and 2 on the upgrade list, and there is only 1 seat left in the reduced inventory available secondary to the 50% rule, and consequently only one on the upgrade list can clear because of the 50% F rule, override the rule, clear #2 in addition to #1 , with the provision that #2 sit next to #1 . That does not impact anyone else in that cabin in any meaningful way but sure rewards diamonds traveling together.
I also strongly object to the concept you propose in the second scenario; every additional person represents risk, and upgrading an additional person increases the risk for all in a meaningful way (even for those who remain in coach, because it means Delta gets to sell another seat on the plane that previously couldn't be sold). There is no reason upgrades should be treated differently than paid tickets here, and Delta has currently made a clear guarantee that they will not fill the cabin past 50%, even if passengers choose to sit next to each other.
If Delta starts playing these games, they might as well give up on the distancing guarantee entirely. This is something you either commit to or don't do at all; the second people start seeing it be inconsistently enforced, it carries no value.
Aug 7, 2020, 7:37 am
#75
Join Date: May 2013
Location: RMS
Programs: DL Plat, UA Gold, Bonvoy Titanium, Hilton Credit Card Diamond
Posts: 8,789
I'm not sure where your confusion lies. OP likes having two rows of F to their own party because it creates the allure of safety having no one seated behind them. While it's wonderful that makes them feel safer, the reality is that it's silly for DL to be sending out so many empty seats that could just as easily be filled with other paying customers if they required people of the same household to sit next to one another. Yes, I'm sure most would agree they'd rather not be seated next to a stranger at this point (or realistically at any point) but I think extending that concern to those seated behind you is a bit too much when you're choosing to fly on a commercial aircraft.
I'm by no stretch a DL apologist and I'm rarely the first one to go to the defense of any airline, however in this case DL is justified in trying to sell those additional seats IMO.
I'm by no stretch a DL apologist and I'm rarely the first one to go to the defense of any airline, however in this case DL is justified in trying to sell those additional seats IMO.
As to what the policy should be, I think a good interpretation of the distancing policy would be one passenger per pair of seats unless it's a traveling companion. When it comes to how to use the current situation to create maximum distancing, the scenario someone laid out of booking 1/2B and then sitting in 1A/B seems ideal. You end up with a bulkhead in front and an empty row behind, so your closest fellow passengers are in row 3 behind or across the aisle (hopefully in 1D).