Seat Blocking on Delta during COVID-19 (Ending 5/1/2021)
#76
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I am one of those flying DL exclusively for transcons in paid D1 now precisely because I am guaranteed an empty seat next to me and a guarantee of no more than 7 other pax in the cabin (on the 75S). I don’t even consider UA or AA (only exception is the sole UA 787-10 Polaris flight from SFO to EWR where there are single J seats). I don’t care if DL is serving me only water and AA/UA are offering rack of lamb carved from the cart.
Domestically right now, I am only flying DL and when necessary, AS since they also offer some form of seat blocking). I took a short UA Intra-California flight last month as it was the only nonstop and I had a schedule to keep - I turned down the F upgrade as they were going to fill it up with upgrades and non-revs and elected to sit in Y where I had the entire row (3-3 config) to myself. I don’t want to have to stress with UA or AA to keep checking if the seat next to me is going to be empty.
Domestically right now, I am only flying DL and when necessary, AS since they also offer some form of seat blocking). I took a short UA Intra-California flight last month as it was the only nonstop and I had a schedule to keep - I turned down the F upgrade as they were going to fill it up with upgrades and non-revs and elected to sit in Y where I had the entire row (3-3 config) to myself. I don’t want to have to stress with UA or AA to keep checking if the seat next to me is going to be empty.
#77
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: NYC
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What's interesting is there is no logic in FC to block certain seats if you are booking together. For example, on a flight I have with my wife, I can book 3A and 3B. Using the computer's logic another 2 couples could book 2A/2B and 1A/1B. Now we have 6 people all around us.
Alternatively I can book seat 3B and 2B (and 2A/3A will be auto blocked). My wife can then move into my row on board and we have secured an empty row around behind us.
Alternatively I can book seat 3B and 2B (and 2A/3A will be auto blocked). My wife can then move into my row on board and we have secured an empty row around behind us.
#78
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What's interesting is there is no logic in FC to block certain seats if you are booking together. For example, on a flight I have with my wife, I can book 3A and 3B. Using the computer's logic another 2 couples could book 2A/2B and 1A/1B. Now we have 6 people all around us.
Alternatively I can book seat 3B and 2B (and 2A/3A will be auto blocked). My wife can then move into my row on board and we have secured an empty row around behind us.
Alternatively I can book seat 3B and 2B (and 2A/3A will be auto blocked). My wife can then move into my row on board and we have secured an empty row around behind us.
#79
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: NYC
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perhaps that’s true. But part of me is thinking to book my seats that way. What’s the point of being surrounded by people and having empty rows in the back
#80
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#81
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I'm not sure either--the 75% fill rate to F was based on speculation from others based on survey questions.
I noticed on an upcoming flight at the end of October that the B seats in C+ and Y on the CRJ are all blocked. Try this with a dummy booking for October 30th on any CRJ route. When I picked a D seat and then tried to do a new dummy booking to see if the C seat was blocked, it wasn't. It would appear that pax sitting in C or D could have a seat mate. This is in line with the wording that "Select aisle seats will be blocked on smaller aircraft with 2x2 seating configurations." Maybe they'll do a similar thing in F and block all B seats?
I noticed on an upcoming flight at the end of October that the B seats in C+ and Y on the CRJ are all blocked. Try this with a dummy booking for October 30th on any CRJ route. When I picked a D seat and then tried to do a new dummy booking to see if the C seat was blocked, it wasn't. It would appear that pax sitting in C or D could have a seat mate. This is in line with the wording that "Select aisle seats will be blocked on smaller aircraft with 2x2 seating configurations." Maybe they'll do a similar thing in F and block all B seats?
In fact, more generally could a family wanting to sit together force the B seat to be occupied?
#82
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Does this create W&B issues? If someone traveling alone picks (or pays for) an A seat in order not to have a seatmate (comfort and safety), what happens when a DL employee orders passengers to change seats?
In fact, more generally could a family wanting to sit together force the B seat to be occupied?
In fact, more generally could a family wanting to sit together force the B seat to be occupied?
#83
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Does this create W&B issues? If someone traveling alone picks (or pays for) an A seat in order not to have a seatmate (comfort and safety), what happens when a DL employee orders passengers to change seats?
In fact, more generally could a family wanting to sit together force the B seat to be occupied?
In fact, more generally could a family wanting to sit together force the B seat to be occupied?
#84
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#86
Join Date: Sep 2012
Programs: DL DM
Posts: 759
I accidentally posted this to a different thread instead of this one, which is more appropriate.
As of today, regional jets in 1x2 configuration in First are booked to 66%. Delta has updated wording on the website to reflect that they are blocking "adjacent" seats in First Class.
As of today, regional jets in 1x2 configuration in First are booked to 66%. Delta has updated wording on the website to reflect that they are blocking "adjacent" seats in First Class.
#87
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I accidentally posted this to a different thread instead of this one, which is more appropriate.
As of today, regional jets in 1x2 configuration in First are booked to 66%. Delta has updated wording on the website to reflect that they are blocking "adjacent" seats in First Class.
As of today, regional jets in 1x2 configuration in First are booked to 66%. Delta has updated wording on the website to reflect that they are blocking "adjacent" seats in First Class.
#89
Join Date: Feb 2020
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Capacity Restrictions
Had quite a weird experience today on Delta from SLC-DTW-SBN. Day starts out on that SLC-DTW flight, it's an A321 meaning that there are 10 seats that can be filled in First and I was #4 for 2 open unfortunately. There were 3 couples there and we went out with 3 empty rows of First. That's honestly my biggest travel gripe right now seeing empty rows like that go out, I don't get mad about it though, in the end I'm not confirmed First. What did make me wonder though was on my connection from DTW-SBN on a CRJ-200. Get to the gate, we're overbooked and need volunteers to take the next flight in 5 hours and enough volunteered. I'm in row 12 so I'm the second person on the plane. Then people keep boarding then all of a sudden people who aren't together are sitting next to each other in 8 rows and a lot of them said something since DL blocks seats. Then that got me very aggravated. The fact that they can't fill empty rows of First because 50% and "social distancing" but they're also over here putting people next to each other in those tiny CRJ200s which has WAY less space than a whole row in First even if it's more than 50% full, even a completely full First cabin would be better. In my opinion I just find it extremely hypocritical what they did there. Has anyone else had similar situations like this?
#90
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I would say something. Even CRJ are supposed to have an empty seat.
As for F, DL is moving to an adjacent seat strategy for blocking to get rid of the current nonsense.
As for F, DL is moving to an adjacent seat strategy for blocking to get rid of the current nonsense.