edwin_p_morales

Hi all! Did some searching and didn't see anything on this. I have a booking for DL 756 in late July, JFK-ANC early evening departure. Paid for first class (C class on the receipt) in part because I was excited to have a confirmed lie-flat seat on the 763.

Booked the ticket, and subsequent onward travel (10 cities over two weeks) and then went to confirm a seat assignment and it's not letting me pick any seat. The whole plane is showing "occupied" in every slot.

Did a little googling to see if maybe the service was being changed and didn't see much, except for this article which at least raises the possibility that I might not be getting lie flat seats after all.

Though clearly it doesn't say that, just implies that it's a thing that might happen to some flights, and of course the 767 that I'm booked on should indicate otherwise.

Any thoughts on how worried I should be? It's an 8 hour flight and I'd be pretty annoyed to go for paid J and be stuck in a crappy domestic recliner, especially when I could fly Alaska or make other plans.

Mr. Tickets

My guess is that the flight is full in first and the only thing left are seats that are blocked for airport assignment. It appears that 5 and D and 6 A are blocked on the days it operates (Friday and Saturday). I wouldn't lose much sleep over it.

Duke787

It looks like they aren't selling any J for July 3rd and July 10th (suggesting J is full on those two days) but the rest of the schedule in July they are selling Y and J (and you say late July so those early sellouts shouldn't be impacting you).

Either they are swapping planes (so freezing the seat selection temporarily), there is an upcoming schedule change (so they are freezing seat selection temporarily), or it's just Delta IT and there's something funky with your reservation that needs to be resolved so you can get to seat selection (at least for me those are the 3 common scenarios at play when I encounter this situation).

I would just keep an eye on it and if you want additional piece of mind you can call/text the DM line but the wait will be a while right now (or next time you are at the airport, ask a CSR in the SkyClub or at a booking desk to check the reservation).

cmd320

I mean, I wouldn't be worried about a swap to domestic equipment, Delta doesn't have anything with domestic recliners that can make it from JFK to ANC.

As far as the flight being canceled you could always see about being routed via ATL to ensure you get lie flat equipment.

Intl359Widget

Delta’s 757s have the range to make JFKANC nonstop without a fuel stop. Back in the hey day Delta operated JFKPSA which is 745 miles more so it’s possible for an aircraft swap into a 75D/75G/75P configuration without the Delta One product (75S).

Also UA flies EWRANC with the 757s as well.

cmd320

Oh, yeah looks like it. I thought JFK-ANC was considerably farther than it actually is, shorter even than JFK-LHR. Never mind then.

xliioper

I wouldn't worry about it. Flight has been operating for over a week now as 763 and they are unlikely to change equipment at this late stage. They are probably just selling out First (6/25, 7/3, 7/10 flights are J0 now) with cash, instruments, and miles given the stage length and the fact that F is selling for $627.

ClipperDelta

I wouldn't worry about an equipment swap for this. On the 763ER for this route, there are blocked D1 seats for pilot rest seat (like on an international flight), so while the seat map may show every seat being 'grayed out' or taken, there are actually still 3 blocked seats (5A, 5D, and 6A). Seat 5A is the pilot rest seat and they usually block the one behind the pilot rest seat (the last seat to be assigned) as well as the one across the cabin (5D, don't know why they do that). Both 6A and 5D are usually assignable on day of departure.

Repooc17

Good thing DL doesn't have any Max in the fleet. UA also flies the Max9 from IAH to ANC, only 120 miles or so shorter in distance than JFK-ANC.

Intl359Widget

That's a bit too long in any variant of the 737 in my opinion even though DL has used the B739ER on DTWANC.

cmd320

Agreed, hard pass on that one.

Intl359Widget

I for one am glad that I’m booked on the 76W from ANC to JFK this month in C+.