Whoever gave them the passes should be able to use Delta Intranet software to tell them the exact numbers available AND who is in front of them on the buddy pass list. What you see from the sites mentioned earlier do not take into account who else is flying on those "beloved" buddy passes.

Btw, isn't it nice how ppl flying non-rev on "buddy passes" get to fly in J while paying elites get the back of the bus? IMHO, even an FO on a T fare should upgraded to J ahead of any non-rev.

Its amazing that DL can accomodate buddy pass riders at the last minute in J but not customers who have paid for Y and and want to upgrade at the gate using certs on standby!

Ditto.

MO

Getting to EZE is not a problem, however, coming back often can be. While the flight may show a lot of open seats, standbys are often left behind in favor of cargo. Be careful on this route!

:confused: .....Didn't the elites pay to sit in the back of the bus? I would rather a J or F seat go out empty than listen to some elites whine because they are sitting in the back. I do belive that elites should be given x number of upgrades based on status and that is it "to be used anywhere DL flys"....I see complimentary upgrades being done away with in the future,,,,, :(

At least the elites in the back paid SOMETHING for their ticket... unlike the buddy pass users. I stand by what I said, somebody on a free-ride buddy pass should NEVER sit in J ahead of an elite on ANY paid fare class.

Just to play devil's advocate, one could view buddy passes that allow buddies to sit in J as a significant part of the compensation for DL employees. Without this benefit, DL would have to compensate employees some other way or face the consequences. This is at least an apporximation of a competitive market. Granted, it might make more sense to upgrade elites, but doing so would prevent DL from getting a lot of those $6,000 J fares...

I really doubt DL would lose so many J fares... most ppl I know who fly J for business do so on paid J fares. I know hardly anybody who travels for leisure on $6000 J fares; I can't imagine changing the upgrade rules would have much of an impact on paid-J.

That bit about employee compensation... how many PMs is it worth pissing off in order to be able to use such a "compensation"???

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Fair enough; I would settle for day-of-departure upgrades (for those willling to use $$$, miles or PMUs), so long as they took priority over any non-revs.

Fair enough, but since I've never been a PM (just became FO for the first time) on DL or any other airline, how many other carriers to allow complimentary upgrades into international J?

Additionally, if PMs (or other medallions) did have complimentary upgrades into J, how many of them would actually buy a J ticket? Just because they're buying them now doesn't mean they would if the system were different. Just my $0.02.

AA allows day-of-departure upgrades, but they do slap on a co-pay (i think its a couple hundred bucks).

Like I said above, nearly everybody I know who flys J for business is on paid J fares... this would not likely change at all even if upgrades were complimentary. The only people I know who pay full J for leisure are ppl who would likely still pay for J rather than face the hassle of an upgrade lottery. The only revenue harm I could see from complimentary upgrades would be the loss of I fares. Anywho, like I said above, even day-of-departure upgrades with the current rules would be better than letting free-riders take BE seats while paying elites (who were willing to pony up miles, certs or $$$) sit in the back.