Should have tried convincing the other 71 to SDC via CVG.

Well, many of us think it's not a waste. DL used to close the UG list when it got to a certain number. There's a big problem with doing that, though.

Suppose there are five open seats in F, and list is closed when it reaches 25, because there doesn't seem to be any point in keeping the list open--there are already 5x more people on the list than there are open seats, right? But suppose a PM on a Y fare asks to be put on the list, and is told "Sorry, you can't be put on the UG list--it's closed".

That's completely unfair to that person, because their status and fare class would have a very good chance of putting them in the top five on the list. There were several reports on FT of people who had good shots at a UG if they had been added to a list, but were told the list was closed.

So, keeping the list open seems like the most fair thing to do, and I'm glad DL does it.

This exact thing happened to me last month. I took a voluntary bump of my ATL - LAS flight because they changed the equipment and I was stuck in a middle seat in the back. I said I would rather not take this flight and put me on the next flight out. I don't mind hanging around the airport and getting some work done. Of course she accomdated me, because I was in V and due to seat config change I was bumped to the back. She rebooked me in Y class. The next flight out there were 5 seats avaliable and I wasn't even on the list of 32 names. I went to GA and had her put me on the list and lo behold I became number 1. Of course I got the upgrade plus the bonus miles.

Had that printed on my BP I printed from home today too! Was nice to see. Still has the zone # under the seat.

Yes :o

First Class/Zone 7?
 

Hello,
I just checked in online for my flights on DL tommorrow from ORF-ATL, then ATL-PDX. I'm flying first class, and my first boarding pass says Breezeway and Zone 1, but my ATL-PDX boarding pass says "Class A First" and "Seat 5D" (on a 757) "Zone 7." Shouldn't this be Zone 1 as well? Is this a mistake?

Thanks

And then maybe 50 coach seats will magically turn into FC seats! ;) [Hey! It's just as likely as 71 no shows! so nyaahhh :p]

When things don't work (Breezeway, Automatic Upgrades, GAs).
 

I'm not one to complain much. I've learned to expect bumps while travelling. But when a bunch of little things don't work, it quickly adds up.

I called SMS in the morning to SDC a later flight. The call lasted 2 minutes 4 seconds from "Send" to "End". SMS worked wonderfully.

Online Check-in
I go to DL.com to check-in & print my BPs. As mentioned in a previous thread, the system didn't give me my preferred seats. The first flight, I had no choice. The second flight had Exit Row Aisle available & I selected that seat. Click through the questions, No-No-No-Yes. Click submit, original seat assignment remained. Try again, same result. No big deal, flight has 7 open seats in F & I'm a PM, I'll get the upgrade.

Crown Room Club
I noticed that my CRC membership was missing from my BP. How is that possible when I took advatage of an offer last Summer and should have memership through March 2009? CRC agents can't figure it out.

Automatic Medallion Upgrades
DL heralded the new system where upgrades were automatically requested for Medallions. I arrive to the gate to find my name absent from the cleared list & upgrade list. I check with the Gate Agent, who wasn't very nice (I've come to expect some warmth if not Southern Hospitality from GAs in ATL), tells me that I declined the upgrade request. I asked her how that is possible. She just shrugged and turned away. The SMS agent never asked about the upgrade, it was never asked online either.

Delta's Customer Committment
I'm now number 1 on the list in front of a FO as all othee Medallions have cleared. I wait to see if the F boards full as the weather should delay flights and people miss their connections. I ask during Zone 6 & was told by the gate supervisor, without checking the computer, that F boarded full. I wait until Zone 9 (how many of you knew there were zones after Zone 3?) and I ask the other GA (same cold GA I had initial contact with) if F had all been seated, she too did not check the computer and said yes, F was full. I board, take my seat in the back of the plane, non-exit row. While boarding, I noticed that F had a seat open and later, while airborne, asked an FA if F was full. He replied no. And therein lies the problem, whether laziness or lack of the honesty. The GAs in ATL manage to p*ss off a customer that, while has traveled less with DL, still gives a fair amount of business via flights, AMEX, partners, etc to Delta. I was one of the last persons to board, the GA could have easily walked down the jetway & given me the upgrade instead of letting the F seat fo empty. A little effort goes a long way. It was a short flight, but the blatant lack of customer service skills was disappointing.

Breezeway
The overly hyped Breezeway boarding has worked for me on one occasionn, early in inception. With my Zone 9 boarding, I was able to observe how poorly implemented it is.. Zone 1 should be F only. Zone 2 & 3 for Medallion, Skyteam, exit, bulkhead. Breezeway should begin after that. The mass cattle call that initially occurs is no better than WN's system. DL: Get it right before you implement it systemwide (such a poor and stupid implementation).

The FAs on my recent flights have all been exceptional as one comes to expect from DL. Too bad much of the rest of DL isn't working as well.

Like I said, the little things I can let go. But when there are a bunch, it adds up & isn't as easy to overlook.

What used to diffentiate DL from other domestic, the technology and the people, aren't as good as before. It is a shame. Especially since a merger would undoubtedly cause further strain on the new airline's systems. Maybe DL should get itself together before attempting to merge (don't use US/HP as an template).

I & some others, have the fortune of having options as to what airline & alliance we fly. DL is making it easier to look elsewhere.

I agree 100% about Breezeway. Extremely poorly managed every time I try to board. Useless until they actively embrace the concept, but embracing concepts seems lost on the vast majority of their ATL employees...

Breezeway is an absolute unmitigated disaster. Delta needs to get rid of it or acutally train the GA's how to run it. I have yet to see it work.

I've had upgrade requests show up as "denied" when doind SDC as well. I now always double check w/ SMS before hanging up, triple check on the board when I get to the gate, then quadruple check in the CRC.

I was boarding a flight Monday morning from ATL-PHL and, as usual, upon starting boarding it immediately became a mess with F class pax and other medallions lining up in both the general and breezeway lines. A few passengers were grumbling loudly about how stupid this process was when the GA blurted loudly, "I know, we don't like it either!" The guy in line behind me said something to the effect that the GA should take control and fix it, to which the GA said, "I don't know how it's supposed to work." Argh...

Yeah, what's up with their web check-in system?? Recently I haven't been successful in changing seats online when it's a multi-leg trip, similar to the OP-- also in a similar situation, when I only do a seat change for one leg. Perhaps this is where the glitch is. But who knows why. It's been flawless when changing seats in a direct flight.

First, let me say that I think the Breezeway system, while not implemented perfectly, has been working great - much better than NW. (I already posted this in a Breezeway specific thread) A few weeks ago, I arrived at the gate after general boarding started. There was a long line. The breezeway was roped off. I asked the GA if they were using the Breezeway, and he said "ABSOLUTELY" and unroped it just for me!! :)

I flew LAX/JFK and had to ASK for a priority bag tag - but I got it. A week later, flying FLL/ATL, they didn't give me a priority bag tag. I asked and was denied. They told me that they were told only to put the green/yellow tags on when the computer bar-coded tag said "priority" - and mine didn't, even though my boarding pass said SkyTeam Elite Plus on it. I asked for a supervisor - not that the bag tags were a big deal to me - just that I thought that the ticket counter agent should get it right for the future. She got a supervisor - and he ALSO denied me the tags!! I pointed out - VERY CALMLY, I assure you - that priority baggage handling is a "SkyTeam Elite Published Benefit" - and was STILL DENIED!

On Thursday, I flew ORD/CVG on a CRJ900 - Freedom Air op'd flight. The FA announced that due to the short duration of the flight, there would be NO beverage service in Y. So, there were 2 FA's servicing F (12 seats) and NO service in coach - 32 pax in Y out of 64 seats. Couldn't / shouldn't they have at the very least offered water to us? My connecting flight to PIT was also a CRJ900 flight - but ComAir - and the FA managed to do SNACKS AND WATER and the scheduled time is 9 minutes SHORTER!! And this flight was FULL!!! It just left me with a feeling that the first FA was lazy - hanging out in the galley BS-ing with the other FA.

I was taking the train from the City to ORD and the train had several problems/delays. So, I decided to check in via my Blackberry so I wouldn't miss the 30 minute cutoff. When I got to the kiosk to reprint my boarding pass, it said I was too late to check in - and do I want to change to a different flight?! I thought I had already checked in via my Blackberry - and just wanted to reprint my BP! On NW, when you do Mobile check-in, you just do a "REPRINT" at the kisok - but I guess DL's system is different. A counter agent took care of it.

I haven't written to DL about these - yet - but another REALLY STUPID thing happened on my ORD/CVG flight which warrants a new thread and I'll post when I feel like typing more!

Priority bag tags are for international flights only and do not apply domestically.

-b-