I have been handing out this add. in crown rooms, and on planes to other elites. I also have a web page about it and Delta checks it once a week.
http://www2.netdoor.com/~pkkelly/Index.html
http://www2.netdoor.com/~pkkelly/air.HTM
Thanks I hope this get some Delta people to hear us.

I notice that most of the people effected by the L Fare/Upgrade policy are domestic travelers. As I have mentioned before, the international traveler on Delta has an advantage over you. On many international airfares on Delta, they only offer K class or higher airfares. The only time they seem to offer L class international fares is when they offer a fare sale. This means that most international fliers can upgrade their tickets for the domestic portion. The message that Delta seems to be sending is that they want international travelers over domestic travellers. When I travel internationally on a K class fares or higher I have been able to upgrade domestically every time. However, the first class section is always full. It would be nice if they could add some more first class seats on their new aircraft that they ordered.

Regds
JayJ

JayJ,

Existing aircraft can be reconfigured in as little as 24 hours. All of the interior seating can be moved around as much as the airline wishes. A plane could be configured with all coach class seats one day and then be changed to all first class seats a few days later. On weekends, UPS reconfigures their 727 cargo planes with passanger seating so they can rent the planes out for charters.

Catman, Everyone,

I will be happy to put a page on the net with just what we woluld like to say to Delta. Then put the names of all that would like to have them there on it.

If anyone would like to do this let me know.

Of course I can only update it once a week or when I get home.

P Kelly

Kelly,

Sign me up for this. I wrote a letter to Kevin Pinto (DL manager of FF programs) last year. Got a polite form letter from someone in the organization saying "frequent flyers wanted this change." Maybe if they find out that we really DON'T ...

Meanwhile, I've switched to American. They gave me Plat. AAdvantage right away. That's about $10,000/year for my tickets, and about another $15,000 for family and colleagues who follow my choices, that Delta tossed out the window. Will they get me back? Maybe, but it'll take a LOT more than it would have taken to keep me in the first place!

DELTA: IS ANYBODY LISTENING THERE? DOES ANYBODY CARE? HELLO?

Justin

I disagree that Delta can reconfigure their aircraft in as little as 24 hrs.

UPS uses combi aircraft. The seats come on pallets that load 18 at a time. Delta has no combi aircraft. In fact no US passenger carrier has combi aircraft except Alaska that I know of.

Some of Delta's aircraft are difficult to reconfigure due to locations or exit doors, lavatories and galleys which are hard to move. I guess we could look at each aircraft type and see which ones are more easily convertable but whats the point.
Delta is not going to spend money on upgrading their domestic first compartment unless forced to do so by the competition. The have already announced that they are going to spend millions upgrading their business and first class seats on international flights. This is where they see the value in adding new but not more seats.

When they start getting the new 767-400's and 737-800's and they actually use them for domestic service, it will be interesting to see how many first class seats it will be configured too.

By the way, the last time I flew out of Orlando with Delta, one of the first class seats were broke and they did not even have one share set of 767 first class seats available that they were willing to change. Luckly there was another flt available leaving at the same time or I would have had to ride in the middle seat of 767 for 4 hours in coach.

Regds
JayJ

I have not flown AIR UPS but from what I
read in USA Today and NY times when they
first launched the service those who tried
it found it very uncomfortable and like
flying one of those cargo flights. Also heard the fares are no bargain and unless you
charge it to a credit card that earns miles,
no miles. I don't think I would fly
AIR UPS unless it was the last possible choice (After Amtrak, limo, even bus.)

If Delta's eliminated the LFares and Upgrades
does anyone think they will add more first
class seats. In fact the trend by many airlines may be to cut first class and stick
us in overcrowed Coach for astronomical
fares.

Delta messed up my Air france free ticket
From Berlin to Paris last year. I used my
SKYMILES, reserved early and the nice ticket
person said in English and French "Sorry,
that reservation does not exist." Called long distance to Atlanta, got little help
then called Air France and seeing my frustration THEY had to fix the problem.

I think Delta wants more international business but I would still probably think
twice before I choose them for Moscow (A possible early 1999 trip.) Maybe Lufthansa,
British, SAS, Austria, even VIRGIN!

On the letter... I will be away much of wk
of 6-22. If anyone wants to put together
the DELTA "Are you listening" letter I'll
get aboard.

Also: I'm glad that you like my suggestion
of the weekly Delta LFares page. ENJOY!
Catman

OK here is the start. What do you think?

http://www2.netdoor.com/~pkkelly/Delta.HTM

Sorry...I had to come back.
alhcfp....get over it. i was just joking. believe me..i luuuuv nonrevs.
and yes it does just seem to be the same few people who are .....ing...what does that tell you??? get over it.

Who would want to upgrade using miles or god forbid pay for a domestic upgrade on Delta anyway? Old surly flight attendents and lousy product. Save the miles and money for a free ticket (someday)

Because I live in New Orleans, Delta is really the best option for me because they offer as good a schedule as anyone else, plus they offer more seats by far (Delta flies a lot of 757's and 767's, while no one else flies anything bigger than a 727 typically).

I made Gold Medallion status late last year, and it has been quite a ride. I admit that the inability to upgrade L class tickets sucks, but since I typically fly refundable tickets, it's not a problem.

What upset me more than the restriction on L class tickets was the fact that Delta gave away literally tens of thousands of free segment upgrades when it switched from paper upgrades to electronic ones. It just replaced all *unexpired* upgrades with electronic ones, regradless of whether the upgrade had been used or not. I think that once all these free upgrades expire at the end of this calendar year upgrading should become a little easier for us Gold Medallion members.

I would like to say however that I *have* been upgraded to first class even with an L class ticket twice so far this year. In one instance coach was full and first class was half empty, so right before push back the first class flight attendant came back and asked me if I'd like to sit in Coach, so of course I did (and let my boss suffer in coach *grin*).

On another flight more recently where my girlfriend and I had bought last minute L class tickets I showed up at the airport and Delta had bumped both of us (she had 0 lifetime miles) to first class to make more room in Coach.

Right now, I probably get upgraded over half the time, which I think is pretty good, espcecially considering some of the routes I have to fly that are tough to get upgrades on (ATL-DCA and ATL-HSV).

I will be the first to add in however that Delta does have some *SERIOUS* customer relations problems, and the few times I have taken the time to write a letter to complain, all I got was a form letter in return.

L Fares/Upgrades, take three
 

Here's another page for everyone to give
their views, reviews and everything else
on these very important issues.

Delta, I hope you are listening.

I've read all of the postings on this subject and find myself some what amused. Am I correct in understanding that most of you feel that if you buy 50 round trip tickets for $100 each/L fare ($5,000 annually)and I only buy 20 roundtrip trip tickets but they are $1,000 each/Y fare ($20,000 annually), YOU are the better customer and should be allocated more benefits than I? Interesting. I guess that none of you work with math in your positions. :)

Here we go again.......
If you can buy 50 round trip tickets for $100 each, than you are flying Delta Express from TPA to FLL.
Also, if you buy all tickets as straight Y fares then you should be fired because many B, M, Q and ,well as K&L fares require no advance purchase and may be bought at the gate.

I have been told by many Delta employees that a platinum equals $75,000/ yr and Gold equals $50,000.

Bottom line...in order to be Gold or Platinum you are giving alot of money to that airline and in the process making sacrifices of lower fares and direct flights on other airlines.