"Waitlist" IS different than "Standby"!!!!!
 

I've just learned something new tonight and wanted to share it with everyone here. I'm sure the "old hands" will laugh at my naiveté, but hopefully, some of you will find it useful.

Suppose you're going from Philadelphia to London Gatwick, on an upgradeable coach fare. You have the choice of three flights with business class - DL 36 (CVG-LGW), DL 12 (ATL-LGW at 5:45 p.m.) and DL 58 (ATL-LGW at 7:25 p.m.) Obviously, you can make a confirmed reservation on only ONE of those flights. If there are no upgrades available on the flight you're booked on, you're put on a waitlist. I kept asking SMS if I could 'stand by" for the upgrade on the other flights (since they didn't have any inventory available either), and SMS kept saying "No, I'd have to confirm you on that flight and you'd be on the waitlist for that flight then". So, I just kept calling SMS and checking (I've driven them nuts with 3 calls today!)

Well, the SMS agent I just got off the phone with deserves some kind of award - She explained to me that I could be put on the WAITLIST for an upgraded seat on ALL the flights, AT THE SAME TIME. If the upgrade clears, then my ticket is reissued for that flight. All I have to do is ask to "WAITLIST" for the upgrade on the flights I'm interested in, instead of asking to "standby" for the upgrade on the flights.

Sadly, the upgrade list for DL 12 is closed, so I can't get on it (oh well), but she was able to add me to the upgrade waitlist for DL 36!

As I said, I'm sure many of you are getting a chuckle out of something that's so fundamental, but hopefully, some of the folks here will learn something - whenever you're booked on a flight, and you're on the upgrade waitlist, be sure to ask to be added to the WAITLIST for any other flights that meet your needs!

Note: This tip is for international flights. I don't know if you can do it for domestic flights.

Enjoy! :D

I'm not sure the last agent spoke the truth, as normally one cannot waitlist (or, for that matter, stand by) for an upgrade class unless one is already confirmed on the flight.

No more than one can directly book into an upgrade inventory; you must first book the revenue inventory, then process the upgrade.

And I would presume that, if she is right, and if you do clear a waitlist for one of the other flights, the airline will reprice the ticket at that time using prices in effect that day for the flight you're going to actually take, plus if the original ticket was restricted you'll get hit with a $200 change fee as well.

If you're booking a Y fare for the trip, then it should just be an even exchange.

Um, according to "My Itineraries", I am indeed confirmed in coach on DL 58 and waitlisted for both DL 58 and DL 36. On the return, I am confirmed in coach on DL 59, and waitlisted for DL 11 and DL 37.

Note that I am on a "B" fare, which allows changes (an even exchange, as you said). I would actually be annoyed if the airline did indeed try to charge me more money, as one of the reasons I purchased a changeable ticket was to have the flexibility to change my ticket without incurring penalties, fees, or fare changes.

By the way, I've done this before, but I just didn't know that the magic word to use is "waitlist". I kept saying "standby".

The reprice will only occur if one makes a voluntary change to the first segment. International Y,B & M fares generally have their own change fees specified and the change fees on Y, B & M TATL fares are often between zero and 250 USD.

Well, if that's true than I have learned something. Thanks for bringing this up. I have never heard of being able to waitlist for Z if not already confirmed on that flight. So, even if Y (and B) are sold out on the waitlisted flight, they would still clear you onto the flight if the Z seat clears?



There are actually two B fares in the PHL-LGW market, once of which carries a 7 day advance purchase and Saturday night stay restriction. Therefore, you theoretically could be charged an additional collection if you're booked on the more restrictive fare and the waitlist doesn't clear until less than 7 days before departure. Presumably, you knew this and chose the less restricted B fare.

I believe that you have to be confirmed in Y, B or M before the upgrade can take place. However, when I have waitlisted for Z on another flight and Z has become available the relevant coach class has always been available too so I have never seen the situation where Z becomes available but the relevant coach class isn't available. In fact, I suspect that if the front cabin is light enought that Z is available chances are that they would still be selling at least Y and B and maybe even M.

An update for those who've been following the saga. I just got off the phone with SMS (Sunday evening). It seems that BusinessElite is sold out on both DL 12 and DL 58 (my originally booked flight). There are three BusinessElite seats available on DL 36 (CVG-ATL), but I'm not really holding my breath on anything happening for me. A few interesting data points that she shared with me:
1. Both DL 12 and DL 58 are OVERSOLD in Coach.
2. DL 10 (the late-night, all-coach 767-400ER) has 12 "first class" seats blocked for gate assignment. Although everyone whines about the 767-400ER, my main goal on flights TO LGW is to sleep. FC on the 767-400ER has GOT to be more comfortable than coach all the way in the back of a 767-300ER.
3. She made a point of observing that I'm PM MM and that I should be sure to speak to the agents when I check in. I asked about this, and she said that, because of my status (and she spent quite a bit of time gushing about my status), they have a bit more latitude to deal with me. She further recommended that I try to speak to an agent "away from the crowds", or in the Crown Room, and to be discreet.

Here are my thoughts:
1. Check tomorrow morning and see if anything (CVG?) cleared before I head to the airport.
2. Assuming nothing clears, when I check in at the PHL CRC (and I'm scheduled to get to the airport in PHL 2 hours before departure), talk to the PHL CRC agents (who know me) about my predicament. See what their thoughts are.
3. If I find out in PHL that the ATL-LGW flights are indeed oversold, suggest/offer that I'd be willing to accept rerouting PHL-CDG-LHR on AF (especially if they could score business class). Also, that I'd be willing to accept a via CDG routing in ATL or CVG on either AF or DL if they could get me into business. I figure it helps them out with an oversold situation (so there's a plus for Delta) AND I'm accepting a less convenient routing. Anyone think that would work?
4. If I'm unable to arrange anything at the CRC in PHL, head down to ATL on my originally scheduled flight, and make the offer again to give up my seat on an oversold flight and take a less convenient routing through CDG in exchange for business class transatlantic.
5. If all that fails, offer to go on the 10 p.m. flight, as long as they'll give me one of the FC seats (preferably 7E or 7F ;) )

Do these plans sound workable, or am I living in a dream world?

Heck, I'd actually accept routing on any other carrier that eventually gets me to either LGW or LHR as long as transatlantic is in business.

I've never had anyone gush about my status, on DL or AA. I'm offended! :mad:

Makes sense to me except for th final point; shouldn't 7E and 7F be pilot crew rest seats on a TATL flight?

Good luck; I can't wait to hear the final results.

Marc

I guess I just got a very friendly agent!

Yep, they'd need one of 7E/F for pilot rest :D

And they are not even selling J on these flights.

I don't expect Z to clear on any DL CDG-LGW or ATL-LGW tomorrow.

Trying to arrange an alternative itinerary before you get to ATL may not work simply because it is the ATL check-in / GAs who will normally deal with the oversell. They may get enough misconnects to avoid a problem.

I'm not sure whether or not it helps to pull your seat alloaction in such a situation. I have looked on it as a gamble in the past. On the one hand I would end up with a GA assigned seat which might actually be an exit or a bulkhead and on the other hand, if I arrave on a connection into ATL the coach seats may be assigned so I get the op-up.

The times I decided to try losing the seat allocation I got the op-up, but doing that certainly brings new meaning to the term "gate lottery"!

Jimrpa, I would consider a drive up to EWR and take VS premium economy (a better comfort than domestic FC) to London. No connections, and you earn MQMs.

Haha, great suggestion. Just a couple of little problems:
1. Virgin Atlantic is not one of our partner airlines, so I'm not allowed to use them.
2. I'm required to abide by the "Fly America" act. Virgin Atlantic does not qualify as a US carrier (and the CO codeshare does no good because CO is NOT one of our partner airlines - see #1.)
3. While I'm on an unrestricted ticket, it's priced with our corporate discounts. I doubt VS would accept the ticket (well, they might accept the ticket, but I'm sure they'd expect me to pony up more $$$).

Good luck and I can't wait to hear the outcome. Sorry that you can't take Virgin. I am flying to the UK in June and am giving them a try now that I can earn MQMs. Booked PE and had the upgrade clear on the return using miles (20K instead of 25K on DL). Am waiting to clear the outbound and from what I have heard, might get lucky there as VS releases inventory at the 7 day window and then again at the gate. I did give DL 10/11 a look but passed because of the extra leg to get in/out of NYC (the idea of a coah TATL flight home + layover + 2 hour flight home killed that). FWIW, the DL coach fare wasn't all that great and the DL M+ fare was higher than the VS PE fare. And we all know I fares are sky-high if you don't originate at the TATL station.