FormerLurker

Here's the latest, from a telephone conversation with a well-placed representative at Delta HQ in Atlanta last week: DL plans to restore unlimited, time-of-booking upgrades for Platinums on Y/B/M fares in 2004. The other fares will continue to be upgradeable using the revised upgrade rules announced earlier this year.

I doubt that this will be enough to get me to return, given the decreasing number of first-class seats to upgrade into, but I thought I would pass this along. I did a search but didn't see these specifics posted on the other threads dealing with the SkyMiles changes.

jeffreyt

Your contact at Delta is a little slow in learning their own rules. This is part of the announced changes from last year and nothing new.

Marq

This actually would be a change...a bad change from my perspective. Unlimited upgrades need to be available for K+ fares vice YBM to keep me. I am ambivalent about the 100 hour limitation.

marc

[This message has been edited by Marq (edited 08-23-2003).]

Dave M

What's different, if true, is the unlimited part. The previously announced rules allow time-of-purchase upgrades for these fares, but only with upgrade credits earned or purchased.

jeffreyt

Interesting... I might be wrong. Currently, the way it is worded... and announced last year was that Y, B, M fares are upgradeable for PM's at time of booking. 100 hours before departure for H, Q, or K, and 24 hours prior to departure for L, U or T fares.

I agree though.. they need to bring more fares buckets back as unlimited, if this really is true and pans out.

[This message has been edited by jeffreyt (edited 08-23-2003).]

Spiff

0.5 MQMs on insULT fares will likely remain.

I won't.

bdschobel

That's right. If Y, B and M fares can be upgraded without cutting into the store of electronic 500-mile upgrade certificates, that's a real improvement for some people. It does very little for me, however, as I seldom buy Y, B or M fares. I used to buy mostly K and occasionally J fares (or I fares).

Bruce

bnaboy

This change would not keep me aboard. I would likely stay if unlimited upgrades were returned to K+ fares but with 100 hour window instead of "at time of booking" which could be made available to M,B,Y fares only.

mikey1003

Did your contact have anything to say about SEGMENT QUALIFICATION??????

ptcflyer

YBM domestically (at least out of Atlanta) is virtually impossible to book. 90% of my flying overlays Airtran routes. Virtually all of my fares (many last minute purchases) are all Q or under. A change in policy for YBM fares with unlimited upgrades is not too meaningful.

I am getting more and more Q-ups... at reasonable fares matching Airtran's fares. However, for most flyers out of Atlanta, it is virtually impossible to book a YBM fare...unless it is absolutely last minute on a non-Airtran routes. Interesting thing is... that when I book last minute fares, I am more time than not put on a waitlist because the V inventory is taken or many seats have not been released. I have to clear a the airport.

Although, if the Q-UP program continues to expand at reasonable fares... the PM unlimited upgrade may become somewhat less important as a PM will be flying in first and earning the MSUs .... Hypothetically, true last-minute booking / no sat stay road-warriers should be able to fly up front almost all of the time. The key will be expansion of the Q-UP fares!

HK-LUT's, unfortunately, will find their travel alternative on the "Blue side" of ATL.

Flying_Duck

That may be true for some - but not for those of us who are working for a government entity or company with a policy that stipulates with no exception "no paid first class" even if the coach is similarly or closely priced to that F class seat showing up on the receipt as such.

Much better for us would be a QUP type fare booked in coach but automatically upgraded to an F seat, a policy that would be similar to what I believe a couple of other majors have.

It is very important to me that when booking in K+ and immediately being confirmed in first as a PM (2003), the receipt stipulates the coach part only with a sham coach seat, such as what happens now.

Unlimited upgrade in Y/B/M will be a very limited bandaid on the the otherwise huge need for purchasing upgrade point next year (unless it will pertain also to Transoceanic flights - Fat chance!!). And since as mentioned it is not possible to book in M/B/Y on more and more flights, it unfortunately is not cutting it - unlerss associated with a significant increased ability to earn the 500 mile points.

FormerLurker

I didn't ask about segment qualification, as I could have easily qualified under their new rules with miles if I wanted to. I also hesitate to call this person a true "contact," since it was just a return call in relation to a customer service issue I e-mailed about. He did acknowledge, though, that Delta HQ recognized that the changes announced this year had driven away many of their best customers...

ptcflyer

The Q-Up fares are presented as the lowest coach fares. I am not allow to fly first class for my company, but when I often select a last minute departure between two points... the only and lowest price options are F (A) fares .... that ticket with Q basis. These fares are non-refundable, and look and feel like coach tickets... but are seated in F. My company has no problem with this... If these were not accepted... then I suppose you could not fly Delta... or you would have to call and tell them to down-grade your seat... although the fare would be the same....

heathe

This might be an improvement, but it might also be a little bit like receiving a fancy new job title but no raise. Delta institutes the "unlimited Platinum upgrades" for Y,B,M but simultaneously, as it already seems to be doing, severely limits the upgrade inventory for all.

LAOCA

It would be far more meaningful if for the H/Q/K bookings the 100 hour window was withdrawn or the unlimited upgrades remained for all inventory.

The reality is that in any market served by Southweat, Airtran, or JetBlue (which will soon by most major markets), Q or H is the highest fare anyway.