Intl upgrade to First from a Coach T purchased seat?
 

1st post!!! - been reading and learning here for years!! IAC, on a flight ATL-FRA, was upgraded from a T class seat. Was doing a MR - so actually bought 3 seats so I could be comfortable and lay flat and sleep (since DL doesn't have that yet)... when I went to the CRC to reprint my online paper for a regular boarding pass... tah-dah!!! 5F!! I had to call SMS just to dbl chk!! Ever happen to anyone?? I thought I read they never do this before I left the US.

Let me tell you the food was fantastic! the movies were of excellent selection! and I was able to recharge my computer and phone before I landed. Though, I was so exhausted from the day before, I overslept breakfast (very sad - and hungry)

The only downside to the trip thus far was my baggage was delayed two days because of some mix-up in ATL. I think it was my fault for checking the bags in 6 hours early when I had to run my Mom to the airport for BKK. I asked about but didn't get my PM bag tag either?

You bought three seats as part of a MR?!?! Did you actually get credit for them? I thought DL did not credit SkyMiles for extra seats? Otherwise, some FTers are going to start buying out the whole back of the plane!

As to your question, while I have never personally received an OP-up, I know many that have from a variety of fares. Each GA is different, so YMMV.

I wonder this too.. did they credit miles for the other seats?

once you were upgraded, did you call SMS to cancel the other 2 seats and get ETCV's?

I sure as the hell would. Sounds like an op upgrade and they saw the three seats together and that was their easy way out.

Congrats OP !! Did you notice if coach looked full to you ? If so, you were likely the beneficiary of an operational upgrade, meaning coach was full and Delta elected to upgrade you to open up space in the back. What's surprising is that you were on a "T" fare. It must have been your lucky day !!

What I want to know is, did they give you 3 business class seats too ? :cool:

Exactly what happened to me on a full flight from AMS.They needed a coach seat, so I was the beneficiary.

I've been op-upped three times, most recently flying TXL-JFK a couple of weeks ago and all three tickets were T fares. I suspect it had more to do with my PM status than the fare purchased.

There is your problem right there. MR and checked bags should never be in the same sentence.

Lucky you. I've never been upgraded on TXL-JFK.

When I left JFK 11 days prior, the flight looked pretty open. When I checked in, I was very happily surprised to be handed a boarding pass with seat 4A. I wonder if it had to to with the AF strike - pax from cancelled flights might have been protected on my flight.

Moral of this story - if you want a good chance at an op-up, find a nearly-full Y cabin and book 3 tickets for yourself! Though, I wonder how the cost compared to just booking a BE seat...

performancefitness, welcome to FT! Do tell, did you get 3x the mileage credit? Did they refund your other two coach seats?

How did you book three seats - Did you use your name for all three or did you book under your name plus two fake names? Even doing this I don't understand how they would let you board with three seats. I thought that FAA rules prevented this except for in special circumstances such as POS (person of size).

TFD

Usually done as "Last name, Extra". Sometimes done for musical instruments or for other instances.

many questions... few answers
 

I have a bad back, long legs, and get claustraphobic... .whatever the reason the agents always flip out when you want to buy and extra seat. What should or do they care?! I have been flying to Europe for years laying down across more than one seat since Delta does not have yet "lay-flat" seats. I pay for flights with AmEx Plat cc. If Delta doesn't give miles, I dispute with cc. That is what I am really buying, plus the extra room. You have to get with Delta after the fact and over the past 4 years, they have given me the extra miles (bonus and MQM's for the flights).

Not really a mileage run... called it that because I bought more seats than normal... usually just buy two (get the middle free - if not to full because of status). Sometime buy the middle just to make sure. Last year, made a weekend trip to Austria with 4 seats for which I was given all credits, benefits, AND meals! reason for 4... yeah you can lay down but on TO and Landing, you have to sit up... if I fall asleep sitting up, some shmuck usually manages to sit back and crush my knees. It's all about the leg room.

I have had a bad experience or two with FAs who want to take my seats and are adamant about it... so if I politely give it up, take down her name and the lead attendant and pilot, wait til I get my miles, then get a ticket refund through american express because I did not get what I paid for. Recently, I have started giving a heads up to the FAs and they have been very nice to make sure other Pax don't take my seat and other FAs don't give them away.

On the sardine can, full flight last year, I took a friend to Austria so he could benefit from the largess of my necessity to purchase 4 seats for a MR weekend. He and I both got the row on a nearly full flight. People would walk by and hit him in the head with their legs or toss paper at him. Didn't me because I am big and mean-looking (Don't tug on superman's cape!).

I didn't ask for credit ETFC bc I need the miles to make PM again this year.

I heard from a Delta marketing person sitting next to me in first that the plane was probably nearly oversold. When checking the seating chart, there was only one seat free before the flight...

overall, was very please. got upgraded and still get the MQMs and bonuses.
Bought 100 more shares of Delta when I landed!!!

This is an odd thread but very entertaining.

I've gotten upgraded a lot the last few years from FRA to ATL and a few times from JFK to SVO. This has been on the cheapest of cheap fares too and sometimes as a Silver, some as a Gold and most often as a Platinum.

But you buy 3 or 4 seats???? I'm 6-8 and 260 but I'd never consider buying multiiple seats in the back. You must be huge or loaded. I don't have money for it for one but I find stating the obvious (I'm a big guy) to ticket agents, gate agents, flight crew, anyone who'll listen often gets me all kinda help in finding a comfy seat. I've never heard of such a thing as buying multiple (more than 2 I mean) seats. Wow.

Disputing the charge because you did not get what you asked for is also just short of brilliant I think. You do that after the miles post but do the miles ever end up getting deducted from your SM account later on? The answer to that question opens up lots of questions but I digress.

The first thing I thought of when I read this was "he gave up the ability to truly lie flat in the back for the not so flat experience of Biz Elite." Depending on how tired I am I'd probably stick with the ability to stretch out in the back in a truly flat mode. It's something we big guys who don't fly in SQ suites can only dream of.

Nice job. Entertaining post. Keep 'em coming. You represent a kind of status seeker/mileage collector/frequent flyer we don't see much in the Delta forum.