Hankle

Hey guys! I am booked on an upcoming Delta-operated LAX-SYD flight (DL41). However, the flight was booked through Virgin Australia as VA6551, because I'm connecting to another VA flight from Sydney -- so it's on VA ticket stock. When I tweeted Delta to try to put myself on the Delta One upgrade waiting list with one of my Global Upgrade Certificates, the rep told me that they can't use GUCs on Virgin Australia ticket stock. I was surprised to hear this, because the Delta website clearly states that a GUC can be used on ANY Delta-operated flight at this link: https://www.delta.com/content/www/en...-upgrades.html

When I called the Delta customer service line to assist, the rep told me the same thing: that I couldn't use a GUC on DL41, since I booked it through VA. Has anyone had any success/experience with this? Is there a way to get around this? (I swear that I succeeded in doing this in the past on non-Delta tickets on Delta-operated flights, but I'm not positive I've done it outside of KLM.) All ideas welcome!
-Hank

btonkid12345

No, you cannot. It must be on Delta ticket stock to be eligible for the upgrade. There is no way around that, and DL won't take over a VA ticket. Plus, so many DMs already waitlisting on Delta tickets for this route, it's not like they'll have empty seats at the gate to make an exception.

By the way, here is the entire area that you copied/pasted earlier, which references Ticket Eligibility just three bullet points below the one you quoted. It then goes on to say that they must be upgrade-eligible tickets; VA ticket stock is not upgrade-eligible on Delta.

btonkid12345

OTHER THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT UPGRADE CERTIFICATES:

• Finding flights: Upgrade Certificates can be used on any Delta-operated flight, and select partner-operated flights with KLM, Air France, Virgin Atlantic, Korean Air and Aeromexico.
• Traveling together: You can use an Upgrade Certificate for one travel companion on the same flight—whether in the same reservation or a linked reservation— even if you don’t need to use one for yourself.* To link your reservation, you can call Reservations at 1-800-323-2323 in the U.S. or view worldwide phone numbers. You can also make this request at the airport.
• Enjoying Priority: Upgrade Certificates will clear off the waitlist in order of Medallion Tier then the day and time your request was added to the list. If you’re on the Airport Standby List, Upgrade Certificates receive higher priority than Medallion Complimentary Upgrade requests.
• Ticket Eligibility: Upgrade Certificates can be used on most paid tickets, Pay with Miles tickets, and Companion Certificates. They cannot be used on Award Travel or tickets booked in Basic Economy (E). View complete terms.

MSPeconomist

flyerCO

DL could rebalidate the ticket. However they can only do this DoD at airport. Thus yes can upgrade, but can only be done at airport DoD. DL can do an AF/KL ticket as they have ability to reissue the ticket. VA they they dont have ability to reissue, just revalidate.

CPMaverick

The T&C need clarification. But the short answer is no, you can't, except possibly on the day of travel when the airport has control of the ticket.

So, technically it is possible on this DL-operated flight, on DoD, but in practical terms, difficult and definitely not straightforward.

MSPeconomist

Hankle

Hi! Thanks for the info/help. I'm glad to know (now) that that's the policy, but if it truly is the policy, Delta really shouldn't publish on their site that GUCs can be used on _any_ Delta-operated flight, when the truth is that they can only be used on Delta-operated flights ON Delta ticket stock or, in a few select cases, on a few SkyTeam partners' ticket stock. That Ticket Eligibility section you pointed out still doesn't specifically say that Delta ticket stock is required, as far as I can tell. I'm pretty sure I've done this before on KLM ticket stock on a Delta-operated flight which is why I was especially confused.

Anyway, this is not at all a criticism of your response all -- just a criticism of the byzantine way Delta has implemented and explained (or not explained adequately) GUC rules.
-Hank

Hankle

This is helpful, and I'll take a shot. Is the GA the only one who could do this? Or could a check-in agent be able to do it (I hate to bother the gate agents whose lives are so hectic)? Or could a Delta phone-rep do it _on the day of departure_? And how many hours before the flight leaves can I try to do it with the GA/check-in agent?
-Hank

btonkid12345

The ticket eligibility section links to added terms. Those terms require that it be a fare that is upgradeable on Delta, which is not the case with your ticket.

As flyerCO has pointed out, that is because DL cannot reissue VA tickets. They can reissue KL and AF tickets, and it sounds like they made an exception for you in doing so.

Anyone at the airport could do it in theory, but let me repeat: LAX-SYD is one of the top 5 if not top 2 hardest routes to use a GUC on. They rarely clear people in advance and usually only at the gate. Those are Diamonds who are properly added to the upgrade list.

That, and the fact that this route has recently gone from 37J seats to 28 or 29J seats, further depleting upgrade chances. There is absolutely no chance a check in agent will do it for you because there won't be open OY space for them to clear you; only the gate agent could do it, but my guess is they won't get through everyone properly on the upgrade list, let alone worry about someone on different stock that wants to get on the list at the last minute.

CPMaverick

I understand your confusion, and agree DL needs to state this better, but I believe DL is technically correct since DoD upgrades should be possible on _any_ DL operated flight.

koopas

+1

I also interpreted the GUC as being usable on any DL-operated flight. I'm in the same boat as you as I booked a China Eastern-marketed but DL-operated flight on China Eastern ticket stock and there's nothing the Diamond line can do for me. The phone agents are typically unsure, escalate up, and come back with being unable to apply the GUC since it's not on DL-stock. As a Diamond, you would be eligible for Comfort + right away; however, you'll find that you can't even be assigned a C+ seat until day of departure if you're not DL stock. I wonder if it's even worth trying to apply at GUC at the airport...and who the best person to speak to would be. Sky Club agent? Check-in agent? I doubt the gate agent would want to bother with it.

CPMaverick

Whether it is worth it or not depends on the loads. If it looks like there will be seats, you want to try to get on the list ASAP. So I would talk to each DL agent along the way, starting at check-in, then SkyClub, and finally the gate (if seats are still showing available).

koopas

Thanks for the comment. I thought there was a rule whereby the GUC had to be applied 3 hours before departure. If so, wouldn't it be too late to have these discussions with airport staff on the day of departure?

btonkid12345

That is technically the rule, but the system doesn't prevent them from applying it in under 3 hours.

If seats would be available anyways, most airport agents won't care about that rule (most don't even know it). My best advice is not to engage just any agent - find a Red Coat anywhere in the airport, but a Red Coat at the check in counter or at the gate will be your best bet.

SEA's Red Coats are generally friendly people who provide excellent service, especially to DMs. I bet they will try their hardest to make it work for you.