chunky649

This is the first time I'm flying WS, so sorry for the newbie question... I scanned through the first few pages of subjects and googled before posting:

I'm a Delta elite (PLAT). I just brought 3 tickets for the family to go YYZ-PHX direct. The ticket was purchased on Orbitz and WS is the marketing and operating airline. The flights will be completed this month (December 2017)

Questions:

Do I get any checked luggage allowance for my Delta status?
Based on quick searches, I believe I can credit the miles to AA, KLM, or DL. Which is more advantageous in terms of redeemable miles? I don't need status qualifying miles with any of those 3 airlines for 2017...

Symmetre

Based on past experience your DL status won't count for much. That's changing (see this thread for at least skeletal info) but not likely by month-end.

Which program to credit to depends on your flight patterns and what you're trying to redeem for. DL availability dries up pretty quickly on popular routes, can't speak to AA or KLM.

One tip - since your seats are already booked try to do OLCI right at the 24 hour mark and you will probably be offered to buy a discounted upgrade to Plus seats, which is Westjet's premium economy product. You get more legroom and the middle seat is blocked, so you get more elbow room as well. On a longer flight, it's worthwhile.

chunky649

Thank you for your response. I did a little more searching and found 2-3 posts where people got free checked bag by showing/indicating DL status. Not sure if those flights were booked on DL or with WS. On a bright note, I did not find any posts where someone with DL status tried to get free checked luggage and was declined... Since I'm only going for a week, I'll most likely not chance it... There are 3 of us, so between the allowable carry-on and backpack, we should be ok.

I'm asking about DL vs KL because I know DL earning will be 0%, 50%, or 100% flown miles (~3600 total I believe) Not sure what the earning is for KL. To answer my own question:

KLM earning on WS metal sold as KL/AF/WS marketed flights:
Source: https://flyingblue.com/earn-miles/ai...8/westjet.html

Premium Economy (booking class K, W, H) 100% flown miles.
Economy (Y,V, B) 100%
Economy (Q,L) 75%
Economy (M, P, G) 50%
Economy (X,D,I,C) 20%

Delta earning on WS metal sold as WS marketed flights: (before 2018)
Economy (K,Y probably known as Premium Economy): 125%
Economy (V) 100%
Economy (B,W,Q,L,H) 75%
Economy (M,P,G,X,D,I,C) 50%

Delta earning on WS metal sold as WS marketed flights: (After 2018)
Full Economy (K,Y,V) 100%
Economy and discounted economy (B,W,Q,L,H,M,P,G) 50%
Deep discount Economy (X,D,I,C) 25%

Source: https://www.delta.com/content/www/en...-partners.html

So, based on these charts, I'll credit the airline that gives me the biggest number of miles. (My flight hasn't ticketed yet...)

chunky649

Just to followup, at check-in in Toronto, and also Phoenix, the agent told me I don't get free luggage for having Delta status. I also didn't get KLM miles for my tickets, even though I entered it during online check-in and it showed up in my boarding pass. I submitted a claim for missing miles with KLM.com last week, but no response yet... I'm not going to lose sleep over ~200 miles (20% bucket for my X and I class tickets)

wpd

Flying round trip from LGA to Calgary via Toronto on a Westjet marketed flight I got a free bag each time by showing my Delta status card (Silver), though my travel companions did not get any free bags.

YogiB

Just contacted WestJet social media support. I entered my Delta SkyMiles (Silver) number, but extra luggage wasn't showing up.
Upon posing my question:
I wonder what @wpd did to get his free +1 luggage.

zappy312

Probably a nice airport agent, I've had agents put my bag though as Excess when I was a new WS Mastercard holder and my account hasn't updated with the status yet.

YogiB

I dug a bit deeper, returned to the Delta website, where it states the following:

Checking back in with WestJet about who is wrong and who is right.

/edit: this is WestJet's answer:

gurka

From Westjet customer service on Twitter:

YogiB

Fiordland

This is all positive as it shows the direction they want to go in and the desired outcome. Now they need to make the IT systems deliver that.

wpd

Flying through LGA, I just showed my Delta status card and mentioned that I should have free checked luggage via the partnership. As I recall, she consulted a chart and comped both our bags.

YogiB

Circling back here with my experiences. I had a printed copy of the Delta Partner Airlines Elite Benefits chart.

(For the TL/DR folks: just scroll down to the conclusion.)

Checking in at YUL, the lady accepted me at Priority Check-in. However, she made a big deal about giving me a +1 free luggage. Upon showing the table and point at "Baggage Waiver", she answered that it's only for the first piece of luggage and if you have one piece included in the ticket (we were flying EconoFlex T/Q, which includes 1PC), it doesn't mean it stacks up. After some arguing, she decided in the end to go ahead and check the extra bag for free.

Upon boarding, I tried Priority (Zone 1) Boarding. Boarding pass showed Zone 3. Gate agent told me I couldn't get priority boarding, I showed the chart and my Delta Silver card on my phone. She still refused, stating "even WestJet Silver members don't get Zone 1 boarding." I replied that I'm not in the WestJet program, and the Delta chart needs to be applied to Delta Elites. She asked me to give her a moment and she dove in her computer. Upon another couple showing up for Zone 1, she immediately took care of them and allowed them to board. She noticed we were in the way, so she did also let us pass, but with some snarky comment that next time we need to respect the zone on our boarding pass.

In YYC, our connection was only the next day, so had a hotel room for the night. We picked up our luggage (they had to find it manually, since it was labelled to stay in transit to XYY) and after we put our luggage in our room, we went back to WestJet in departures to see if we would be having more trouble during our trip. The agents there weren't too busy, so we were hooked up with one of the more senior agents on the floor that listened to our story. He at least got us our boarding passes and walked us over to the Priority Check In counter. The two ladies there were very interested to hear our experiences. They visited the Delta website and I showed them where I got my chart from. Once of the ladies (I can't remember her name, but she was terrific!) assured us she would be there the next day when we had to check back in and she would take care of us. She also asked if I could bring an extra copy of the chart, so that she could bring this higher up the chain. She also wrote extensive notes on our reservation file to assure we would have a smoother experience for the rest of our travels.

The next day, she was indeed working and she took care of us. She even called the gate to make sure they were aware of a Delta Silver coming up for Priority Boarding and to honour that based on the information provided. Since our bags were already labelled for YXY, we simply had to put them back on the belt and off they went! At the gate, the agent did make note of our boarding pass showing Zone 3, but I replied that we were the Delta Silver members she got a phone call about and she let us through with a smile.

Fast forward two weeks, checking back in at YXY for the trip back. We were front line at Priority Check-In and helped by an agent that seemed in training or relatively new to the job, as she had to ask her supervisor to help out. The supervisor was somewhat snarky and said we had to pay up and ask Delta for a refund if I was sure I would have the second PC for free. I asked them to go over the notes on the reservation, specifically from the agents in Calgary, that confirmed that we would be getting a +1PC free. I also asked her how we would've gotten the three pieces up here without any payment so far, so it wouldn't make sense to suddenly pay for the way back. The supervisor tried to talk to the agent with presumptions about that I was probably confused since it was ticketed by Delta, so I replied that I booked it through the WestJet website and Delta wasn't in any way involved in the reservation. She asked me to stop talking and be patient while the agent was doing her work. The younger agent seemed a lot more willing to read through all of the notes and eventually found the comments from the Calgary agent. It took her a long time though to find a way how to find a way though to accommodate, even with help from the supervisor. The supervisor mumbled something about "Guest Experience," as if they were simply acting nice and compensating after a complaint.

Priority boarding was not an issue at YXY and YYC, didn't even have to show my Delta card on my phone.


Conclusion: be prepared for an argument if you really want your +1PC.

PHXflier

I can see that there is significant financial benefit in getting free bags, but I am not sure I would make a fuss over boarding zone 1 vs. 3 at WS. You have an assigned seat anyway. The Delta partner chart is clearly meant for SkyTeam partners, and a new partner with an evolving relationship just is not quite there yet. I have always nicely boarded Westjet flights according to the zone on my boarding pass (never had an issue with overhead bin space), and while typically I get free luggage when checking in with Westjet on a DL-issued ticket, it does not always work out that way. No worries, they will work out the kinks eventually, and $35 or so for a bag is not the end of the world.

YogiB

We had several segments where the gate agents asked for volunteers to gate-check their carry-on luggage. Also, I've noticed pax in the back of the aircraft leaving their items in the front of the aircraft. On 4 flights only 1 pax was caught by FAs doing this.

For this reason, I try to get priority boarding. On intercontinental flights I would be less nervous about the overhead bin space.

$35 is not the end of the world, but add the return flight to that. 70$ +txs. Still not a disaster, but why pay if you don't have to. Point also is that I would've packed lighter if I would've known that I wouldn't be getting +1PC. It's all in the communication.

Chart is not entirely made for SkyTeam partners; WestJet is mentioned in the list of airlines. And in the fine print there are actually a lot of exceptions mentioned for AF.