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You must not have ever actually been in a First Class seat for a flight.
First Class is desirable for many reasons. One is free baggage. Another is free drinks and snacks, and immediate service upon boarding the plane, and ongoing service throughout the flight. Another is bigger leather seats, blankets, more legroom, etc.
I will always fly first-class from now on.
I have never seen a child or a dog in first class and I fly a lot.
Yes it would be nice to fly first class but we only have a certain amount of money for leisure travel. We could fly first class and only be able to go on one trip a year or fly economy or go on three trips.
FA's or Gate Attendants - don't matter. It's all electronically monitored and very difficult for gate agents to circumvent "the system". You WILL NOT GET INTO FIRST CLASS unless you pay, are upgraded via your frequent flyer status, or the rare "operational upgrade" when you are bumped or coach is sold out. Don't even suggest it in a forum - you are wasting the time or the reader and gate agent with these suggestions. If you say otherwise then I will say, frankly, that you are full of it.
For one thing - domestic first class is always full, if not with payers then with frequent flyer upgrades, and with that there may be 10 or 20 frequent flyers that are on a waiting list for first and don't get there upgrades. Go the flyertalk forum to see the numerous discussions on upgrades and how seriously it's taken if a gate agent is pulling such shennanigans. A gate agent can be fired for giving it to one of there nonrev buddies.
edit however after I read your thread again - "fly for free on standby" says you are a nonrev (airline, etc. staff). Indeed I think Delta's policy is they upgrade domestic nonrevs ONLY if there is room (after all the FF upgrades are done). International I think are allowed business class.
I do fly nonrev and get upgraded all the time. I also DO GET UPGRADED OFTEN when I fly positive space for company business. Say or think what you will.
I do fly nonrev and get upgraded all the time. I also DO GET UPGRADED OFTEN when I fly positive space for company business. Say or think what you will.
Well as I said as a nonrev you can get upgraded...but ONLY after the elites FFs are upgraded, i.e. if there is space. At least on Delta. If you are saying you get upgraded before the elites, well then, that's what flyertalk calls "Sheena" at work....shenanigans by the gate agent and contrary to at least Delta policy. So I would be curious on what airline this is because you are going to make a vast population of elite flyers very angry. I might even publish your claims in their forum for future investigation with the airlines - trust me those guys take it that seriously.
Regardless, what works for an airline or affiliate employee will not work with the public at large.
Well as I said as a nonrev you can get upgraded...but ONLY after the elites FFs are upgraded, i.e. if there is space. At least on Delta. If you are saying you get upgraded before the elites, well then, that's what flyertalk calls "Sheena" at work....shenanigans by the gate agent and contrary to at least Delta policy. So I would be curious on what airline this is because you are going to make a vast population of elite flyers very angry. I might even publish your claims in their forum for future investigation with the airlines.
Regardless, what works for an airline or affiliate employee will not work with the public at large.
FA's or Gate Attendants - don't matter. It's all electronically monitored and very difficult for gate agents to circumvent "the system". You WILL NOT GET INTO FIRST CLASS unless you pay, are upgraded via your frequent flyer status, or the rare "operational upgrade" when you are bumped or coach is sold out. Don't even suggest it in a forum - you are wasting the time or the reader and gate agent with these suggestions. If you say otherwise then I will say, frankly, that you are full of it.
For one thing - domestic first class is always full, if not with payers then with frequent flyer upgrades, and with that there may be 10 or 20 frequent flyers that are on a waiting list for first and don't get there upgrades. Go the flyertalk forum to see the numerous discussions on upgrades and how seriously it's taken if a gate agent is pulling such shennanigans. A gate agent can be fired for giving it to one of there nonrev buddies.
edit however after I read your thread again - "fly for free on standby" says you are a nonrev (airline, etc. staff). Indeed I think Delta's policy is they upgrade domestic nonrevs ONLY if there is room (after all the FF upgrades are done). International I think are allowed business class.
Correct for DL. Upgrade eligible revenue passengers are automatically upgraded to First (F) if there is space available. Non-rev travelers on domestic flights will only be upgraded if there is no one who purchased an upgrade or otherwise eligible for an upgrade. This is a rare scenario and usually only occurs on federal holidays, very empty flights, or out of select stations with little business travel.
Internationally, DL non-revs get priority in J class (99% of the time). As far as I am aware, the only way to jump a DL non-rev internationally is to purchase the upgrade or use an upgrade certificate.
Delta Connection has a combination of these rules depending on which airline you fly.
A gate agent or other airline employee circumventing these rules will get reprimanded. Everything can be traced to a particular check-in desk, user ID, etc.
Correct for DL. Upgrade eligible revenue passengers are automatically upgraded to First (F) if there is space available. Non-rev travelers on domestic flights will only be upgraded if there is no one who purchased an upgrade or otherwise eligible for an upgrade. This is a rare scenario and usually only occurs on federal holidays, very empty flights, or out of select stations with little business travel.
Internationally, DL non-revs get priority in J class (99% of the time). As far as I am aware, the only way to jump a DL non-rev internationally is to purchase the upgrade or use an upgrade certificate.
Delta Connection has a combination of these rules depending on which airline you fly.
A gate agent or other airline employee circumventing these rules will get reprimanded. Everything can be traced to a particular check-in desk, user ID, etc.
Yup, exactly. Thanks...that's why I am raising the BS flag on the other person. But such is the nature of the internet that people tend to, shall we say, stretch the truth.
I am a Delta million miler - He/she isn't saying but I suspect his/her airline is AA, not sure how AA works but I would be pretty pissed if I was an elite on AA only to find employees are claiming all the available 1st class upgrade seats. But again the BS factor plays into this discussion.
Yes, first class upgrade is worth it. It's about the sardine experience vs. the champagne experience. Plus, you don't have to worry about cockpit rage just for reclining your seat. 'Nuff said.
Yup, exactly. Thanks...that's why I am raising the BS flag on the other person. But such is the nature of the internet that people tend to, shall we say, stretch the truth.
I am a Delta million miler - He/she isn't saying but I suspect his/her airline is AA, not sure how AA works but I would be pretty pissed if I was an elite on AA only to find employees are claiming all the available 1st class upgrade seats. But again the BS factor plays into this discussion.
I'm a million miler also, but I'm not eligible to redeem them.
Some DL stations that are staffed by contract employees have slightly different methods due to them not knowing all the procedures exactly. AMS is one of those; the KL staff bungles it on occasion, and that has to be fixed.
I can't speak on other airlines as I'm only intimately familiar with DL non-rev procedures.
I'm a million miler also, but I'm not eligible to redeem them.
Some DL stations that are staffed by contract employees have slightly different methods due to them not knowing all the procedures exactly. AMS is one of those; the KL staff bungles it on occasion, and that has to be fixed.
I can't speak on other airlines as I'm only intimately familiar with DL non-rev procedures.
Yeah KLM in AMS I am not surprised. I struggle with them to even recognize my plat status at check-in. I was waiting for my sky club access and that yellow priority tag on my luggage and I have to remind them of that. I'm like "wait a second, doesn't my status pop up on your screen?". Apparantly not, or they just don't care.
But I think the scope of this thread is domestic US flights anyways.
Yup, exactly. Thanks...that's why I am raising the BS flag on the other person. But such is the nature of the internet that people tend to, shall we say, stretch the truth.
I am a Delta million miler - He/she isn't saying but I suspect his/her airline is AA, not sure how AA works but I would be pretty pissed if I was an elite on AA only to find employees are claiming all the available 1st class upgrade seats. But again the BS factor plays into this discussion.
You wouldn't have a clue who's claiming the 1st class seats, Mr Elite Flyer. It's not like an employee is going to advertise they're flying in first class. If you come across as an "elite flyer" to the gate agents like you do in this thread it's no wonder you don't get upgraded. Those poor gate agents would put you in the cargo compartment if they could.
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