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Clearly “this guy” on the Delta.com home page did not get yesterday’s news about the changes enhancements updates devastation that has again been handed down from the mothership.
Now we learn that even those who spend the most with Delta, Diamond Medallions, are having a big perk cut, that is, complimentary upgrades to and from LAX/SFO to JFK.
Thanks Delta! Once again we see loyalty, trust and integrity flushed down the drain.
Now this is ONLY a massive downgrade for the top elites so most will NOT be affected by this and can joyously point and say something to the effect of:
“Boo hoo, those poor elites who spend the most with Delta can now be back in coach with the rest of us”.
Well, yes – that is true. But if you are a big spender with Delta you can think of this latest cut and each time a Delta person says “we appreciate your loyalty”. You can now answer – “then bring back the complimentary transcon upgrades you cut.”
Honestly for me in the Midwest, this is not a big deal. Nor for those who live in Delta hubs in ATL or MSP or DTW. It is a big deal for those on either coast. Then again, I recently flew the upgraded 757 with DeltaONE seats back and forth from SFO to JFK and was less than overly impressed.
Delta IS making a big show of the LAX DeltaONE check-in and service, but as we all know Delta has NO real 1st class seats and is just doing a “dog and pony show” for a nice business class experience.
Yesterday’s news is bad. I mean really bad. There will be no rookie post today as I will spend the day breaking down just how bad all these changes really are and the few ways to still game your SkyMiles, sorry, $kyRubles, to get value after the 1JUNE16 destruction date! – René
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I thought diamonds had already lost transcon upgrades last year as I’ve never been eligible for an upgrade JFK-LAX/SFO. So this is basically non-news to me.
@David – Nope. You have missed out (sorry). Have posted about it many times here on the blog.
On one of my JFK-LAX flights a few months ago, I was upgraded at the gate (I’m Diamond), and after the gate closed, I heard a passenger in the first C+ row loudly complaining that as a Medallion she should be in one of the two empty D1 seats. She didn’t specify which Medallion level, which led me to believe she wasn’t Diamond. A few minutes later, she and another passenger were moved to those two D1 seats. My guess is the FAs felt obligated to appease them. Point being, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Diamonds still filling the vacant transcon D1 seats, but there might be some ugly scenes.
Yawn. They took away Transcon upgrades, they gave them back for DM and PM, they took them away from PM, they take them away from DM. DM’s will gripe, and they’ll give them back to DMs. Given that this doesn’t even kick in until June 1 2016 (right?), who cares?
@Greg Q – No. The loss of DM complimentary UGs is basically effective immediately. As you comment later, you will not gripe till cuts affect you. A cut to any medallion class makes me angry but that is how I am.