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THE TICKET Archive
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© Copyright 2002, Travel
Skills Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
<< **NEWSBITE from THE TICKET Newsletter**>> DATE: Monday, June 17, 2002 FROM: ticketatl@travelskills.com RE: New Delta Upgrade Purchase Plan So you were just getting good at sweet-talking your way into first class. Now you can add another tool to your upgrade arsenal: cold hard cash. As we predicted in last week’s June issue of THE TICKET, Delta has confirmed that it will introduce a new standby upgrade purchase plan at 14 airports, including Atlanta, effective tomorrow (June 18). Here's how it works: On domestic flights where gate agents expect empty first class seats to be available at departure time, they will offer customers the opportunity to buy standby upgrades to the first class cabin for $40, $60 or $80 per flight, based on the length of the flight. ($40 for flights up to 799 miles, $60 for flights between 800 and 1599 miles and $80 for flights over 1600 miles.) Similar to its 800-mile segment upgrade program, the least expensive fares (U orL), as well as SkyMiles award tickets, are not eligible for the upgrades. The problem is that on flights to/from large Delta hubs like Atlanta or Salt Lake City, almost all first class seats get snatched up by high ranking SkyMiles Medallion members anyway, leaving few if any for those hoping to utilize the new paid upgrade program. (Fly at off-peak times and you might luck out.) As of today, the program is available at airports in Atlanta, Boston, Cincinnati, Dallas, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New Orleans, New York's LaGuardia and JFK, Orlando, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington, DC (National). The program should be in effect system wide by the end of the year. Delta stresses that the new standby upgrade purchase program will have no effect on the number of first class seats available to Medallion members using confirmed upgrades. These requests will receive higher priority than the standby purchase requests. Delta is actually following the lead of AirTran when it comes to a standby upgrade purchase plan. At AirTran, upgrades to its business class cabin are available in advance for $25 over the full one-way coach fare for nonstop flights and for $50 over the full one-way fare for connecting flights. Typically they are not available for use with discounted fares. But currently, as a special promotion, passengers can upgrade from ANY fare class for $25 on a standby basis at the gate. **What are your thought or feelings about this new program? Let us know: mailto:ticketatl@travelskills.com ------------\ Dear Readers: Like what you are getting with your free subscription to THE TICKET? Then please return the favor, and forward this message to all your frequent traveling friends and colleagues! Since THE TICKET is a free newsletter, it's one small way you can help pay for it. (More readers = more advertisers = a better newsletter!) If this message was forwarded to you and you'd like to sign up for personal delivery of THE TICKET newsletter and NewsBites like this, just provide your e-mail address at http://www.travelskills.com/signup.htm. Have a safe and happy Summer! >>END<< © Copyright 2002, Travel Skills Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved Sign up for free delivery of THE TICKET newsletter and NEWSBITES at: www.travelskills.com/signup.htm. |
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