rpjepson

JFK-DTW a few days ago - scheduled on a CRJ900, a 70 odd seater. After a couple of hours of 'inbound captain' reasons for the delay, the GA then says there has been an equipment downgrade to a 50 seater CRJ.

The only problem is that all 70 or so for the original plane are checked in, boarding passes in hand.

The solution? Tell everyone to board at once (zones? what are they?), and say whoever gets through first gets a seat!

It was a total disaster. Another hour was lost with half of some parties being allowed on, the other half being denied. Musical chairs ensued, all lovely

An excellent solution, no?

PS - total to the guy who insisted on stabbing the back of his chair with a pen, telling everyone loudly he was a "professional sailor," and noting that his ipod was newer than mine. Nice!


PPS - unrelated, but on the same journey - since when was it ice cream OR cheese on TATL BE?? And where did the newspapers go?

motytrah

Wow, that's fantastic. I guess Federal IDB regulations don't mean much at DL.

GVA

Or at least to that gate agent. She/he should probably clean up their CV right now...

bocastephen

Which unfortunately don't apply when equipment is downgraded...after 7 years of Flyertalk membership, I am armed with the knowledge of which rows to never book, which seats are at risk to be taken by FAMs, and always be among the first to board - your bargaining power is greatly enhanced by having YOUR butt in the seat and not standing in the aisle arguing with the person who has taken your seat.

Having said that, this GA is in gross violation of DL policy and needs to be reported.

icurhere2

Well, DTW-JFK on DL means a Comair - not DL, but the wholly owned subsidiary of DL that DL pretends is a separate entity - flight. I don't expect anything to make sense when Comair is involved.

UnitedSkies

Wow, that's a terrible way to handle a DB situation. First-boarded, first-served? Geezus!

icurhere2

I've been on DL flights that have gone to a variant of "open seating" because multiple boarding passes have the same seat number, but never on flights where "if you're in the first 50 in line, you can have a seat".

toscaflyer

Was on a CO flight EWR to BOS last year when GA boarded plane of a cancelled flight and announced "there are 20 remaining seats on the last flight of the night which is 2 gates away; whoever gets there first can take the seats". That was a joy both offloading AND at the gate!

DukieDrew

Did the GA at least mention the Breezeway for Medallion flyers?

Beckles

I don't believe federal IDB regulations specify how IDB passengers are selected.

LK1

Two questions:

1. Who won, the Sharks or the Jets?

2. Did Rita Moreno get her upgrade? (Which will look nice beside her Emmy, Oscar, Tony and Grammy!)

KD5MDK

Did they mention which way the gate was, or did you have to guess left/right when you sprinted off the jetway?

ibdublin

...hope Ryanair aren't reading this thread or it may give them some ideas!

SCruzFlyer

Welcome to the new Delta.

I guess a merger with NW and a new logo are really the only improvements that we will see.

samikitty

Umm, it depends, doesn't it? I would certainly aske the GA what the need for the equipment change is. According to the DOT A passenger denied boarding involuntarily from an oversold flight shall not be eligible for denied boarding compensation if:
(b) The flight for which the passenger holds confirmed reserved space is unable to accommodate that passenger because of substitution of equipment of lesser capacity when required by operational or safety reasons; or, on an aircraft with a designed passenger capacity of 60 or fewer seats, the flight for which the passenger holds confirmed reserved space is unable to accommodate that passenger due to weight/balance restrictions when required by operational or safety reasons;

You are correct, but I do believe the requlations require that the carrier request volunteers for denied boarding.

§ 250.2a Policy regarding denied boarding.
In the event of an oversold flight, every carrier shall ensure that the smallest practicable number of persons holding confirmed reserved space on that flight are denied boarding involuntarily.
§ 250.2b Carriers to request volunteers for denied boarding.
(a) In the event of an oversold flight, every carrier shall request volunteers for denied boarding before using any other boarding priority. A “volunteer” is a person who responds to the carrier's request for volunteers and who willingly accepts the carriers' offer of compensation, in any amount, in exchange for relinquishing the confirmed reserved space. Any other passenger denied boarding is considered for purposes of this part to have been denied boarding involuntarily, even if that passenger accepts the denied boarding compensation.
(b) Every carrier shall advise each passenger solicited to volunteer for denied boarding, no later than the time the carrier solicits that passenger to volunteer, whether he or she is in danger of being involuntarily denied boarding and, if so, the compensation the carrier is obligated to pay if the passenger is involuntarily denied boarding. If an insufficient number of volunteers come forward, the carrier may deny boarding to other passengers in accordance with its boarding priority rules.

Of course, IDB would be a non issue dependent on the reason for the equipment change (see above).

Either way, first 50 on is probably not the best approach!