''However, we're a little strange. We like to sit beside each other and I like to sit on the aisle. After all, we booked months ahead. Our seals on the FLL - DTW leg are 4 rows apart and on different sides of the plane. . Maybe I should be compensated somehow. >>

Apparently this is the awful reason that Myer felt they should be compensated.
Poor lovebirds, didn't get to hold hands and smooch.

<< We're seniors. >>
You might be old but you act like a spoiled brat.

>>Because they said they were "changed" and they were "now" in the Main Cabin,<<

If they were downgraded from Business or First the compensation would have been a lot higher. My guess they were originally in Delta Comfort and now were in Main Cabin. They may have been changed to a plane configured without Delta Comfort or a smaller one. And BTW lots of planes Delta Comfort is exactly the same configuration as main cabin only in a smaller compartment. If they were in a premium cabin I'd certainly think myer would have mentioned that at the beginning.

Yes.
And not really a separate compartment. The row behind the C+ rows have the neat little back of the seat pocket that holds cell phones, but the configuration is exactly the same. There's a little more legroom. The seats are a little bit more cushy. The drinks are free. That's the difference. Oh, and you get to board earlier. I have drink vouchers so don't need the free drinks. The other seats had more leg room because there was not a 3rd seat in front because it was an exit row. But since they couldn't guarantee those seats, I kept my C+ middle seat. The ONE good thing about the better seat is those nifty head rests you can adjust so your head doesn't roll over onto your neighbor.

heti, I plan to do that. Between now and then, I plan to check to see if a better C+ seat becomes available. I get upgraded a lot but there's no chance I'm going to get upgraded to the First Class bed seats.

It could have been resolved very easily and amicably if the conversation turned to rerouting close to the start.

And you are the person who should have turned it. Next time you'll remember to do so

Yes. And that should have been very clear in my post:

<<<<<If I'm understanding your position correctly, it's that you're justifying yelling and aggressive behavior because it got the OP compensation in the end. The result justifies the means. >>>>>>

You're focused on the fact that they got compensation and how it justifies the yelling, being livid and basically throwing a temper tantrum (as a senior citizen who should know better). I don't care if they got upgraded to first class and got 12k in compensation, the means to that end was disgusting and that you seem to be taking it as a point of learning. "Well it worked" is a poor argument when you are talking about yelling at someone and being aggressive to get your way. We're pretty shameless if we just focus on "what works" and not how we manage to get our way.

That's not my position at all!

I am "focused" on the fact that they received compensation ONLY because that to me says the airline admits they did something not totally kosher and worth financial reimbursement. Airlines don't go around giving out $800 bucks to people just because they throw a hissy fit on the phone. I think the compensation shows the seat switcheroo was more than just a new plane configuration.

janisj had the name for it... Delta's comfort class, the premium economy seats and instead main cabin. So a bump down one level.

btw I think the bit about not sitting next to each other is a lame complaint and definitely in the too bad/so sad/stuff happens category.

There's nothing to indicate he was originally in Comfort Plus.

Add me to the ones who thinks he got vouchers because he yelled and pitched a hissy fit.

I agree with walkingaround.

Good point, Dukey!

Your argument is not cohesive. You WERE focused on the hissy fit being 'effective'. That's CAUSE and EFFECT. Hissy fit is the CAUSE, compensation is the EFFECT (in your original position). Say that's not your position all you want but that's what your language was saying. NOW you're trying to introduce another CAUSE with the airline somehow being wrong ('not totally kosher') being the CAUSE of the compensation. Your argument/position is squirming all over the place. Impossible to discuss/debate when it's so squirmy.

Not cohesive? Squirming and squirmy? Not really sure why you are picking this fight with me instead of the OP. Do you all have history here together or something? Some reason for being so aggressive about this topic? Your replies seem kinda over the top for the subject at hand.

I'm sorry, but this sort of thing happens and it is infuriating when it does and sometimes one's "status" in the frequent flier program doesn't seem to help, either. At least the OP got notification rather than the even bigger "surprise" some of us have endured at the airport.

I think there is a lot of "aggression" about this topic because dealing with "the airlines" is something that one ends up having to do when one travels and, I suspect, most people on this thread probably "have an airline story" they'd probably just as soon forget. I know I do and I will freely admit I have been one of those people who has yelled and screamed on the phone, too, out of sheer anger. Do I regret that? Yes.

Suze....Nothing personal was intended and I was only replying to your post and not attributing anything to you personally. I apologise for the tone, which I now realise was different from what I intended. Thanks for pointing this out with civility.

OK then, accepted.

If she hadn't stuck with it on the phone with the airline, she would not have received any compensation for the flight and seat change. If the airline did not feel there was cause they certainly would not have given her any compensation. If the airlines gave $800 to everyone who didn't like a change in their flight, schedule, or seat assignment, or who lost it on the phone, they'd go broke.

It would be nice if the OP had been more clear in describing what exactly happened. Starting with what was their original seat category. We're all just guessing.

Is this still going on?

I just returned from the trip a few minutes ago.

I'll have to read what was written and then try to put together some responses based on what people asked or wrote.

Ok. I read almost all of the posts and I'll attempt to be clear about the whole thing.

"They do it all the time", "They don't give a S**t", "Months in advance means nothing", "Airlines have all the power", etc, etc.
It's these kinds of posts that encourage the airlines to provide a level of customer service that places them at the bottom of all majors industries.
When I screw up I expect to pay. And when they screw up I should also expect to pay (not always in cash)? No way.

We always tried to do the right thing. We worked and saved and never bought anything we couldn't pay for up front. The only exception was the purchase of our first home. And even then we began to pay down the mortgage as quickly as we could.

We are now in our mid-seventies and over the past three or four years we've started to pamper ourselves. When we travel we now stay in nicer hotels and on long flights buy Business Class tickets. To make sure we get what we want tickets are purchased well in advance.

We live a lot closer to Ft Lauderdale Airport than Miami. And Miami is a zoo so we try to stay away from there. I don't mind the extra change if the choice is FLL over MIA.

Our tickets were for First Class from FLL to ATL and Business Class from ATL to FRA (Frankfurt).

I checked in 24 hours prior to takeoff. Two hours later I received a text. It contained a two word apology followed by due to a change in aircraft we are now in Main Cabin. My first thought was surely the text referred to the flight from FLL to ATL. Wishful thinking.

So I logged into my flight and realized it was the overnight flight. We were moved from Business Class to Main Cabin (economy). Instead of getting several hours sleep and be ready to go upon arrival we would be ready for a nap as soon as we got to the hotel.

I immediately called Delta and the first 5 or 6 minutes of the called the clerk kept repeating that nothing could be done, they are allowed to do that and the process is automated. I spent many years designing and developing computer systems. A computer does something over and over for speed. A human tells the computer what the rules of the game are. I wouldn't be surprised if one of the selection criteria is the customer's age since seniors may not be in a position to object.

Eventually I realized playing nice wasn't getting me anywhere. So I began to fight back. This is when the agent decided it was time to suggest we try to reroute our flight. Not before.

The first flights were thru JFK. Quite a bit earlier and a very tight connection. The main problem with this was that the plane arrived around 7AM. If there was nothing else we would have taken it.

Then I asked if there was anything else. There was a flight thru Detroit that was almost identical to our original flight. Departure and arrival times, etc.Interestingly there were only two seats available on the Flight to Detroit and quite a few on the flight to Frankfurt. These seats were in the right class (first) but not near each other. Had the agent suggested rerouting early in the conversation how close these seats were to each other would never have been an issue. Unfortunately that wasn't the case and I was not about to let anything get by.

I can't remember the exact flow of the conversation regarding the voucher. I remember telling the agent I wanted to be compensated. The agent told me they would not. I asked to speak with a supervisor who almost immediately offered me the vouchers.

I hope this clearly tells the whole story.

Allright, getting bumped from business to economy and then having someone tell you "computer says no" instead of immediately offering an alternative which would keep me in business for the transatlantic leg in the first place would make me switch the tone from nice to not-so-nice as well.

I don't assume that your age has anything to do with the initial downgrading. I think that when you bought your tickets in biz, you were still able to get a "low fare", i.e. an affordable biz fare. Once the change of equipment happened, it was almost time for departure so I assume any seat left in business on any route was at the maximum class C airfare. In addition, you maybe also were in lower status tier with Delta. Obviously, "the computer" tried to avoid to "upgrade" you to one now very expensive business class seat but threw the main cabin seat at you, hoping that you would accept it.

Very nice explanation of your situation Meyer, and I agree you had the right to be angry, and sounds like you dealt with it correctly. Airlines (and lots of others as well) count on customers just giving in. Of course "yelling" at any one agent is probably not right - although it does get results. When I feel the need to get 'nasty I always say "I know it's not your fault but..."



Some times knowing you have options allows you to press for them. Airlines count on the fact that most people don't think there's anything to be done so just roll over and accept it. I'm on a trip right now and at check in for a mid trip flight at a small airport (Split, Croatia) as we got off the airport bus there was a woman herding most people into a huge queue to 'check your cabin baggage, free'. When I said no she said we had to, due to the small size of the aircraft. At this point she didn't even know which airline I was flying, never mind which plane so I knew it was bullshit. I said no thanks again, I paid for up-front seating on easyjet. She shrugged and went on to the next person. Inside the terminal of course there were tons of people with luggage and the plane was normal sized, no problem fitting our bags in the overhead. The overheads were less empty than usual so maybe their technique of tying to force people to check their carry-ons worked to some extent.

That helps -- getting downgraded in class would entitle you to some compensation. But you really don't understand airfares/bookings. You have once again mentioned how far ahead you booked. >>To make sure we get what we want tickets are purchased well in advance.<<

The date you buy a ticket has absolutely no bearing on your status or keeping a specific seat. If you buy a ticket 6 months in advance gives you no more 'standing' than someone who books 6 days before the flight - or 6 hours before. Many other factors come into play. You likely bought a discounted business fare and the difference between a full fare coach ticket and discount Business class may have been about $800.

Also - your age would have no bearing either.

janisj,

I don't think me buying the tickets well in advance is with the intention of getting a higher priority should the airline decide to make some changes. It's mostly for current seat availability purposes.

My comment about age was mostly tongue in cheek. I just wouldn't put it past them to pick on older people who may not have the staying power.

When I bought the tickets nowhere did it say that these were special discounted tickets. As you know prices change in all directions every day. Even at the same time you may see on the screen many different prices for what look like the same tickets.

I'll switch slightly so add another comment.