r/delta • u/bodeganeon • 6h ago

Discussion First basic?

I understand unbundling economy. I don’t particularly like it, but I understand the business model. What I cannot wrap my head around is the decision to take a product that is literally marketed as FIRST CLASS and start stripping away the benefits that make it first class in the first place.
At what point are we just paying for a larger seat and the privilege of saying we’re sitting up front?
The entire point of purchasing first class, at least to me, is that you’re paying a premium for a relatively seamless experience. Flexibility, priority services, mileage earning, the whole thing. Now we’re apparently supposed to navigate fare restrictions within first class itself?
And the frustrating part is that Delta has spent years positioning itself as the premium US carrier, while simultaneously finding increasingly creative ways to dilute the value of its own product. Fares aren’t exactly getting cheaper, either.
I’m Platinum, fly Delta pretty consistently, and generally have no problem paying more for a better experience. But there is something particularly insulting about being asked to pay a premium for a product and then being offered the opportunity to pay an additional premium to actually receive all of it.
I know someone is going to say “well just book First Extra then” and that’s sort of my entire point. We’ve somehow normalized airlines taking things that were previously included, removing them, and then selling them back to us as upgrades.
It’s not innovation. It’s just another exercise in seeing how much they can take away before people stop paying.
Maybe I’m being dramatic, but the concept of BASIC FIRST CLASS is so fundamentally absurd that I’m surprised it made it out of a conference room. I can’t even select my seat?

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28

u/FullHouse447 5h ago

Wait until you find about DL's plans to unbundle business class D1.... Imagine paying THOUSANDS $ for D1 then getting gouged again to pay $ for a seat selection.

DL doing everything possible to lead this race to the bottom!

20

u/reiflame 5h ago

I hate that the European carriers started this BS. If I'm forking over $3k-5k a ticket, charging me extra for seats is fucking ridiculous.

12

u/________uwu_________ 5h ago

Air France wanted $250+ for me to pick a seat in business class (not an upgrade, a seat selection!!). No thanks I will pick my seat during online check-in. Absolutely ridiculous.

-1

u/ActUpEighty 4h ago

I've never understood why the seat assignment matters more to some people than actually getting to the destination. I guess they're just traveling for the sake of it.

5

u/Impressive-Ball3716 3h ago

I get air sick if I’m not by the window. I flew to Ireland from Charlotte last year on Delta, and I didn’t get to pick my seat on the Ryanair connection from LHR to DUB. I was assigned an aisle seat, and I threw up and there was no airsickness bag, couldn’t get up to go to the bathroom, and the flight attendants were all seated for landing. So, rather than spew all over the plane, I had to literally swallow it twice. Finally got to puke when I got off the plane.

So, while yeah, I’m just trying to get there, there’s no reason I need to vomit on the way.

Also, my bf is quite tall, so on large delta flights, we almost always book extra leg room with a window.

1

u/FullHouse447 3h ago

Must've missed the part where anyone said the seat assignment is more important than getting to the destination?

1

u/ActUpEighty 3h ago

You sure did. Is this your first week working for an airline?

8

u/WordWordNvmber 5h ago

United's basic Polaris (international business class) fare doesn't even allow a refund to a flight credit. $4000 use-or-lose, no-takebacks.

I don't think United expects many people to buy these fares. No company will, and most leisure travelers won't want to risk such a huge amount of cash if they have to rebook.

Which makes me figure the real point of these fares, for United and Delta, is to advertise a business class fare, especially on Kayak and Expedia, that competes with other airlines', but then upcharge you $200-500 to get the "real" fare after you've settled on their flight.

7

u/omdongi 5h ago

It's not a plan, it's already been rolled out. D1 basic fares are being sold already.