pjpoker

If it's really Y1, then the flight you desire to move to is most certainly already overbooked. They would essentially be overbooking the earlier flight a little more, and freeing space on your overbooked flight.
There's a chance your flight is less overbooked than the one you want to move to, and Delta would be "shooting themselves in the foot" by letting you SDC.

The old SDC would allow you to move from a flight with 20 open seats to a flight that was overbooked by 8, as long as they were willing to overbook it by 9. Not agreeing nor disagreeing with either policy, but I promise you, Delta knows what they are doing.

sethb

Higher fare? The fare for the flights I'm on is over $1400; for the ones I'd prefer is around $600. And they aren't going to get any more money from me by not letting me switch; they might have to pay me.

The flight I'm on is Y1. The flights I want are available in H. There's no way a $600 flight available in H is "more overbooked" than a $1400 Y1 flight.

Both the connection and the second flight alone are Y1.

pjpoker

Ah, my bad in misreading the original post. Then indeed, they would be freeing up some space. Either way, I think they are pretty good on their predictions and revenue management. If the flights are open, they will likely get some same day standby customers on, which will free up seats anyway. If there is actually open seats on the earlier flights, then you'll be able to standby for them without issue anyway.

fti

So you really think DL will pay VDB just because they ask for volunteers? And especially so when they are still selling a seat on the flight (Y1)? Here is your answer:

GYEWorldTraveler

Good luck on the VDB. DL has seemed to be very good lately at overbooking flights and not needing volunteers. Every time I read that low factors are at all time highs it seems like getting a VDB would be as easy as ever but I haven't seen them being solicited or needed in a while unless there has been a crazy weather event or a cancelation earlier in the day.

Often1

1. The fact that DL is soliciting VDB bides means zippo.
2. The reason for the SDC policy is that overall, protecting the full-fare changeable brand is worth the occasional hiccup where DL winds up having to pay out something.

OP is a good example. He is unwilling to pay for the flexibility he wants. If DL gives him that flex for free, who in their right mind would pay the full fare?

anbhc

Its also possible folks on the later "overbooked" flights SDC to the same day earlier ones which have seats available, thus making the "overbooked" flight "underbooked". What flight number are you on that may be overbooked?

writerguyfl

Revenue management systems are wildly complex. Years ago, I worked as a Revenue Manager at the flagship hotel for a nation-wide chain. We beta-tested the revenue management system that's now used in hundreds of hotels across the globe. The hardest part of the process was admitting that a computer could do my job better than I could.

A properly calibrated system will almost always do a better job of decision-making than a human. And, bear in mind, that's a human who has access to all the information. In this scenario, the claim that Delta is losing money because they're not giving the OP what he wants for free is based on the analysis of a scant few data points.

That said, it's possible that what the OP wants might actually be beneficial for Delta also. It's fairly immaterial, however, since there's no established procedure for quickly challenging revenue management decisions. I think the OP wants a Delta phone rep to say, "That makes sense, I'll waive the change fees". That's not going to happen, since Delta knows that the revenue management computers are smarter than their phone reps.

anbhc

On the other hand I once had a scheduled delay flying out of SJC and the IRROPs online tool allowed me to pick from alternate flights. Since I hadn't left for the airport yet, I picked an alternate direct flight leaving from SFO instead that was only selling Y tickets and the seat map looked full, so I rolled the dice and was able to volunteer and score a $400 voucher.

g50

For every one person that wants off your flight probably two want on your flight.
Delta is saving that one Y seat for someone willing to pay for it.

rylan

I say just go for the VDB and get some money out of it, and pick routing to get some extra miles.

HDQDD

You didn't *pay* the $1400 Y fare, so that's irrelevant. Just because the fare is higher now doesn't mean you're now privy to the higher fare's rules. Read the rules of your booked fare class, that's what you are entitled to.

Again, that's irrelevant. You didn't pay a Y fare. Doesn't matter if there's -249 seats available in Y. If you want to change to another flight, you'll have to pay a change fee + fare diff (if applicable), just like everyone else on restricted fares.

HDQDD

I worked in RM for an airline in the late 90's. Very fun position, but alas I went back to school. Even the computer models back then were very good at their job.

First day my boss told me: "There are only two goals you have in RM:

1) Fill every possible seat
2) Get the highest fare possible for #1"

jrl767

it's the never-ending duel between macroeconomics (how DL sets up their RM systems and business rules -- including SDC/SDS -- to work for DL as an entity) vs microeconomics (how an individual wants a particular instance of SDC/SDS to work for them at a particular time)

sometimes the two perspectives align, sometimes they don't

jallred6

Stealing that, thanks!