mot29

I just had an excellent conversation with an agent at the reissue desk (TPA?) and thought I'd share the outcome.
I had booked an open jaw vacation to Asia in early December getting a great sub-$1000 fare and using my last GUC for one direction. And then my boss scheduled a must attend meeting in the middle. I explained to him that I'd be there but expected him to pay the change fees for the trip.
I did some research myself and had some options that were going to cost about $400+ because the ticket prices had gone up and was prepared to pay those plus the change fees. (Well for my employer to pay them.)
My call was first routed to CVG and now I agree -- the agents there aren't quite as good -- wanted to be helpful but routing me through ICN on the return which was crazy. He transferred me to the reissue desk where I explained what I needed. The agent found exactly what I wanted, transferred the GUC. And then said -- since the fare increase is so high, I'll waive the change fee. Just saved my employer $300.
Yes, there are issues with the new rules and enhancements to SM, but status does pay off when DL front line people make exceptions to recognize and acknowledge loyalty.
tom

jrl767

nice

I'm sure a lot depends on how one conducts the conversation: "Here's the situation, something has come up, here's what I'd like to do ... is there any way to make this happen?" is a lot more likely to succeed than a DYKWIA approach like "Here's my problem, fix it like this ASAP!"

being DM clearly helped you in this case; whether the reissue desk would have offered to waive the change fee for me as a GM is open to debate, but I would probably have asked the question anyway

mot29

I approached it as a request for help. No expectation or request to waive the reissue fee, I was just hoping not to lose the GUC. The offer to waive the fee was a very pleasant surprise. It is great that some of the front line agents have the authority to do this without having to get a supervisor to approve it. I've encountered this before and am really pleased.

FlyAO2

In the same vein, I had a low-level business mileage flight for my parents and mid trip my father got ill. I called DL and explained the situation that while safe for him to fly, he needed to come home.

DL worked on options and opened up 2 business seats for an even exchange the next day. I looked online, there were only 4 seats left for revenue and they gave us 2 of them.

EZEDoesIt

I am continually encouraged by these stories and my personal experience. This is why I will continue to book & recommend DL to friends & family.

r7sparks

I had a great experience this summer as a measly FO. I received an invitation to an interview that I couldn't pass up, on the morning I was supposed to be leaving for central america. It was less than a week out and I had picked up the ticket during one of the summer sales (<$400) so I wasn't feeling lucky. I explained my circumstances to the agent and asked to be pushed to a later flight. She used a 10 minute schedule change that actually improved my layover (3 hrs to 2:50) to re-book me and my companion onto a flight later that day(including re-route and 2k+ MQM bump). Then surprisingly my UG cleared for both segments about 48 hours before the window. Was extremely happy with the service.

It worked out for delta though because I got the job and my MQD's have shot up $10k since August.

DYKWIA2014

What goes around comes around.^

jkatzen

I've actually found that Delta agents will usually waive the change fees if the fare difference is in excess of the change fee. Sometimes they offer. Sometimes I'll ask nicely ("Any chance you could waive the change fee, since the fare difference is so high?").

I don't think it's ever been denied in such a circumstance, at least since I've had one of the higher statuses. YMMV.

DAV2355711

Interesting that you note that about CVG agents, I had to call the Plat line to change an international ticket due to a schedule change - the change at Delta's end had rendered my initial routing illegal - and spoke with an agent who wasn't the friendliest and who took a really long time with everything, it seemed like it was the first time she had ever changed a ticket and wasn't real happy or friendly about it. She kept warning me that additional changes would cost money when in fact the reason I was changing this ticket was because Delta had changed the schedule so that a layover went from like 95 minutes to 5 and a half hours.

I didn't know that CVG agents had sort of a bad rap but at least based on this one experience, I'm not surprised... she seemed kind of in over her head and what I was asking should not have been complicated for a competent agent. Or at least not forward Medallion calls to CVG....