Basic Economy, infant/family seating, and multiple PNRs (oh my)
May 8, 2017, 5:17 pm
#46
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Yes it is- AMEX Travel populates any flight that offers E-Fares under "economy" for their purposes. It involves a 30+ minute phone call anytime someone wants to book away from it. Their disclaimer is virtually non-existent as well.
May 8, 2017, 8:04 pm
#47
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Then E fares should not be sold to children under age X or to anyone traveling with children under age X. If they want seat aassignments in advance together on the basis of traveling with children, charge them the fare difference. Having children does not entitle you to special benefits for which others must pay.
May 8, 2017, 11:27 pm
#48
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As someone who has flown by himself, and with children in the past, I can see both sides to this. My conclusion is as follows:
Delta slightly undercuts itself/other airlines by selling E fares. But if Delta sells two or three E fares to the same traveling group -- as opposed to just one person -- the revenue benefits are far greater (i.e., double for two people, triple for three people, etc., if they were going to fly Spirit were it not for E fares). Therefore it is not revenue-negative to issue them seat assignments, especially at the back of the plane, and even more so if they would have to re-arrange people because it's a 1 year old.
You people who want to fly on a plane with no 1 year old years at all need to charter your own flight.
Delta slightly undercuts itself/other airlines by selling E fares. But if Delta sells two or three E fares to the same traveling group -- as opposed to just one person -- the revenue benefits are far greater (i.e., double for two people, triple for three people, etc., if they were going to fly Spirit were it not for E fares). Therefore it is not revenue-negative to issue them seat assignments, especially at the back of the plane, and even more so if they would have to re-arrange people because it's a 1 year old.
You people who want to fly on a plane with no 1 year old years at all need to charter your own flight.
May 9, 2017, 1:56 am
#49
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Then E fares should not be sold to children under age X or to anyone traveling with children under age X. If they want seat aassignments in advance together on the basis of traveling with children, charge them the fare difference. Having children does not entitle you to special benefits for which others must pay.
May 9, 2017, 1:58 am
#50
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May 9, 2017, 2:00 am
#51
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I'm not one of the "people who do the exact same thing all the time." I've never asked DL to waive a fee for me, although I don't unnecessarily pay them more money than what I owe. I don't buy FCM tickets for cheaper times and plan to SDC onto the flights I want: I purchase a ticket for the flights I plan to take and then occasionally switch to some inter (cheaper or more expensive) flight if my meeting arrives early. The possible exception would be purchasing or picking an award ticket with the domestic connection that's offered after an international arrival, ideally with plenty of time for immigration and customs, and then sometimes trying either to switch in order to get home earlier or to change to a later flight so that I can take a shower and/or avoid having to leave the airport during rush hour. Despite being DM since DL invented the DM level, I've never attempted a coterminal change.
Please don't assume that everybody here tries to break the rules. OTOH, I will accept FF miles and try to use them as appropriate and I will seek upgrades to which I am entitled according to published program rules.
Please don't assume that everybody here tries to break the rules. OTOH, I will accept FF miles and try to use them as appropriate and I will seek upgrades to which I am entitled according to published program rules.
May 9, 2017, 6:44 am
#52
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I'm responding to the criticism (or implicit attack if you wish) in the post I quoted saying that people who use the rules in this way aren't entitled to oppose the family getting seat assignments because the E fare rules say no.
May 9, 2017, 7:57 am
#54
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Can't it be viewed as discrimination against the elderly (since they generally can't have kids) to give special beneficial treatment to those traveling with children?
May 9, 2017, 9:56 am
#55
Join Date: Jun 2006
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Folks...this is one of the reasons that Delta doesn't assign 100% of seats before the day of travel.
This gives the GA some flexibility with families, disability seating needs, etc. The person assigning these seats was doing the future GA a favor. Usually, there are at least two complete rows on mainline acft that are blocked just for this circumstance. I'd bet that if forced to wait...the outcome would have been the same. No harm, no foul.
This gives the GA some flexibility with families, disability seating needs, etc. The person assigning these seats was doing the future GA a favor. Usually, there are at least two complete rows on mainline acft that are blocked just for this circumstance. I'd bet that if forced to wait...the outcome would have been the same. No harm, no foul.
May 9, 2017, 10:13 am
#56
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Well, I'm also the OP, so make of that what you will 
The difference is, when I buy a cheap F fare and then try to SDC onto SFO-JFK in D1, I accept the possibility I may have to fly my original itinerary. If I ask about the possibility of a fee waiver I realize I may not get it.
I doubt, if we told my friends, "you have 24B, child #1 has 27A, your mom has 35F, and child #2 is in 16C" that that would be a viable outcome for them, and probably not for any of the travelers around 27A or 16C. (Not that the ages matter but child #2 is less than a year old.)
I'm totally happy for them that they at least got seats together; I'm also a good enough a friend that I'm trying to help them make the trip as smooth as possible (in contrast to the people on the first page who think I should just let them learn a lesson); but at the same time I think I'm viewing this objectively as an issue with people using this as an excuse to save $$.
By the same token, how do you feel about fake emotional support animals, or "miracle flight" pre-boarders? Totally ok with it?
The difference is, when I buy a cheap F fare and then try to SDC onto SFO-JFK in D1, I accept the possibility I may have to fly my original itinerary. If I ask about the possibility of a fee waiver I realize I may not get it.
I doubt, if we told my friends, "you have 24B, child #1 has 27A, your mom has 35F, and child #2 is in 16C" that that would be a viable outcome for them, and probably not for any of the travelers around 27A or 16C. (Not that the ages matter but child #2 is less than a year old.)
I'm totally happy for them that they at least got seats together; I'm also a good enough a friend that I'm trying to help them make the trip as smooth as possible (in contrast to the people on the first page who think I should just let them learn a lesson); but at the same time I think I'm viewing this objectively as an issue with people using this as an excuse to save $$.
By the same token, how do you feel about fake emotional support animals, or "miracle flight" pre-boarders? Totally ok with it?
My overarching point is that Delta's ticketing system allows people with small children to purchase E fares. It would be to no one's benefit to separate the children from the parents. So, after your friends asked, DL made the smart decision to assign them crappy seats --- but crappy seats together. Win win for all.
If anything, your post poses a very real "loophole" for flyers with small children. I would think that most anyone in your friends' circumstances could purchase E fares and save money and virtually count on being seated together with their children. The seats won't be good, but they'll be together. Unless, DL changes the policy, people in that position are playing within the rules, and I have absolutely no problem with them saving money by buying E fares.
As for fake happiness-inducing puppies and miracle walkers, I'm not OK with them. Those people are liars. They are playing outside the rules by being dishonest. Your friends aren't liars (I hope), so they're good by me.
May 9, 2017, 10:23 am
#57
Join Date: Jul 2013
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Then E fares should not be sold to children under age X or to anyone traveling with children under age X. If they want seat aassignments in advance together on the basis of traveling with children, charge them the fare difference. Having children does not entitle you to special benefits for which others must pay.
And as for the bolded quote above --- Yes it does. My two children entitle me to special tax benefits every year.
May 9, 2017, 10:25 am
#58
Join Date: Jul 2013
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I'm not one of the "people who do the exact same thing all the time." I've never asked DL to waive a fee for me, although I don't unnecessarily pay them more money than what I owe. I don't buy FCM tickets for cheaper times and plan to SDC onto the flights I want: I purchase a ticket for the flights I plan to take and then occasionally switch to some inter (cheaper or more expensive) flight if my meeting arrives early. The possible exception would be purchasing or picking an award ticket with the domestic connection that's offered after an international arrival, ideally with plenty of time for immigration and customs, and then sometimes trying either to switch in order to get home earlier or to change to a later flight so that I can take a shower and/or avoid having to leave the airport during rush hour. Despite being DM since DL invented the DM level, I've never attempted a coterminal change.
Please don't assume that everybody here tries to break the rules. OTOH, I will accept FF miles and try to use them as appropriate and I will seek upgrades to which I am entitled according to published program rules.
Please don't assume that everybody here tries to break the rules. OTOH, I will accept FF miles and try to use them as appropriate and I will seek upgrades to which I am entitled according to published program rules.
May 9, 2017, 10:31 am
#59
Join Date: Jul 2013
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May 9, 2017, 10:37 am
#60
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Also, there's nothing that prevents elderly people from traveling with children. My mom is well beyond child-rearing age, but she traveled a lot with my niece and nephew (her grandkids) when they were toddlers, and still travels with them pretty frequently.