chimi

Hi everyone,

I'm not a super frequent flyer, but pretty much fly Delta/Continental and save up SkyMiles.

I spent HOURS searching for a Sky Saver flight to Mexico and finally found one. Often I would see a great one, then click through to the end and the computer would say the flight had "just sold out." Yeah right.

After I finally found a pretty good itinerary, I ordered the two tickets today, paying a total of about $130 in taxes.

What do you know, silly me keeps looking for flights and I found a better outbound flight, so I call Delta to ask for a change. My purchase was so recent that it hadn't even showed up in their computers! I hoped against hope that they would be nice and waive the fee (which would be $150 for the two tickets) since the ticket had JUST been issued. The first lady looked up my desired flight and saw it, plus NUMEROUS other Sky Saver flights that day. She couldn't waive the fee but transferred me. The next guy couldn't waive it either, but he put me on hold, then transferred me to a supervisor, saying that the supervisor would be able to go ahead and do it for me. Well, the supervisor gets on and then says he can't waive the fee, even though the previous guy said he could! The supervisor was extremely rude to me (and I am a pleasant person, honestly). Then he looks up my desired flights and suddenly claims that they are all sold out and so are all the ones on surrounding dates. Hmm, just a few minutes ago I spoke to a woman who brought up MANY available flights. Somehow I find it hard to believe they all got sold out that quickly, just as I was asking him for a favor of waiving the fee or at least reducing it. But worst of all, this guy was so RUDE.

So get this, I call back and ask for a supervisor to complain to....they end up transferring me through 3 people and I finally end up with the SAME GUY! As soon as I hear his voice, I ask, "Hey did I JUST talk to you?" He played dumb. So I ask again, "I literally just talked to you two minutes ago I think, is this the same one I spoke to about the Mexico flight?" He played dumb again. Finally he admits it. I tell him I was calling to complain about how rude he was to me, and could he transfer me. He claimed he couldn't.

So finally I call back again to complain (honestly, I've never complained about anyone in my life, this is the first time, that's how rude this guy was!) and lodge a complaint.

Sorry about the rant...but Delta sucks so bad!! I honestly am a nice person who asked very politely if they could waive or reduce the change fee since I had literally JUST booked the skymiles ticket. It is so frustrating that they wouldn't waive it!

And now even if I wanted to pay the $150 I couldn't change it because supposedly all the flights are sold out (liars!)

ftpcity

I thought you can cancel the reservation within 24 hours, or by mid night of the day you purchased the tickets. I am assuming you bought the tickets on delta.com.

DaDaDan

I've noticed that some customer service reps get aggressive with you to avoid giving in to pleas for such reprieves. Especially when the argument seems to make some sense, but they don't have the power to do anything (or are perhaps being financially incentivized not to do anything for you).

I was once trying to figure out why Continental had issued me a travel certificate instead of real money even though they'd told me I'd get real money. I asked some question that it eventually became obvious the agent didn't know the answer two. First, I got an answer that didn't really answer my question. Second, I tried to clarify the question assuming she'd mis-interpreted. All of a sudden, she got very aggressive with me telling me I'm arguing with policy, and she doesn't deal with policy. I wasn't even arguing with policy...just asking what it was.

In any case, seems like some reps use aggression to frighten customers off. Perhaps there is no incentive against complaints when not giving back customer's money is involved.

DLFan2

I have to admit that on the surface, it sounds like you were treated badly, especially since when booking a paid ticket on line, you have a minimum of 24 hours to cancel or change.

Of course there are two sides to every issue, so I am reluctant to pronounce judgment without knowing the other side of the story.

griffinj

It sounds like you were treated fairly. You haven't described any behavior by the CSR's or supervisor that was rude. Only that you didn't get what you wanted. You not getting what you wanted is not worthy of a complaint to a supervisor.

chimi

Woah, so does the risk-free 24 hour cancellation also apply to skymiles tickets?

Being stubborn, I went back online and the route I wanted to change to is now available and I put it "on hold."

my original route does have a "cancel" button i could press but i'm afraid to press that and either have it charge me a cancellation fee or somehow not refund the $130 in taxes I paid.

Do you experts know what I could do in this situation? If I cancel my original booking within the 24 hours, will it put my skymiles immediately back into my account so that i could purchase the new/improved itinerary? Will it refund all my taxes I paid?

Boston_Bulldog

Welcome to the "new" make Delta my Delta -- I am not defending DL by any means, just a bit surprised that they didn't try to nail you for [B]$400.00[B] in change fees since you're travelling out of the country and NOT within the USA.


http://www.delta.com/traveling_check...dex.jsp#change

Refundable Tickets
You may change your ticket without paying a change fee provided all fare and ticket rules are met and seats are available. If you do not wish to reschedule your travel, you can apply for a refund.

Nonrefundable Tickets
The policies regarding ticket changes for nonrefundable tickets vary. Bulk fare or tour fare tickets issued through certain third-party websites and travel agents are not eligible for any changes

Change Fees
Based on the fare rules, you may have to pay a service fee and/or a difference in fare.

For travel within the 50 United States, the fee is $75 for Delta flights.

For travel outside the United States, the change fee is typically $200, but can vary based on location and type of fare.

Changes are usually permitted only to the return portion of an international itinerary.
External Tickets
An additional charge applies if you would like us to change a ticket that we didn't issue. This charge applies to any ticket issued in the United States or Canada by anyone other than us, such as:
• A traditional travel agency.
• An online travel agency.
• Another airline, including SkyTeam and codeshare partners.
The external ticket handling charge does not apply to:
• Tickets originally issued by us—Reservation Sales, ticket office, or delta.com.
• Involuntary changes like cancellations, delays, or schedule changes.
• Tickets issued with military or government fares.
• Customers completing a SkyMiles upgrade.
• Same-day Confirmed Travel.
The charge is:
• Waived if the change can be completed here at delta.com.
• $20 for tickets changed through Reservations Sales.
• $20 for tickets changed at one of our Ticket Office Locations.

How to Make Changes
If you are traveling on Delta, Delta Connection®, or Delta Shuttle®, you can change your ticket here at delta.com. Go to Itineraries and select Edit Itinerary to change your ticket.

If you are traveling on our airline partners, you will need to contact us to change your ticket. To expedite your call, have your ticket information available. You may check the Flight Schedules before you call to check alternate dates and times.

donsig

"Why should Delta cut you any slack, buddy?"

Heard it many a time. Welcome to Deltaville!

chimi

Well I can't express the CSR's tone of voice but trust me, this guy was acting like a bee-yotch. When I got accidentally transferred back to him the next time I called back, he was acting all coy and playing dumb as if he couldn't remember if he had just talked to me three minutes ago.

I didn't complain because I didn't get what I wanted, I complained because I was transferred through numerous operators before finally getting to a supervisor who was rude, mean, and unhelpful. When I finally complained, my complaint was centered on the unprofessionalism of this person.

Here online, I am complaining about the general suckiness of Delta. Their computer system is terrible and the representatives give mixed messages and are rude.

DiverDave

That only applies to purchased tickets.
If you cancel, you will pay a $75 redeposit fee (I don't know if it would be one fee or two fees for the two tickets). https://www.delta.com/skymiles/use_m...fees/index.jsp

The miles would be returned to your account, and the taxes would be refunded.

David

chimi

Thanks DiverDave. Damn. I guess I should just give up - it's driving me nuts to know/see that the better flight is available and currently on hold for me (which that jerk said was unavailable, but which I obviously found available, and which other CSAs found available!!).

AAAHHH! I gotta give up. I guess I am just stubborn.

mersk862

Figured I'd keep this in one thread.

I've got a couple of trips coming up. One is GSO-MCO which I'm cancelling. I'll be getting the $80 back in an eVoucher (been there done that works pretty easily).

I've also got another trip using miles GSO-ATL-LAX-ATL-GSO. I want to change this so that it's GSO-ATL-LAS and move it up a day earlier and then fly back LAX-ATL-GSO (keep the same flights). The GSO-ATL-LAX is a SkyChoice, so I doubt there'd be any extra miles needed to do this (but I have plenty and don't mind paying an extra 12,500 if absolutely needed). However, can they reticket this itinerary? I take it that it'll cost me that $75 reissue fee, which again I'm fine paying (and would like to use the eVoucher).

Can I reticket it (otherwise I'll just cancel the ticket outright and start from scratch) and can I use the voucher to pay for the fee?

griffinj

This is your first posting here. You're complaining about what you've perceived as a negative experience in redeeming skymiles for award tickets. That's fine. Most of us have no problems when dealing with Delta customer service. I have only had positive experiences when redeeming miles for rewards. Same with many other FT members.

Don't be surprised if people here are skeptical of your claims.

chimi

OK, be skeptical. It may be my first time posting here but it's not my first time using FF miles.

I used to be an avid American Airlines flyer, but the city I currently live in doesn't have a lot of AA flights, hence why I now use Delta. AA's method of redeeming FF miles was much smoother, more intuitive, and unlike Delta, their computer system doesn't show fake availability and then after you've punched in all your info, take it away. In addition, AA has much greater availability for award travel, and unlike Delta, they don't have the SkySaver/SkyChoice thing. I've gotten many free flights from AA and always at the lowest possible # of miles, and often without huge advance notice.

I've had these Delta miles for awhile now. Everytime I wanted to use them, there was nothing available or I would have had to use skychoice. Sorry, but I'm not going to get ripped off and spend 50k miles for a domestic ticket when over at AA I could spend 25k and get a domestic flight for Thanksgiving weekend with little notice (which I did this year).

This rude representative was just the last straw.

Well to each his own. After I use up these Delta miles, I'm going to try my hardest to not book with them anymore. AA is so much better.

Minnesota_Nice

You know I thought that you had 24 hours to make changes thats what I was told when I booked mine you should call back and try and talk to someone else.