travels2much

I received a 4-page spreadsheet of my 1999 travel from the Revenue Protection Unit's Hope Harper. Delta states they are taking 38,000+ miles out of my account because of my use of contracts (that's what they call tickets). Is anyone else receiving these reports and/or being audited? Footnote: Delta's David Rabideau, General Manager of Revenue Protection, on behalf of Delta Air Lines called me DISHONEST during our discussion of this report.

And they wonder why their ratings are in the toilet and AirTran's occupancy keeps increasing...

DL Platinum

I never seen nor heard of this happening? What are these "contracts"? Were doing some fancy flying, back to backs, ghost city, etc? I'd really like to know here this came from and where it is going...

Beckles????

james

I think its hard to judge your situation without more details about what DL have decided you have done. I fully understand if you don't see fit to post them in a public forum.

For instance, the things DL Pt mentions are against the SkyMiles program rules and Delta would be well within their rights to remove miles so earned. I am not suggesting that you have broken the rules - but if a member does, it shouldn't be a surprise for the airline to act and the member has little defence.

To quote the rules "Delta reserves the right to audit any and all members' accounts at any time without notice to the member to ensure compliance with the rules set forth in this guide and with Delta's condtions of carriage...... Violators are subject to having their SkyMiles accounts inhibited (...) or penalties imposed thorugh the deduction of mileage from their accounts." Further, a member may be disqualified from membership if Delta judges they have violated the rules and such disqualification can result in loss of all mileage and unused awards.

That's a pretty all encompasing power, but we've all signed up to it.


[This message has been edited by james (edited 03-10-2000).]

shadow

Welcome to FlyerTalk, travels2much...

I know a few people that have 'massaged' the DL system in the past with back-to-backs, hidden cities, etc. Some have done it a lot.

If DL is now starting to audit better, we'll all lose a few of the hidden 'perks' we've used in the past.

Sorry to hear they're taking 38K miles away,
but sure would like to hear more about this situation. As james said, if not for public, e-mail possibly..?

[This message has been edited by shadow (edited 03-11-2000).]

Beckles

Without any details I can't put much credence in this report ...

If you had a "four-page" spreadsheet I'd imagine you travelled quite a bit, and maybe you'd like to fill us in on what the DL Revenue Protection Unit alleges you did that was fraudulent or dishonest.

For instance, if DL were to audit my account they would find some miles that I did not rightfully earn ... if they took them away ... so be it, I'd live with it ... I didn't earn them and I just "forgot" to point their mistakes out to them.

travels2much

Here's what they say I did....

I used a ticket from one day on another day. For example, week one in January I did not fly to Fort Lauderdale from Atlanta. Instead of returning the ticket for credit or whatever they give you, I would just keep it. Then, if I needed to go next week, I would call and make a reservation going to FOrt Lauderdale from Atlanta (like the ticket/contract--Delta's term--states) Now, typically I ask for a K-seat or whatever class seat that the ticket says. The only thing different about my ticket is that it is from a previous week. Now, gate agents and ticket agents notice this and have (1) chosen to ignore, (2) told me to my face it is a different date and either charged me or said, "since you fly with us so often....we'll wave the charge". I don't do back to back ticketing, nor hidden/ghost cities nor anything else they have. I pay the $75 when the gate agents ask me as well as paid more when I'm rerouted at my request.

More so, it was the rude treatment by the Revenue Protection people that frosted me. I asked for explanations on their reports, appeal process, etc. Ms. Harper, for instance, just shreaked at me. They just didn't care.

Obviously they have no skills when it comes to customer service (though Delta overall never really has)....they may think something aweful about me, but don't slander me. Just stick to your issue....

So, I am wondering if there are others actually going through this with Delta? How has your treatment been? Anyone slander or insult you? I am just gathering information on others....according to Delta, it's numerous....Thank you for your help and advice.

jeffreyt

I am not sure what the specific fare rules allow in the tickets you have purchased, but based on my many years of flying DL and actual better knowlege of the fare rules than many DL TA's themselves, it sounds like you have violated the terms of the contract based on the limited descriptions in this thread. If that is the case, then don't take this personally, Travels2much, but you know what the rules are, yet you continue to violate them, so what else is Delta supposed to act like? I am not advocating I agree with the rules, but I certainly follow them because I choose to fly Delta. There are many ways to go about protesting fare rules, the biggest is not to fly the airline. I have found DL's customer service as a whole to be above average. As a PM/MM, I feel like they treat me like a king. But I don't break the rules, either, and I don't ask for any special privleges above and beyond what they currently offer me. I have noticed some individual cases of poor customer service, but I see that on every airline I fly. I don't mean this to sound like a lecture. But I would say that DL's agreement with you allows them to take this action. As a pax who follows the rules, I am glad to see that they do it.

Beckles

I've had agents forget to collect fees ... maybe once a year ... if they came back and asked for the money, I'd probably give it to them (after a bit of a fight, since if they had charged it in the first place I would have just expensed it and expensing it so long after the fact would be a pain).

Weird that they took miles instead of asking you to pay for it ... how much are we talking about here in fees that weren't collected?

leroy11

I've had the same experiences as Beckles - the agents forget to collect the change fee perhaps once or twice a year. I'm sure as hell not going to be waving $75 or $150 in their face - if they forget, that their problem. But, if they did send the bill afterwards, I would probably pay it. Until I read this thread, I thought that would be unthinkable, but perhaps not ...

Anyway, Travel2Much, not trying to sound rude, but what ever you were doing wrong according to DL, you must have been doing it a lot - I mean 38,000+ miles is quite a lot ...

Miles Man

If you were willing to pay the change fee, then I don't see why they would not award you the miles. Perhaps they have you mistaken for someone else. If you didn't use a ticket and saved it for future travel, there is a value left over. Email me and I'll give you an address to send a copy of your complaint letter if you decided to write to DL. (this should get you some results.)

Also, have you posted this in Randy's room? Perhaps he could give you some more insight.

[email protected]

travels2much

Thanks for everyone's comments. Leroyll, the miles they want are miles+bonus and it's 20 trips (10-roundtrips out of 100) I am really surprised I am the only one whose travel schedule is so erratic. Ufortunately, I don't have the travel budgets y'all must have to buy $1K tickets at the drop of hat and have secretaries to refund/juggle tickets.

And Mr. JeffreyT...did you used to work for Delta?! You really sound like the RPU guys. Maybe you know why they didn't do anything about it until I made platinum in December. I'd appreciate advice/information.

Thanks again....

JGill

travels2much -- I have a very erratic schedule as well, and thus I either 1) pay for unrestricted travel, or 2) pay the change fee. Then again, my firm is very picky about following the rules, since one violation could ruin it for many of us.

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Robert Leach

In my opinion, it is NOT a violation of any rule if the airline employee fails to collect the appropriate change fee prior to issuing a boarding pass to the customer. It's the airline's responsibility to determine how much to charge and the procedures for collecting the charge. I just don't buy this guilt trip argument -- that somehow the customer should detect that the airline employee isn't collecting the right amount of money and bring it to their attention, or else the customer is guilty of some wrongful act. Give me a break!

Due to airline employee error, I've had upgrades and seat assignments disappear, I've had to go through four agents to get a full fare international ticket reissued for different dates, I've been put lower in priority on a standby list than a PM should be, etc., etc. When this has happened, I haven't sent the airline a bill. Therefore, if they screw up in my favor, it is not my responsibility to bring it to their attention nor should I feel guilty about it when I don't.

Aubie

travels2much,

Since I am now curious as to why DL debited 38K miles from your account, could you please post the audit in full so we could read it and see if we can make since of it?

travels2much

A reporter from Atl is interesting in writing an article about this and has all my information. Aubie, I could email you an individual copy for your eyes rather than posting it. I'll send you the last, corrected version as the first one had copious mistakes, etc. just let me know...thanks for your interest.