SkyPesos

That is the delta rationale. Some DM/PM would book tickets with no intention of flying. The only people who are mad about this are those that abuse the system (again delta rationale).

DLCorpTeam

Michelle will be posting details on this shortly.

Michelle_DeltaSkyMiles

Late last month, I posted information about recent changes to our Award redeposit policy. The changes were made after we reviewed the number of award seats that were going out empty and the number was large – massive, in fact. So we made some adjustments to help address the situation and increase award availability.

In response to that post, more than half a dozen FT members asked if we were looking at making changes to the policy for any time prior to departure. In fact, we were. During that review we determined that there are more than 1,000,000 award seats that were going unused at the 72 hour mark prior to departure. That is 3 days in which those seats could otherwise be sold or used for other SkyMiles members who truly intend to sit in the seat and travel.

As a result, we’re updating this policy once more. So, effective August 15, 2011, SkyMiles members who wish to cancel or make changes to their award ticket now need to do so at least 72 hours before their flight departure (for changes, this applies to each flight segment – outbound and return). This change will make those seats available to other members and ultimately increase award availability. Miles for tickets cancelled within 72 hours will be nonrefundable. Taxes and fees for award travel cancelled within 72 hours will be refundable upon request. Same-day standby options will remain.

For changes or cancellations made at least 72 hours prior to departure, Diamond and Platinum Medallion members will continue to receive reissue and redeposit fee waivers. Reissue and redeposit fees will continue to apply for other members.

We will be sending out an email to customers with advance award travel booked later today – delta.com is being updated with this information as well.

Because it was a trending theme in last month’s thread, let’s address another issue head-on. We understand that extenuating circumstances do happen and our agents are equipped to review those situations on a case-by-case basis to determine if an exception is warranted. (Just do us a favor and try to make sure it’s not the 8th time your great uncle has passed away.)

Candidly, we expect that this change may be unpopular with some – and we will hear all of your concerns related to it – so we are communicating this early and will be sending a variety of communications to customers later today. When program changes occur, we want our members to be aware of them so that they can adapt accordingly.

Now let’s start the conversation. I’m gathering your comments and bringing them all back to the team…

Michelle, SkyMiles | Delta Social Ambassador
Connect with us at Twitter.com/Delta & Facebook.com/Delta

mtkeller

I'm going to wait for the full details to come out, but I don't think most PMs/DMs were booking without the intention to fly. They were booking at a mileage level they could live with and then snapping up a low level seat when it came available close to departure. Given DL's resistance to releasing low level seats in advance, this is a completely legitimate practice in my book.

LegalTender

Officially, no waivers at any Medallion level re the 72-hour window. An agent I spoke with just now says she expects PMs and DMs will be allowed them on a case-by-case basis.

The $150 re-booking fee is still waived.

turkeyRIOO

This is going to be ugly. I use a lot of awards within 72 hours saving a lot of money. Just last weekend it was ATL-BDL ~$850 last minute round-trip or 25k SM. What about the 40k booking that becomes available at 25k in the 72 hour window?

leiterk

As I posted on a separate thread, I think this is a most unwelcome change and the first move in over a year that has made me tremendously upset at Delta. There were many before that.

I just sent a note to Richard Anderson and Jeff Robertson ...hope other members do as well. You guys should really get your act together and not just constantly make customer unfriendly changes, especially when you're alone in the industry for doing these things. Your 3 level award chart was one which other carriers didn't do and really devalued the program for those of us who have had a lot of miles.

avidflyer

In fact I was just saying the other day that I will often burn miles to get dinner (Sushi in Austin TX) to get a "Low". I do this all the time (well used to I guess).

Madefornow

and how can we verify the above??

pbarnette

Can you please confirm that one can still book NEW award travel within the 72 hour window? I assume that these would be non-refundable, in keeping with the policy.

jeff30189

Really? Another attempt to blame DMs"?

What percentage of all DL passengers are PM/DM? And of that small subset, how many engaged in this alleged seat stealing scheme? You think that handful of people was really responsible for such a big change in the award booking policy?

I'm not doubting that is how it will be spun as a convenient excuse to take away a benefit, but if you do the math (total available annual seats compared to number of PM/DM who ever reserved an award seat and failed to use it) it doesnt hold water.

c_d

Are you really convinced that myriads of PMDM have nothing better to do but to invest millions of SM for seats they dont really want or need? I agree up to a point that a small percentage of PMDM is securing really low award seats in advance, while being not 100% positive about travelling. Why? Because the DL award booking engine is CRAP. It is close to impossible to book a low award seat with, say, only sixty days between booking and travelling. So yes, there have been situations in which I held a medium award seat for the lady which turned out to be overpriced since DL is always overselling and always opening up L/U/T fares and low awards in the very last minute. Where is the benefit for us again? Please point that out for me, as all I can see is another inflation concerning my SM.

This is yet another enheancement that is aimed at a symptom and not the cause if the illness. It reads well as long as you don't think about it. 72 hrs, as if this would change anything for the better. All it does is furtherly (is this an actual word?) restricting our "perks" while leaving the root of all problems, the award booking engine, unfixed, unusable, and total rip-off.

On a side note: they should also eliminate fully refundable fares following that thinking. I mean, many people are buying a full Y seat and then, GOD FORBID, change or even cancel their reservation with little to no heads up for DL with a full refund - this is a scandal.

avidflyer

The reason most book within 72 hours is that this is where DELTA puts most Low awards....

mtkeller

Big on this. Once the details on the redeposit rule were sorted, I had no problem with them. However, finding award inventory at the low level in advance can be a problem. If DL isn't going to make that inventory available in advance, then it's only fair to allow members to make changes to grab the low mileage inventory at the last minute.

I, for one, would like a detailed analysis of how DL's coming up with "more than 1,000,000 award seats that were going unused at the 72 hour mark prior to departure". If the flight hasn't departed yet, clearly the seat hasn't been used yet. Or is the claim that there are 1,000,000 award seats booked at the 72 hour mark that get changed, cancelled, or fly empty without a change/cancellation? Seems like it might have been fair to give the new policy six months to see what its impact is before deciding to require all changes to take place 72 hours in advance.

Again to DL for this change.

blug

I don't think this has much, if anything, to do with this new policy. The solution to your concern should be: charge PM/DM for award redeposit.

Big to DL for this one.