Help with Delta and downgrade?

Hello I need some feedback on this issue with Delta please. I have a booked flight on Delta from RDU to ALT to HNL and back in June. I am flying FC on a “P” class ticket and looked the other day, and come to find that the same flight, same days of travel and same destination has been reduced by $410.00. This downgrade is from a First class P class to a First class A. Is this not a downgrade? I got a reply saying that they are now declining my request?
So what are my choices and what do you think I should do and whom do I contact?


Here is the first email reply:



Thank you for your email to Delta Air Lines.

We acknowledge your concernregarding changes in a fare that was previously purchased. Since airfares are subject to change without notice, our customers are encouraged to purchase their tickets when reservations are confirmed.

Iffares decrease, ticketed passengers may downgrade to the lower fare prior to departure of the originating flight as long as all restrictions of the new reduced fare are met. This includes advance ticketing, and nochanges are allowed to the flight, date, or origin.

The downgrade will require that your ticket be reissued. Anytime we reissue a ticket, an administrative service charge will apply. A nonrefundable Delta Travel Voucher will be issued for any difference beyond the associated administrative service charge.

When your ticket involves International travel, the administrative service charge assessed will be the same amount of the change fee associated with the fare being downgraded. We appreciate your business and trust your future flights will be enjoyable. We hope you will continue to make Delta your airline of choice. Sincerely,

Ask them to re-ticket it, they'll deduct $150, and the rest they'll put back on your cc, or give you a voucher, whichever you prefer

Right that is what they should do in my understanding of a downgrade. Here is reply email #2.

Thank you for your e-mail to Delta Air Lines regarding your reservation.

While we would like to offer special consideration in cases such as yours, we are unable to honor the many similar requests that we receive from others in equally deserving situations. We follow a consistent policy to ensure that we are fair to everyone who travels with us. Accordingly, we must respectfully decline your request. We appreciate your interest in Delta Air Lines.

What consideration it says that I can downgrade but now they say I can't??

Why?

This does not sound like they are totally declining your request. They are willing to give you a credit for the difference minus the fee, which is probably $150. So you will still get a credit of $260 for future travel.

There are dozens of threads about this. It is a reality of airline travel that, unless you buy an expensive, fully refundable ticket, you are betting on the ticket price remaining the same or going up. Unfortunately this time you lost that gamble. Tickets prices several months in advance of travel tend to be high, then drop 60-90 days before the travel date.

Edit: I just read the second email. It sounds like you should call Delta. They should adhere to the first email.

If you want to re-ticket, pick up the phone. The fee/refund terms of your ticket apply; one buys a new ticket with its own fare terms.

Pretty sure they will not refund to your CC and will only offer a credit voucher for the fare difference less the $150 change fee.

This. You should be calling a reservations agent for this, not emailing them. You can probably "downgrade" for a change fee of $150 per ticket, so you'd get $260 back in the form of an eCredit.

Color me puzzled. I thought P was always cheaper than A. If so, there has really been a good fare drop/sale on this route. OP had better act fast before the fares go back up.

David

Yeah, just call and have the agent confirm the pricing and change to the lower A fare... or if you want to avoid the phone call ticketing charge (not sure since I don't know if you're an elite or not) then cancel the ticket and rebook on your own using the ecredit voucher.

A fares are lower than P.

another good perks one from the old NW days... $150 "fee" when ticket price drops is just a lot - well, with this $150, there's basically no "guarantee" or "special protection" for passengers in case of a price drop (the $150 is just your normal reissue/change fee). Whereas in the good old NW days, we use to be semi-protected on price drops

I did call Delta on Monday 03/05/12 and was told to email the contact person from the emails I got. So did call and Delta passed me back to the email and now I come here looking for help!

If you don't get the answer you want the first time, hang up and call again.

OP - No need to reference the emails. Just call DL, tell them what you want to do and proceed. I am presuming that you purchased your ticket from DL, not through a TA.

IMO A is usually cheaper. In fact, I have seen some fully refundable P fares recently.

The part about no changes to date, origin, or destination is nonsense. You are exchanging or canceling and purchasing a completely new ticket. The only reason there could be any such restrictions would be, for example, if you were using SWUs that have since expired after being applied to the original ticket.