So, let's have a conversation.
Here, any DL may answer the following questions:
(a) TRUE/FALSE, when you conducted the changes (time of departure) on 7/2 you knew that the 8/15 change is going to be instated (T-72)
(b) Given that the answer to (a) is true, can you explain why were you 'having a conversation' on July 27 changes?
(c) Given that (a) is true, can you explain why you were misleading your clients?
(d) TRUE/FALSE you were aware that retroactive changes are a violation of numerouos consumer protection laws in the United States, in Canada, in the EU and in many more countries.
(e) Based on your answer to (d), if true- why did you go down the route, if false- replace your lawyers.
(f) TRUE/FALSE, your DOT coordinator sends virtually the same reply to all DOT complaints without looking into their content.
(g) I will save you the time, (f) is TRUE. Get someone there who can read and write. It is embarresing to send complaints back to the DOT and say- they did not answer. It is also a violation of the DOT rules not to reply to the content of the complaint. (Get the new lawyers that you are going to hire to tell you which articles of the law it violates, my team fellows already work on the list
(h) True/False, your upper management board cannot defend the decision to clients.
(i) True/False, a requirement working as upper management assistant at delta air lines is the abilty to say
"s/he is not availabile", s"/he is attending all day meeting", "oh, why don't you send an email through delta.com", "oh, I am so sorry", "I will SURE let her/him know", "let me make sure I spelled it correctly", and the best "I am sure s/he is listening"
(j) The number of policy changes regarding T-72 is now at a level that even your DM/PM desk cannot follow or figure out. (True, not false)
(k) the RTW feels somewhere between misreable and terrible with the fact they have to book RTW under T-72.
(l) using the statement "it was a hard decision, but it was the right one" was a terrible PR move.
(m) So, here are few more questions: what should we, DM pax, answer to 1K and GS pax that are laughing at our face at the airports? Have you ever tried booking a JFK-CDG trip using the award calendar? When was the last time a SM senior manager called Dr. Wise's group and ask them why is it that you cannot book a simple JFK-AMS without 2 connections and 8 hours layover?
(n) Forcing ALL of delta's upper management to use only the award calendar to book tickets is a hard decision, but it is the right one.
(o) If the price jumps on me for an award ticket when I tried booking it, it is wrong, and illegal.
(p) If it jumps on me using the purchasing it is not only wrong, it is very illegal. (The practice of increasing price during the process, i.e. when you go to purchase a car, agrees on the price, and then the person goes to her/his manager, and comes back saying... well, s/he did not approve yada yada yada, s/he says you need to also pay for the new a/c, etc... well, it may be legal in car dealerships, but it is illegal under the DOT rules)
(q) Flexible booking is a tool given to all top elite programs. It is one of the few perks left in skymiles. If I fly 150K+ a year, I do need some flexibility with my award travel, regardless of my great uncle's medical status.
(r) Now, let's have a conversation. That means that a delta representative would also participate. Not just talk to the mirror.