Originally Posted by
Bicostal
The day starts at midnight. The day ends at 11:59. It's a legal definition. But in lay terms, when the ball drops in Times Square its New Years at midnight, not 12:01.
I'm aware of the scientific answer; however, here is how Delta describes it.
Tickets/Cancellation:
Cancellation request must be made by midnight of the day after the eTicket is purchased or midnight of the departure date of the first flight, whichever comes first. Available only for eTickets purchased at the time of reservation through Delta ticket offices and airport ticket counters, Reservation Sales, or at delta.com.
If your interpretation is right, then it implies less than 24 hours if risk free cancelation time for tickets purchased well in advance of departure. If I buy a ticket at noon today for travel next month, then "midnight of the day after the eTicket is purchased" is technically only 12 hours away at the start of the next day. But we all know Delta gives until the
end of the next day to cancel.
So, if we extend the same principle to the second clause, we get the interpretation I suggested originally: You have until the end of the day of departure to cancel. This phrase is limiting insofar as you buy ticket on the day of departure. In this case, you have only until the end of the day to cancel whereas the first clause would give you until the end of the following day.