Originally Posted by
DaDaDan
I'm aware of the scientific answer; however, here is how Delta describes it.
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.
BY MIDNIGHT of the day after. That means that 11:59:59 on the day after is fine - midnight is not. Not the most exquisite verbiage, but clear enough.
By the end of the next day....that's 11:59:59, not 12:00 midnight. Days START at midnight.
How well does Delta do in enforcing the policy for tickets purchased on the day of departure is a different story. Technically, they are not required o refund any ticket purchased less than 7 days prior to departure but have opted to create a policy that allows it inside that time frame with the conditional that it be done by the end of the next day - or before the beginning of the travel day.
This isn't that tough to understand....