Originally Posted by
SJC ORD LDR
Rules are rules
Three threads down, DL apparently isn't following its own rules on upgrades, why should they necessarily here?
Does Delta Follow it’s Own Upgrade Rules
Some/many of the European low-cost-carriers that sell completely inflexible tickets will also sell you "insurance" that if you miss your flight, they'll accommodate you on the next available one, and it's a fairly modest fee ($10-15 maybe?).
Contrast that to DL here apparently, where, sticking to the letter of the rules, even a non-BE fare would at least require a $150-200 change fee (for someone not eligible to standby for a later flight), and that assumes you contact them before your original flight departs (heaven forbid the OP didn't even wake up until 6:01am). Surely that's not the airline's intention?