I purchased a ticket from MEX to JFK (nonstop). DL codeshare flight number, but operated by AM. I am a DM and my partner (also on the itinerary) has no status. Both of our receipts (issued by DL) indicated that we would be able to check in one bag for free (we purchased a regular economy/main cabin fare). However, at check-in, the AM agent said only I was eligible to check my bag without charge. My partner would have to pay because he does not have status and we are traveling in economy. I mentioned to the agent that we were traveling on the same itinerary; and that our receipts also indicated my partner was able to check his bag free of charge too. The agent insisted, so I paid for his bag.

In most cases, SkyPriority benefits are extended to companions on the same itinerary, right? Or is it only DL that does that? Should I not bother with trying to get a refund since I've already paid? If I were to pursue the refund, would I have to deal with DL or AM? If SkyPriority benefits are not extended to companions on the same PNR, then it would seem like DL is at fault for making it appear as if my partner would get the free checked bag benefit too. AM also charged my partner for his seat selection, though I don't think I have grounds to dispute that since there was no mention on the receipt that we would be able to select seats for free.

Wish that was the end of the story... but... as we were about to board our redeye to JFK, AM announced a gate change, but failed to tell us the flight would be delayed until the following day. I only found out when DL texted me. The departure board at MEX was still showing the flight as "on time," so I wasn't sure whether to leave or remain at the airport in case they later decide to move the departure time up. I called DL to see if they could rebook us on something that would get us home earlier. I saw there was a 1:00 a.m. flight to ORD where we could connect onward to NY, but GTS said DL doesn't have the inventory on that flight though AM might be able to do it. So, I went over to talk to AM Customer Service. They were able to reroute us through ORD, but oddly, I wasn't able to check in for the connecting flight to LGA. Tried to talk to the gate agent about it at MEX but the flight was boarding so he just told us to get on the plane and they would sort it out in Chicago. Wasn't sure if that was the best idea because I messaged DL while enroute to ORD to see if they could help check us in and the agent told me our second segment from ORD-LGA was in our reservation, but it didn't match what was on our ticket. Apparently, AM reissued the ticket without properly adding in the final segment; and when AM reissued our tickets, they essentially took control of it and there was no way for DL to re-take control of our tickets. Their only suggestion was to get a hold of someone at AM who can fully reissue the tickets with the final segment to NY. Except, there were ground staff for AM at ORD. Their next departure wasn't for another 5-6 hours; and our connecting flight was leaving in an hour. We went to the DL check in counter for help. They were confused as to what the issue was. At first glance, it looked like we were traveling on an AM ticket since the ticket number changed to 139 after the reissue in MEX. But I pressed them to look further and they could see what really happened. They called their support desk, who told them to tell us the same thing (get a hold of someone at AM and ask them to fully reissue). Very very very fortunately for me, a DM agent gave me the number to the AM JV Support Desk a while back, so I decided to give them a call, explained that I was with a DL check in counter agent, who told me that AM needed to reissue our tickets so we could check in for our connecting flight to NY. They pushed back (maybe they thought it was DL's problem. I forgot the reason they gave me) and asked to speak directly with the DL check in agent, so I handed her my phone, and she quite forcefully told the AM JV Desk that this problem was AM's fault and DL could no longer touch the ticket so they need to reissue our tickets ASAP as our flight was boarding at this point. After lots of back and forth, JV Desk eventually reissued our tickets and the DL check in agent ran with us to the gate to make sure we got on our connecting flight.

I'm very fortunate that it all worked out in the end (if we had missed that flight to NY, there wouldn't be space on another flight until later that evening), but this experience left me wondering... I thought there was a system in place where any SkyTeam airline can provide assistance to displaced pax traveling on a SkyTeam airline, even if that airline wasn't on their itinerary (or were the marketing/ticketing carrier). Maybe that capability is too good to be true? Or, is another aspect that I had already been checked in for MEX-ORD and later flew that segment --and either of those two things prevents DL or other ST airlines from taking over the ticket? I think the weirdest part of this whole ordeal is, why didn't GTS just contact the AM JV SD directly? Isn't that what they're supposed to do? I don't think the average pax can explain the complexities of improper ticket reissues. The DL check in agent at ORD said that if AM didn't want to reissue the tickets, they could also release control of the tickets so DL could re-take control. I'm assuming that is possible, but it's a backend process that is only visible to airline employees? I remember in the past, when dealing with partner bookings ticketed by UA and AS, they were able to re-take control of the ticket only when it was to cancel the reservation. But when it was to re-book... UA couldn't do anything until I canceled my check in; and that may have also been true for AS too.