Join Date: May 2003
Location: Salt Lake City, Utah, DL DM since inception, 3+ MM, HH Gold, SPG-Gold
Programs: DL, UA, AA, HH, SPG, HH, Hertz, Avis
Posts: 1,838
Whether by design or by better revenue seat utilization or a combination of both, I find that BE award seats (to Europe) in 2006 1) indeed are harder to come by compared to last year (and the years before) and 2) that those fewer seats available, more often than not use inonvenient connections when compared to years past (i.e. to catch a 6 PM flight out of ATL to Europe, you need to take take a 6:30 am flight from SLC instead of a 11:00 am flight etc.)
In contrast to some, I do believe that it is Delta's prerogative to tweek their award policy anyway they see fit, and I put this development to an ever growing part of my brain allocated to keep swet memories of bygone times (!!)
I loved the "PM exception" 2 years ago where PM's were allowed to make one SKYCHOICE reservation (but for more than one person) for a SKYSAVER price, enabling some friends of mine to get award seats in F on a travel to Hawaii with me and my wife who traveled in PMU upgraded first. That experience made me feel better about my relationship with DL than any of the other perks. I certainly would much rather have such an excemption per year than 1) 2 (or 5 for that matter!) PMU's I can't use anyway, and 2) $500 worth of Hardman luggage I would not buy as that really is not my style!!.
Maybe I have been unlucky in my sampling, but since my family regularly travels on BE awards to Europe at all times a year, my search patterns haven't changed over the years, and I have been able to be out searching in ample time, but for the first time, the availability seems to be noticably less this year.