Sorry, but Delta agents can and do book other airlines with no Delta flights when they have to. The biggest example I can think of is when there is a cancelation (weather, mechanical, etc) and you need to get from point A to point B. If Delta can't do it, the agent finds (with some prompting on our part, of course) flights on other airlines. To say that they "will not be shown an itinerary that is totally on another carrier" is incorrect. Yes, they have to search for it, but it is there for them to see. I've had at least one ticket on Delta that the flights in both directions were canceled and I ended up on American in one direction and US Air in the other, IIRC. Not one segment of that ticket was actually flown on Delta. Delta agents were the ones who rebooked me.

I will agree, of course, that there's no reason for them to book another airline when someone is buying a ticket. If you want to know how much a ticket is on United or Southwest, then call them, not Delta.

[This message has been edited by Joe Flyer (edited Jan 28, 2004).]