[Question] Booking changes, what the hell?
 

Hello fellow FT'lers,

a couple of weeks ago, I spend ages of time for booking a trip on DL that fits my needs. It is comprised of a TATL segment to JFK, then to SLC, and finally to AUS. I even agreed to pay more for my ticket to actually avoid AMS and CDG.

Yesterday, I received an email informing me about a schedule change. I logged onto DL and reviewed the itineary. I could not identify any change but I noticed a button up top "Continue" and a text saying:

"Please click Continue to acknowledge this change and view your updated itinerary.
After clicking Continue, you may be eligible to change your flight(s) at no extra cost."

I may have been an idiot since I clicked "continue" to see what was changed ... and now I am stuck with a non-operational itineary :( Of course - I should have known it - there is no way to change my flights online. I went to the SC and all what they could offer me was a reroute via AMS or CDG :mad:

After that my online itin is only showing: "There has been a change affecting one or more of your flights. Your itinerary has been updated, but it may cause you to miss at least one connecting flight during your trip.

* Please call your local reservations office for assistance.
* Please call your local reservations office for assistance."

What is the best course of action to take now? Wait a while and hope somthing is opening up? Accept the reroute via CDG? Any ideas?

What flight were you originally scheduled on? Hard to give advice when we don't know where you are flying from.

Sorry, I am leaving TXL on DL79.

AMS connections are pleasant and efficient--much, much better than JFK. CDG, however, is not so good, although if you're in biz, the AF flights within Europe are better than KLM (better food and center seats blocked off, but not the same decent wine in small bottles, although AF apparently doesn't serve any alcohol before about 1 pm).

Your original flight was a 757, right? I'd try for a 330 on the re-routing with good AVOD even in coach. It's a matter of personal preference, but I like the longer TATL routes better, so I would avoid an East Coast connection if possible. If you do TXL-AMS-DTW/MSP, you get nice planes and nice airports for international arrivals (no terminal change!), but the flight to AUS is likely to be an RJ, albeit one of the very nice new larger ones with FC.

You need to figure out what you want and then call DL pretty soon to get your new reservations. There should not be a charge for this, although if you find that your new flights would be cheaper, you should request a refund of the difference.

If you are asking for advice/ suggestions/ recommendations you need to provide the full itinerary ... so that very experienced and helpful folks here can look up the itinerary and provide you useful advice.
Many here have the tools to do so ... besides there are some Delta reps that are also of great help in such scenarios.
Feel free to provide details and ask for help ... and help will be forthcoming!

I did some trips via AMS and I agree that the metal is far superior compared to the old 763 with no pTV. However, with each and every of my past trips I had serious issues and did not receive any SkyTeam love. I starts with KLM agents refusing accepting published perks such as two bags with 30kg, denying my seat assignment at the exit row (they wanted me to pay AGAIN!), and continues with statements in IROPS such as "We accomodate our KLM passengers first and then we deal with pax on foreign airlines (DL)".

The absolute low was Ms. c_d watching three Cityhoppers going to TXL while she was denied boarding and stuck for another 11hrs on Dec.,22nd 2009 despite the fact that she had a confirmed seat for the first flight to TXL on that day. Additionally, her bags were delayed just after Christmas eve with no help from KLM, just finger pointing to the airline that issued the ticket (depsite that fact that there was no flight on DL metal).

I know that JFK is a zoo but at least a zoo where I know my way around and where the agents are feeling at least a little responsible for helping their pax.

You are absolutely right. I somethimes have concerns of posting such information since one can never be sure who is reading this. (paranoia, I know)

I also found out ofther revewing it that I even agreed to go to SAT instead of AUS for avoiding "enjoing" the SkyTeam alliance "partners".

Flight plan:

DL79 (TXL-JFK) --> DL4 (JFL-SLC) --> DL4804 (SLC-SAT). on Aug, 21st.

Personally I quite enjoy checking out the blue dragons in AMS after a TATL redeye; some of them can be an enjoyable sight after a long flight :)

Still, I don't blame you for avoiding AMS if you've had bad experiences; unfortunately JFK + 763 (or 757) is about as low as you can go, but it'll get you there.