ULDB65

Flight 110 (Buenos Aires - ATL) was delayed a few hours last night then cancelled due to mechanical. GA announced all passengers would be put in hotels, and try again tomorrow night. (It's a once-a-day route)

One DYKWIA marched up to the GA and demanded to put on a soon-to-depart AA flight (JFK or MIA I think), stating that he was a Platinum Medallion (his emphasis, not mine). The GA, who is not Delta, but local contract employee, said it wasn't possible.

While he argued, I went to the phone and called the DM desk, and asked to be put on the Aerolineas Argentinas flight to MIA, departing in 65 minutes. They got it done, and booked upgraded connections for me from MIA to my ultimate destination. FWIW, I understand that they cannot endorse a ticket to another carrier if it is less than 60 minutes before departure of the other carriers flight.

As I was walking down the long deserted corridors to the other terminal to catch the AR flight as it was boarding, it became pretty clear that I was the only one accommodated this way. The boarding door closed, and I realized more than half of the plane was empty, as everyone spread out to get entire rows to themselves for sleeping.

So here's the question:
What does it cost Delta to endorse my ticket over to another airline, verses the cost of a hotel, bus transport to and from the hotel, meal vouchers, still having to fly me the next day, and maybe compensation on top of that?

It would seem that endorsing my ticket over would be cheaper and maybe easier for them to deal with, and I would be a happier customer for having got to my destination on time.

I can imagine a lot of people stranded for 24 hours would have some ill will toward Delta. Especially if they knew there was potentially another option.

Thoughts?

Vuelos

LOTS more $$ to endorse as it's often at a "Y" fare basis. Hotels are much less $$ with the negotated rates.

Pharaoh

Also, not all fare classes are endorsable in the first place.

I've also noticed in two recent instances that something which could not be done suddenly became possible when the staffer noticed (not mentioned by me) that I also was MM.

So what could not happen could indeed happen for a DM, DM/MM, or just MM.

3Cforme

Mechanicals don't seem to be defined specifically as a force majeur event. The international contract of carriage describes ticket endorsement as a remedy in Rule 80 C 1.

I have - upon deliberate request - been placed on alternate carriers, even times when the delay has been due to weather, and on award tickets.

Vuelos

MM & DM/PM = typically rules bending...

audio-nut

Depends on the agreement between the 2 carriers. It's really hard to say without knowing the specific agreement. I do know that it is very common for carriers to accept tickets at face value or a % (9%-15% is common) of the highest Y fare in the market for tickets with no face value.