Need help changing flight tonight due to weather
 

Hi all,

My roommate is flying SJC-ATL-PHL tonight/tomorrow morning, but there is supposed to be a plethora of rain coming down into Atlanta at that time. He wants to be home for a meeting tomorrow at noon, but isn't sure he'll make it with the rain.

I noticed there is an SFO-DTW-PHL routing at the same times, and tried calling DL reservations to ask to change, but they won't change it without a fee as 'there are no problems in ATL at the moment'. Of course, as there is only light rain now, but NWS is calling for almost 2 inches of rain between when his plane leaves ATL (It's flying ATL-SJC-ATL) and when he will be scheduled to depart for Philly tomorrow morning. The alternative suggested was 'see what happens at the airport', but by that time it will be too late to get to SFO from SJC, and there's nothing leaving SJC until the next morning.

I'm not statused on DL, but is there any way to get them to change the flights without a fee?

The unfortunately easy answer is "no"..you can't do anything, as they might just delay flights insteads. Also, whether you have status or not, it does no good for your roommate. sucks....

This is a situation where the airport is going to be a lot more likely to help you than reservations. Is there any way he could get to the airport to ask there?

The answer is NO, and with good reason, the ticket was a discounted ticket with restrictions. I agree the weather looks bad for ATL, but that is not in the terms of the CofC.

I you want flexibility next time, including changing plans to avods possible weather delay in ATL, purchase a Y fare. You can change it all you want.

I don't think it's as bleak as some of the other posters make it seem, but reservations will be no help.

1) Go to the airport and ask. I've had decent luck with getting switched around when there was weather (and sometimes just when I wanted to) by asking nicely. I think the gates (either of them) are the best shot, assuming he isn't checking bags.

2) Delays at ATL compound as the day goes on. If he's arriving tonight and leaving in the morning he might get delayed inbound, but not as likely on the outbound.

So I take it all of your Delta tickets are fully-refundable Y, which you pay for out of pocket and are not reimbursed by your company/clients?

In the past five years I've had this happen twice before *Without a travel advisory* on AA & WN. Both times they allowed me to change to the next best option outside of the weather without a fee.

It can be in the carrier's best interest to switch someone proactively rather than need to deal with it at at least one, possibly two airports. I would agree that it would be too much to ask if the request was 'the weather looks bad, can we rebook on a flight tomorrow afternoon?', but when it's simply 'how about a different routing that leaves and arrives within 20 minutes of the original and there are still seats available', it becomes a much different story.

Thanks for the tip. He's in a conference until 7:30 that he can't break away from. Could I run down to PHL and do it there, or would they just tell me it has to be done at SJC?

He's on the redeye with an hour layover in ATL tomorrow morning, so there's a good chance he'll miss the PHL flight if it's not delayed.

Rain doesn't cause delays in ATL; thunderstorms do.

ATL is getting a lot of rain today, but so far, there haven't been thunderstorms.

That weather forecast is not a "plethora of rain" for ATL. I doubt it will cause much trouble at all. I've arrived and departed from ATL in much worse with no problems. Now 1 to 2 inches in a half hour at the airport would be something to worry about but not that amount over 24-48 hours.

You have valid points about being proactive. But don't you think with the weather DL will have lots of people to re-route?

DL wants options for the passengers that are on a Y fare and ones that have higher status than your roommate, unless they can collect a fee.

One question I also must ask, why wasn't the SJC-DTW-PHL option purchased to begin with? It is common knowledge that ATL is a lot more delay prone than DTW

Hopefully you or your roommate will have luck at the airport.

I remember a statement from a UA agent in the late 70s, when the UA pilots went on strike and shutting down the airline and everybody was scrambling, it took me 2 days to get home and I had extra expenses due to the delay and I was complaining to the agent.
What he said 'these discounted tickets are a great deal when everything works the way they are supposed to, but when they don't they (discounted tickets) aren't a good deal." That was 30 years ago when the airline were much more flexible. I have kept that in the back of my mind ever since. Also, I don't always purchase Y tickets for personal or business travel, but when I think I need to be flexible I will purchase a refundable ticket (and they are not always full fare.) or I a willing to accept the fact I need to cough up a change fee.

No, he has to do it at SJC. Just have him get there as early as possible, after his meeting is finished.

NWS is claiming over 1 inch in a six hour period - not 24 to 48.

There is no SJC-DTW overnight flight, he would have to travel to SFO to get on that flight. Atlanta is the only redeye option on DL from SJC, which is where he is close to. As to why DL over any other carrier, I have no idea.

Keep your eye on DL 1797, which is the ATL-SJC flight that will be the equipment for the return flight. It is scheduled to leave at 7:21 (eastern). This is three hours ahead of your friend's meeting's ending. If it is on time, then your friend should have no problem. If not, you have plenty of time to react.

Since it is the redeye, it will arrive in ATL at 6:10 which is a relatively slow time for ATL, so the flights will not be stacked up. The 7:30 flight is the first flight of the day to PHL so the equipment may overnight at the gate.

I honestly think at this time, your friend has a good chance of making the original itinerary.

*Deleted* - Misread the post

In checking DL.com it shows the flight from SJC landed early this AM, and the flight to PHL was boarding, so it is safe to assume it would land in PHL near the scheduled time.

This is a prime example of why DL does not let you change flight plans for free just because it is raining in ATL (or any airport for weather)

There could have been other potential problems of the other flight not make it to PHL on time also, MX, sick crew member, etc.

While being pro-active sounds good my experience shows it rarely works.

An example last spring:

Miss connected in ATL (weather) to IAH on Sunday PM DL could only confirm a seat on Tue AM.

I stood by on the first flight to IAH, did not clear.

I took DL to PSN on DL then to switched to CO to IAH. Sounds like a good plan?

When I got off the DL found out CO canceled. They put me on a taxi to MOB, then took an extra section to IAH. Arrived IAH about noon.

Was all the changes worth it? I am not sure. As a DM could Have I cleared on the next flight to IAH or HOU? maybe.

The long and short of it, in my experience I have found it better to stick with the original plan, no matter how bad because Murphy's law is in full swing that day.