318i

I'm on my way to Paris next week for vacation. My return flight was originally scheduled as follows:

CDG-ATL -- AF 688 1:30p - 4:50p on the 777
ATL-XXX -- DL 7:00p

Just received an e-mail from DL advising that "there had been an update to my itinerary". My new route is:

CDG-ATL -- DL21 1:30p - 5:40p, on the 763
ATL-XXX - DL 7:00p


A quick ITA search shows AF688 is now zeroed out for the day of my travel.

This is unacceptable to me for a couple reasons. 1) the TATL 763 is an inferior product, and I specifically booked AF metal to avoid it, and 2) this leaves me with an 80 minute int'l to domestic connection with checked bags in ATL (not gonna happen, I'm in Y and I'm not DM). The next flight home doesn't take off until 10p.

What are my options here? Am I SOL, stuck on the 763 and doomed to take the much later flight home?

3Cforme

Delta has to give you a legal connection or a refund. If your depature or arrival time changes by 90 minutes or more, you can request a refund.

mbarreto

Can you change to DLs earlier flight, on the A333?

GBadger

I would call in to see what can be changed. I agree that it is unacceptable for DL to start messing with people's itineraries like this. People book specific flights for specific reasons, and it seems that there was no reason to change this one.

More troublesome than the equipment change (IMO), is the 80 minute connection time. That's not going to happen in ATL. Last time I tried an international to domestic connection there it took me almost 120 minutes to get from my seat to my next gate after clearing customs/immigration/etc.).

GBadger

One question though -- how can the 777 and 763 depart at the same time and arrive almost an hour apart? They're not that different in speed!

mbarreto

It's because they know the 763 will likely be delayed a couple hours due to MX

davetravels

2 things:

1) You don't say what day you're traveling, but I know that AF has replaced their daily B744 flight with 2 B772 flights. Using March 29 as a test date, I see AF 680 & AF 682 operating with B772's, so I don't think AF 688 operates any more. Can you change to one of those? They probably simply changed your flights to the closest times on the new schedule. If you take the later AF flight, you can get the 10PM connecting flight to get home, and spend more time in Paris!

2) I arrived from MAD into ATL yesterday at 4:00 PM and claimed 2 checked bags (SkyPriority tags actually worked at ATL yesterday), and was through immigration and customs at 4:35. The new-ish SkyPriority line at TSA after customs made a HUGE difference!! The entry was roped off, with a guard who I actually saw TURN AWAY a husband & wife, because they were only Silver!!!

exwannabe

The only direct around 1:35PM is DL21/AF8998 and does not arrive until 6:30PM (it was arriving 5:30PM until 3/13 when the US went to DST).

It is on a 330-300 every day I checked.

I really wonder what your original ITN was.

infradig

Similar thing happened to me. Was also booked on AF688 in Premium Voyageur (on a different date). It looks like AF canceled 688 and DL put me on the Delta 763 in coach. I complained and got a full refund. However this was well before the date of travel. I'd call Delta and get them to put you on the AF flight you want.

53flyer

While it is disappointing that you can't fly on the metal you wanted, Delta is being proactive and trying to keep you on schedule. Based on my experience 1:20 is doable in ATL, but it is tight. If you don't make your connection Delta will get you on the available flight.

xmurphy

Had same problem, was rebooked to CDG-LAX-XXX

SamOF

If you can give us your travel date (or at least month and day of the week) and your final destination, we might be able to help.

Maybe I'm being naive, but I never understand why posters X-out their city pairs...

Crackerpup

@:-)
Those that do are usually DM, PM, or GM and the XXX is (are?) usually a safety measure while in their home city or travel destination.

It's also because they don't want FO's stalking them like deer thinking they'll get the upgrade or a pass to the Sky Priority line if something were to "happen" to said DM, PM, or GM.

Seriously though, I have no idea either. Unless you have FT tags or something else as obvious, I think it would be pretty hard to connect a FT poster (let alone a specific one) to a person walking through an airport.

318i

To close the loop: I called DL and got a cranky agent on the Gold line. However, I was able to persuade her to switch me to a CDG-DTW-XXX flight with a similar connection time (less apprehensive of the connection time at DTW, and if I miss it, the next flight to my final is in 1:45, vs. 3 hrs if I went with the ATL option). Also, I'm happily back on AF metal to cross the pond.

As a bonus, I was refunded the difference in fare between CDG-ATL-XXX and CDG-DTW-XXX, which I wasn't expecting. This almost makes up for the flight going on sale three days after I booked it.


Short answer: personal preference.

Long answer: FT is a great site for community, but I'd rather not participate to the extent of those who happily disclose full name, profession, location, their dog's middle name, and the place down the block where they shoot hoops. Not that there's anything wrong with that. I'd just prefer to not disclose dates, flight times, and where I'm headed.

318i

OK, that's the real reason!

/stay away from my 100% mileage bonus!

//yes, I realize that's the only differentiator.

///wait, I get to use the AF lounge before my flight, don't I...