Online no longer does award stopovers properly

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Dec 20, 2011, 5:22 pm

#61

RealHJ

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Quote:

Originally Posted by javabytes

Per Delta Assist, stopovers are still permitted on domestic award tickets, and this should be raised to the web support team as a potential issue.

Good luck with that (you'll need it). Web support is just for people who don't know how to use a web browser. They have not the slightest idea about ticket pricing and will throw gems at you such as "you can not book a flight for more than 3 months out" (seriously), and they have no access to the pricing engine (which is reservations, not web support).

Dec 20, 2011, 5:36 pm

#62

The Mileage Millionaire

Formerly known as fsa_ea

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I'm guessing this means that we will finally get real one-way awards, but with no more stopovers on round trips. This would be consistent with what AA did when they introduced one-way awards.

One-way awards is the number one item on my SkyMiles wish list, so I would be thrilled!

Dec 20, 2011, 5:38 pm

#63

aubreyfromwheaton

Join Date: Jun 2010

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Quote:

Originally Posted by RealHJ

The issue is not domestic stopovers. Not sure who or why would ever use those (well, I guess some would). The real issue is int'l stopovers at SkyTeam hub airports, which are now no longer allowed.

Domestic stopovers are good if there is a low award connection available the following morning.

Dec 20, 2011, 5:41 pm

#64

aubreyfromwheaton

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Quote:

Originally Posted by fsa_ea

Well, the one ways still price out at the roundtrip rate, so it hasn't happened.

Don't think this needs to be the stepping stone to your dream, if they wanted the AA system, couldn't they just have done it?

I think Spirit is really the visionary to how all the airlines will be in the future.

When it comes down to it, the vast majority of people care about safety first, then paying as few pennies as possible to fly as conveniently as possible.

Depressing but true.

Dec 20, 2011, 6:24 pm

#65

GUWonder

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Quote:

Originally Posted by fti

I totally agree, but the poster I quoted didn't mention anything specific, just that if there were no longer stopovers on DL they would jump to *A, which also doesn't have the stopover feature per se.

Nor was it mentioned to which *A program they would (increasingly) migrate. Perhaps it may be a program that does have complimentary stopover features?

Quote:

Originally Posted by fti

The main advantage of DL over other airlines was the domestic stopover and open jaw features, as you also know. That would be a major blow unfortunately.

One of the few remaining advantages of DL's program over other US airline's programs = something to cut while using "competition" as an excuse.

Dec 20, 2011, 6:31 pm

#66

fti

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Quote:

Originally Posted by RealHJ

The issue is not domestic stopovers. Not sure who or why would ever use those (well, I guess some would). The real issue is int'l stopovers at SkyTeam hub airports, which are now no longer allowed.

If you were at the Chicago seminars you would realize how powerful this feature is. I will flip your statement around and say I am not sure who would ever book a domestic award and NOT use the stopover feature. Nuff said.

Quote:

Originally Posted by fsa_ea

There have been several threads over the years about this, but the stopover/open jaw feature with SM far, far outweighs the one-way feature IMHO.

Dec 20, 2011, 7:24 pm

#67

RealHJ

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Quote:

Originally Posted by fsa_ea

I'd add a qualifier to this: at one-way pricing. Not at double (RT) pricing. That is how it is now. No more stopovers. Third leg is billed at double the mileage.

Dec 20, 2011, 7:26 pm

#68

RealHJ

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Quote:

Originally Posted by fti

To do that you'd have to use miles for domestic travel, though.

And IMO the best use of miles (best value) is for int'l travel.

Dec 20, 2011, 7:38 pm

#69

fti

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Quote:

Originally Posted by RealHJ

To do that you'd have to use miles for domestic travel, though.

And IMO the best use of miles (best value) is for int'l travel.

I find the best use of miles is for both domestic and international

. If you can get about 5-10 cents per mile "value" out of international coach awards like I can for domestic coach awards, please let me know (then I get UG'd most of the time as PM). But the "value" I am referring to is based on the coach value of the flights I take.

I realize that value is in the eye of the traveler. I also realize that 95% of DL flyers have no idea how to most effectively use domestic stopovers and open jaws on award tickets. But that has worked just fine for me in recent years.

Dec 20, 2011, 7:47 pm

#70

RealHJ

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Quote:

Originally Posted by fti

I find the best use of miles is for both domestic and international

It also probably is a lot more valuable flying to/from AK than most other domestic flights. It really depends on the specific routes one flies, and the "retail" typical price of flights on those.

For me most times I check, for domestic flights for any routes I or any of my staff would ever *need* to take, the value is either slightly below or just slightly above 1cpm, but rarely reaches to even 2cpm...and that is with stopovers (which though usually don't work out as such with the routing we need and extra leg is tacked on, as it is not valid domestic routing for stopover anyway).

I mean it can work, but it only works for some very specific travel patterns...and if it doesn't fit your travel pattern, then it's of limited use. IMHO, at least..

Dec 20, 2011, 8:56 pm

#71

javabytes

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Quote:

Originally Posted by TravelinWilly

I got same response, but they said "for the requisite miles" and didn't state whether or not there was a change in pricing.

My question to Delta Assist specifically said "one free stopover", which they affirmed.

Dec 20, 2011, 9:14 pm

#72

howtofreetravel

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Can anyone file a bbb.com complaint for this against delta? it goes to the top of delta and you get a response in like 2 days.

Dec 21, 2011, 1:00 am

#73

mnredfox

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Global_Hi_Flyer

Either way - whether it's a stealth change or it's truly an error - the key thing here is that DL has lost the trust of it's passengers such that the first thing that one thinks is "this is malicious".

Quote:

Originally Posted by rylan

Classic award engine "enhancement" that I'm sure was either intentional, or if not will take 9-12 months to "fix".

You're lucky you can get the multicity to display at all. I can't even get a point to point to show up without the award engine giving me 17hr+ layovers the first time I search, then 2 stops on the second attempt, then back to a 17hr+ layover the third time, and finally the correct flights on the 4th retry.

Oh no, this enhancement reeks stink all over it. Sort of like the HH prem room "IT glitch." Just like the award calendar glitch that DL has been working on for what, 3 years?

This is a HUGE devaluation if indeed true.

Quote:

Originally Posted by aubreyfromwheaton

Hopefully phone agents can force the correct pricing

Sure, I know all the DL kool-aid drinkers will jump to DL's defense here and say the rules haven't changed , it's just a IT error. But do you know how many uneducated lazy agents DL has? Seems like everytime I get a misprice on award ticket I get excuse-o-rama of "it is what it is", "it's just pricing that way", "no we don't have OJ or SO on awards" etc.

This is becoming a nightmare to book awards simply per DL's published rules...

Quote:

Originally Posted by GUWonder

Given DL phone agents reliance upon auto-pricing of mileage tickets and the management driven "computer must be right" mentality, please don't hold your breath waiting for that to necessarily be the case.

+1, exactly to my point. I'm smelling the winds of change for the 2012 program.

Dec 21, 2011, 1:16 am

#74

mnredfox

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Mods, we should rename this thread to "DL systems no longer allowing SO & OJ's".

SMI, can you comment please? If this is another recent unannounced change you can bet that I will be gone very shortly...

Dec 21, 2011, 3:05 am

#75

florin

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Quote:

Originally Posted by javabytes

Per Delta Assist, stopovers are still permitted on domestic award tickets, and this should be raised to the web support team as a potential issue.

So there is a glimmer of hope

...assuming that DL will address this issue and get it fixed.