Involuntary Rerouting & Flight Time Change -HELP!
 

Fellow FTers,

DL changed my flight time from 6.30pm to 4.20pm.
The flight is also rerouted from:

PVD -ATL-PBI

to

PVD-DTW-PBI.

Going north before going back south is little too much.

The flight is in early August.

I am very upset as I have a 3 year old and a 6month old with me.
My total flight time increased from 5 hours to more than 7 hours plus I have to fly 2 hours earlier.
What should I do?
Should I wait to see whether things will change back to the original routing since the flight is more than 4 months out?

Does rule 260 applies to this situation so that I can cancel if need be?
I am willing to fly into FLL just to avoid this nightmare.
Your help will be much appreciated.

RM

Call them. With that big of a time change, many options will be open to you (including a refund if they don't find one you like).

The flight departs in some five months so safe to say other changes are in order. Not a nightmare by most travel standards...

While I can't really say this qualifies as a "nightmare" in my book (I'm guessing you've never actually flown through DTW and are assuming the airport somehow resembles the city of Detroit), Rule 240B in Delta's Contract of Carriage provides for a full refund for schedule changes that result in a 90 minute or more change in your arrival or departure. Since you seem very concerned about getting the shortest, most direct routing possible, it sounds like you would be better off getting a refund and going with US Airways as they seem to have the most direct routing options (via it's hubs in PHL and CLT).

Or, in your situation, it might be worth a drive/Bonanza bus ride up to Boston for JetBlue's usually reasonably priced nonstop to PBI.

LBJ and other fellow FTers,

Thank you so much for your insights.
The reason this situation is a nightmare in my book is because this flight is part of a complex multi-city translantic flight with a stopover in New England area.
Strollers, 4-5 suitcases , jetlagged parents and kids etc will be part of the deal :)

I am hesitant to cancel the ticket because it is a very complicated one departing in early May.
FLL-JFK-IST- early May
IST-JFK-BOS-late July
and the final leg described in the first post.

In an ideal world, I want to keep the transatlantic portions of the ticket but then wonder what the new price would be. I know that they have a way to calculate it.
The average price for the 3-legged multi-city flight was around $1,250.

Any insight is appreciated.

RM

P.S. I have flown through DTW and it is probably one of the best "large" airports in the world.

Assume the original flights no longer exist?

Look for flights you'd prefer to what you have now; if you find any call and ask for them.

I wouldn't cancel the whole itinerary.
I would wait till mid-late July to see if there are any further changes to the flight schedules. And then call in and ask to make those changes free of charge as the schedule changes have been more than acceptable.
I just had an itinerary change traveling BOM-ASM-DTW-MSP and the return was originally MSP-JFK-AMS-BOM ... schedule change resulted in my arrival time at AMS from JFK was after the AMS-BOM scheduled departure time.

So ... I called in and now my return itinerary is: MSP-AMS-BOM at no charge.

Yes, they can and will do make the changes, but it maybe too early to do so.

Yes, I agree. It is early to react.
However, I did not like even my original 3rd leg (PVD-ATL-PBI) since it arrives at 11.37pm. Hauling bags back to Boston would be no fun if DL offers a better flight from BOS.

Indeed, I would much rather to fly directly from PVD to FLL with Southwest (no bag fees is another plus). Time will tell how things will pan out.
Suggestions provided by all of you tell me that I will have some options which is encouraging.

RM

I generally call and make changes right away when I get unacceptable schedule changes from Delta. There's usually more flexibility on the flights the earlier you call, though you do have to balance that out knowing that additional changes are always possible.

Like you, I sometimes make complicated international trips with small children and various family members coming together from different parts of the world. The logistics are never fun, but keeping on top of changes helps. Thank heavens my youngest teen is now 15 and no longer needs the unaccompanied minor service to fly internationally.

what day are you looking to travel? Just wondering because others may be able to explore options for you

nystateofmind,

The last leg is on Aug 4. It is the end of a business trip in Providence area.
Indeed I can extend it until Aug 5 or 6 and have more fun now that Delta may change my flight free of charge.

I am curious to know what options may be explored.
RM

Yep looks like Delta did away with the evening departure. The latest one-stop flight through Atlanta leaves at 11:30 AM and that would provide the option of a 48 minute layover or a 2 hour 13 minute layover in Atlanta. I know you want to make the duration as short as possible but 48 minutes is cutting a bit close in Atlanta with young children. Same flights are available on the 5th

I was just about to suggest that. SW are children friendly IMHO

I don't like the idea of traveling with small children and not having seat assignments on Southwest. But I've never flown them.