I've got MOT-MSP-LHR-MSP-MOT booked in Business Elite in about a week's time. The TATL is booked in Z, which I understood to be a discounted business fare.

The fare chart linked off the forum sticky shows Z as a "Business Elite upgrade", so I'm confused about what Z actually means.

A different, and less important, question relates to what might happen if my MOT-MSP leg is cancelled or delayed to the point that the LHR leg is missed (I have 3h 15 in MSP so there should be plenty of time for a delay). I rarely fly DL and have never done so TATL, so I'm unfamiliar with the ins and outs of what is the best thing to do when things go awry (this, after many years as an AC Elite--I had IROPS sorted on them).

Is DL likely to rebook on another carrier if pushed? The only way I can see to get to LON on the scheduled day is to get on one of the daytime flights the next morning (DL doesn't have one, right?) and the MOT-MSP flight I'm on is the last of the day so if that doesn't go I'd have to get on UA to DEN in order to move on that day. I really don't want to have to spend a night in Minot and then wait around in MSP the next day as I've got a bit of a drive down from Canada to get to MOT.

I'm not 100% positive on this one as I'm still trying to learn the new system after DL realigned the fare codes. I believe Z was the old fare code you were rebooked into when you upgraded into BE and think it's "O" now, where Z is now what you haven- Discounted Business.

There's only one daily flight from MSP to LHR and it leaves late so what will happen depends on how far in advance your flight is delayed. Rerouting to DTW/JFK/ATL or CDG or AMS isn't going to happen that night unless you know the flight is delayed right when you arrive at MSP around 6:30.
If things do go awry you will have to evaluate what's more important to you - getting to LHR ASAP with as minimal of a delay as possible or staying in BE. Either way, knowledge is your best tool. The option you're automatically rebooked with may not be the best option. You can visit any ticketing agent (or call DL) and work through different options to get a route with times or class of service that best suits you.

Depends on the cause of the delay. If for MX, they would likely put you on another carrier if you push for it. If the delay is for weather or ATC, then no, they probably won't move you to another carrier - the best they'll do in a weather delay is usually say "We can give you a refund and you can buy a ticker on another airline at your own expense."

Thanks FlyingDelta. I had AC all figured out, and then UA for a while too, but DL is new to me. I'm a free agent these days and don't worry a bit about status or upgrades and whatnot. The main downside I'm seeing is that for every new airline I fly there's a whole new set of protocols to figure out if things go awry. Planning is good and I'll definitely do as you suggest and have alternatives worked out ahead of time just in case so I can make suggestions to an agent. Sometimes, of course, one just has to suck up stuff that happens when flying but I'd rather not get stuck in MOT overnight if my flight gets cancelled. We expect to get to MOT fairly early, likely before the earlier flight for MSP leaves, so we have some cushion there.

I'm quite excited about trying out the BE product and comparing that to UA and AC.

This thread may be useful:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta...london-dl.html

I've had a look at this a few times this summer. Definitely a very useful thread. The FAQ is great!

Actually DL now codeshares on two daytime flights to LHR, DL4371 out of JFK and DL4381 out of EWR, both operated by VS, though as pointed out upthread even with an overnight in NY the last flight out of MSP to NYC leaves around 7:30pm, and no morning flight will get you there in time to make the connection.

Thanks. Good to know. I was thinking more if we got stuck in MOT that we might try to get rebooked on the UA flight to DEN (Frontier has one as well in the late afternoon/early evening) and then on a red eye to EWR, likely the UA flight. Obviously, there'd have to be lots of will to have them rebook us on UA to connect on the VS/DL code share out of EWR and I sure wouldn't count on it happening but in IROPS I've found that it can be useful to have specific suggestions available to agents and sometimes they'll do it. If we have to spend the night in MOT or MSP so be it.

We've got a couple of days in London before we absolutely have to be somewhere so there is some room for stuff to happen. As far as I can tell, the MOT-MSP flight we are on has been on time almost all of the time this summer and likewise for the LHR flight. It never hurts to be prepared, though.

Another question: for IROPS assistance is it generally better to call on to be sorted out or to deal with the agents at the airport? With AC some airports are better than others and it depends too on which phone numbers one is authorized to call.

IROP re-booking on Delta metal or JV flights (AF, KL, VS) is probably quicker over the phone or self service on delta.com (works pretty well IMO!). Re-booking on UA --> Airport only IMO.

Thanks.

Z was the old code for upgraded seats, now I think it is paid. Did you buy a business class ticket or did you upgrade a coach ticket with miles or a certificate or something?

The only reason this will matter at all to you is in the event of irops. If there is an issue and its an upgraded ticket, they COULD try to put you in coach (and refund miles or whatever) if BE is sold out. This is unlikely, as they would still try to rebook you in BE in all cases if its available.

It's paid business. The domestic legs are coded P and Y, both on CRJs (the P leg was downgraded to a CRJ after purchase).

If you paid than its not an upgraded ticket. Z used to be the upgrade code for international, so thats probably what you say, but its not anymore.

That's what I figured. It's only when I was looking at the sticky at the top of this forum that I got confused as it still has Z as an upgrade code. I was actually trying to figure out what P was and then noticed the description for Z.