Delta Bumps Passengers for College Basketball Team
Dec 3, 2013, 4:19 pm
#91
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Dec 3, 2013, 4:24 pm
#92
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Sounds like a logisitcal nightmare that also would require lots of time to work the specifics out for (who gets to go on the flight to ATL vs who stays in GVN, bag and equip. loading/unloading, probably plenty of other gov't and airline red tape that would have to be dealt with as well), and it sounded to me like this was something that the agents and the rest of the staff at both DL and XJ had only a short period of time to work out, and that would almost certainly break the CoC of the charter flight.
In fact, I suspect that DL's contract with Florida has strong penalties for late arrivals, etc. It probably specifies nonstop point to point service on an aircraft with no other passengers, etc. DL will probably take a hit on the revenue for subbing the CRJ for the team's specified aircraft.
Last edited by MSPeconomist; Dec 3, 2013 at 4:30 pm Reason: typo
Dec 3, 2013, 4:26 pm
#93
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If I find myself in a bumped situation like this, I'd say fine, take your more profitable basketball team to wherever. Just adequately compensate me for my troubles - a nice $$ voucher wouldn't exactly make me whole, but it shows DL isn't totally heartless who has no regards for lesser-paying pax and gives us commoners a reason to keep using DL.
Dec 3, 2013, 4:28 pm
#94
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Dec 3, 2013, 4:37 pm
#95
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Cancel all your future tickets. Delta will keep $150 from each of those, call you a cab, escort you out the door, and wave goodbye as you travel into the distance. I get that a collegiate basketball team bumping a CRJ of pax upsets people. I don't get why people become irrational and foolish for not comprehending that one group of people actually might be more important than another. Sorry, but that's life.
Because financially, one group is more important. And Delta is a business, just like NCAA basketball.
Dec 3, 2013, 4:40 pm
#96
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Wrong, chief. Rec league basketball on a Wednesday night is a game. NCAA and NBA basketball is a business.
Cancel all your future tickets. Delta will keep $150 from each of those, call you a cab, escort you out the door, and wave goodbye as you travel into the distance. I get that a collegiate basketball team bumping a CRJ of pax upsets people. I don't get why people become irrational and foolish for not comprehending that one group of people actually might be more important than another. Sorry, but that's life.
Because financially, one group is more important. And Delta is a business, just like NCAA basketball.
Cancel all your future tickets. Delta will keep $150 from each of those, call you a cab, escort you out the door, and wave goodbye as you travel into the distance. I get that a collegiate basketball team bumping a CRJ of pax upsets people. I don't get why people become irrational and foolish for not comprehending that one group of people actually might be more important than another. Sorry, but that's life.
Because financially, one group is more important. And Delta is a business, just like NCAA basketball.
Or do you think hotels are a different kind of business ?
Dec 3, 2013, 4:40 pm
#97
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The moderators may feel this is OT, but it does play into this snafu.
^
Therein lies the crux of the matter. College sports have become semi-professional sports (the NCAA is considering PAYING college atheletes). Just how do college basketball (or other sports) players ever attend classes with 15+ away games? I suspect most get their grades by gift without attending classes.
I was a college professor (many years ago) and was told that we had to give the sports department slack (i.e., don't require players to have to actually attend classes; don't fail any of these beknighted ones; maybe give the coach a copy of the tests and exams a little before the class sees them). I left teaching rather than do this!
Disgusting! Basketball is a game, not an imperative.
College basketball is not just a game - it is a multi-billion dollar economic enterprise and I'm sure that DL wants their cut of that booty.
Therein lies the crux of the matter. College sports have become semi-professional sports (the NCAA is considering PAYING college atheletes). Just how do college basketball (or other sports) players ever attend classes with 15+ away games? I suspect most get their grades by gift without attending classes.
I was a college professor (many years ago) and was told that we had to give the sports department slack (i.e., don't require players to have to actually attend classes; don't fail any of these beknighted ones; maybe give the coach a copy of the tests and exams a little before the class sees them). I left teaching rather than do this!
Dec 3, 2013, 4:52 pm
#99
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Although, I doubt they would want a standard king room on a high floor with a WSJ in the morning that I prefer. But if that's the best you can do at a comparison, I'll play along.
And I've been unable to book a hotel room several times, even though as a Marriott Plat I have the room guarantee, due to a large group event that has booked the entire hotel. I get that. It sucks that I have to stay somewhere than my preferred hotel, but selling out a 600 room hotel for one night is basically the equivalent of my last 6 years with Marriott. Once again, I understand that.
Dec 3, 2013, 4:55 pm
#100
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Please see below...
Dec 3, 2013, 4:58 pm
#101
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They could only pull this stunt in the US. In more civilized regions of the world with some sort of customer pretection like western europe it would have cost DL much more then they would have gotten from the NCAA in a year.
Dec 3, 2013, 5:03 pm
#102
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Would I be mad? Sure. Would I understand? Yup.
Although, I doubt they would want a standard king room on a high floor with a WSJ in the morning that I prefer. But if that's the best you can do at a comparison, I'll play along.
And I've been unable to book a hotel room several times, even though as a Marriott Plat I have the room guarantee, due to a large group event that has booked the entire hotel. I get that. It sucks that I have to stay somewhere than my preferred hotel, but selling out a 600 room hotel for one night is basically the equivalent of my last 6 years with Marriott. Once again, I understand that.
Although, I doubt they would want a standard king room on a high floor with a WSJ in the morning that I prefer. But if that's the best you can do at a comparison, I'll play along.
And I've been unable to book a hotel room several times, even though as a Marriott Plat I have the room guarantee, due to a large group event that has booked the entire hotel. I get that. It sucks that I have to stay somewhere than my preferred hotel, but selling out a 600 room hotel for one night is basically the equivalent of my last 6 years with Marriott. Once again, I understand that.
Dec 3, 2013, 5:14 pm
#103
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I'm sure the pax on this flight didn't fare as well.
Dec 3, 2013, 5:16 pm
#104
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If I find myself in a bumped situation like this, I'd say fine, take your more profitable basketball team to wherever. Just adequately compensate me for my troubles - a nice $$ voucher wouldn't exactly make me whole, but it shows DL isn't totally heartless who has no regards for lesser-paying pax and gives us commoners a reason to keep using DL.
Dec 3, 2013, 5:17 pm
#105
Join Date: Dec 2010
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No. The comparison is that you show up at your hotel of choice with a valid reservation and at checkin they tell you they are full. They can give you a voucher to use next time you come back to Hawaii, or find you a room somewhere else, perhaps tonight, maybe tomorrow.
My feelings on your attempt at rationalizing the two situations are summarized here.