Is DL Planning on Flying Empty Planes Across the Atlantic This Summer?
Jan 28, 2014, 8:56 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: My childhood was typical: Summers in Rangoon, luge lessons.
Posts: 432
Is DL Planning on Flying Empty Planes Across the Atlantic This Summer?
Trying to book 3 separate TATL flights in May/June. In every case, I can find flights in Y on Kayak for 800-950. Cheapest possible on delta.com is 1200, and none of those are on DL metal. Cheapest Delta metal across the pond runs 1400, against 800 on Lufthansa (this example is a trip roc-ber in early June).
Even weirder, when I look at seating charts on dl.com for the SkyTeam operated TATL metal (which is usually the cheapest option), they are often well more than half full. When I look at seating charts on the DL metal flights they are near empty.
Very Strange. Any ideas what they're thinking in the pricing department?
Even weirder, when I look at seating charts on dl.com for the SkyTeam operated TATL metal (which is usually the cheapest option), they are often well more than half full. When I look at seating charts on the DL metal flights they are near empty.
Very Strange. Any ideas what they're thinking in the pricing department?
Jan 28, 2014, 9:08 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Programs: AA Gold AAdvantage Elite, Rapids Reward
Posts: 38,326
You should have file complaint to US DOT. They will informed to DL. Something is not right. You can tell DOT right way. That you are complaining about ticket pricing. There is no reason to increase the higher fares. Which is not acceptable. You can be threatened to file lawsuit against Delta. This is not excused. Shame on Delta!!!
Jan 28, 2014, 9:15 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: My childhood was typical: Summers in Rangoon, luge lessons.
Posts: 432
You should have file complaint to US DOT. They will informed to DL. Something is not right. You can tell DOT right way. That you are complaining about ticket pricing. There is no reason to increase the higher fares. Which is not acceptable. You can be threatened to file lawsuit against Delta. This is not excused. Shame on Delta!!!
Just asking a question buddy.
Jan 28, 2014, 9:19 pm
#5
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 3,461
No, you were assuming that you know better then Delta on their pricing strategy.
Perhaps the real truth is they will let the other airlines fly you below cost and hold their seats for later bookers at a higher price.
Not to mention seating charts don't give you a good picture of sold seats in any way.
Perhaps the real truth is they will let the other airlines fly you below cost and hold their seats for later bookers at a higher price.
Not to mention seating charts don't give you a good picture of sold seats in any way.
Jan 28, 2014, 9:24 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: My childhood was typical: Summers in Rangoon, luge lessons.
Posts: 432
No, you were assuming that you know better then Delta on their pricing strategy.
Perhaps the real truth is they will let the other airlines fly you below cost and hold their seats for later bookers at a higher price.
Not to mention seating charts don't give you a good picture of sold seats in any way.
Perhaps the real truth is they will let the other airlines fly you below cost and hold their seats for later bookers at a higher price.
Not to mention seating charts don't give you a good picture of sold seats in any way.
Jan 28, 2014, 9:45 pm
#7
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: MSP
Programs: DL GM, AMEX Business Platinum, AMEX Delta Reserve, DL SkyClub Member, Choice PM
Posts: 2,218
I have experienced similar problems.
For my TATL and TPAC travel, I can see and can book fares on almost every OTA.
But on Delta.com I am shown flights with different itineraries and higher prices.
So, I called DL Customer Service, gave the agent the exact routing and dates including flight number.... even offered to give the fare basis ... and the fare was matched to the exact price and exact routing with all sectors with DL flight number even if on a skyteam partner, and Delta issued 006- tickets. It was done very quickly ... if one has the exact details, and gets a knowledgeable agent.
Suggest you call DL CS ... they are great folks!
For my TATL and TPAC travel, I can see and can book fares on almost every OTA.
But on Delta.com I am shown flights with different itineraries and higher prices.
So, I called DL Customer Service, gave the agent the exact routing and dates including flight number.... even offered to give the fare basis ... and the fare was matched to the exact price and exact routing with all sectors with DL flight number even if on a skyteam partner, and Delta issued 006- tickets. It was done very quickly ... if one has the exact details, and gets a knowledgeable agent.
Suggest you call DL CS ... they are great folks!
Jan 28, 2014, 9:52 pm
#8
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: SEA
Programs: Le Club Accorhotels Platinum, Club Carlson Gold
Posts: 918
I have experienced similar problems.
For my TATL and TPAC travel, I can see and can book fares on almost every OTA.
But on Delta.com I am shown flights with different itineraries and higher prices.
So, I called DL Customer Service, gave the agent the exact routing and dates including flight number.... even offered to give the fare basis ... and the fare was matched to the exact price and exact routing with all sectors with DL flight number even if on a skyteam partner, and Delta issued 006- tickets. It was done very quickly ... if one has the exact details, and gets a knowledgeable agent.
Suggest you call DL CS ... they are great folks!
For my TATL and TPAC travel, I can see and can book fares on almost every OTA.
But on Delta.com I am shown flights with different itineraries and higher prices.
So, I called DL Customer Service, gave the agent the exact routing and dates including flight number.... even offered to give the fare basis ... and the fare was matched to the exact price and exact routing with all sectors with DL flight number even if on a skyteam partner, and Delta issued 006- tickets. It was done very quickly ... if one has the exact details, and gets a knowledgeable agent.
Suggest you call DL CS ... they are great folks!
ala The Definitive "How To Search for Low Tier Business Awards" sticky...
Jan 28, 2014, 10:10 pm
#9
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,621
Hi -
Slightly OT,but I did the same thing with an award booKing. They kept telling me 170, 170, 170, I gave them specific flight/days/times and ...... 120K.
The guy booking my flight did not even attempt to say I am sorry, or nice, or anything.
For a revenue ticket, I would suggest an ExpertFlyer subscription. Pick out the flights with the best fare classes and go from there.
Slightly OT,but I did the same thing with an award booKing. They kept telling me 170, 170, 170, I gave them specific flight/days/times and ...... 120K.
The guy booking my flight did not even attempt to say I am sorry, or nice, or anything.
For a revenue ticket, I would suggest an ExpertFlyer subscription. Pick out the flights with the best fare classes and go from there.
Jan 28, 2014, 10:54 pm
#10
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: SFO, SJC
Programs: AS MVP 75K
Posts: 286
Jan 29, 2014, 2:03 am
#11
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: PVU, SLC
Programs: DL Pork Medallion, PP, GE
Posts: 1,657
I don't understand DL's pricing strategy, but if DL is only selling similar TATL routes at higher prices just because they think that can make a lot of money off of it, then I think that's wrong. But who knows what their reason is.
Last edited by RSSrsvp; Jan 29, 2014 at 7:25 am Reason: Removed portion of the post referencing comments deleted by the moderator
Jan 29, 2014, 3:53 am
#12
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Berlin, Germany
Programs: DL DM/2MM, UA PE, HH Gold
Posts: 1,080
"Is DL Planning on Flying Empty Planes Across the Atlantic This Summer?"
No, they are actually planning for another record year with an $ 2.5 billion over year profit.
And they have your back...
No, they are actually planning for another record year with an $ 2.5 billion over year profit.
And they have your back...
Jan 29, 2014, 4:05 am
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Southern California/In the air
Programs: DL
Posts: 10,382
There are any number of possible reasons for this pricing strategy. We may see a later drop in fares, or the RM people feel that they can get away with this as other carrier's fares rise as the summer season approaches. Or they may have data indicating a higher than normal demand for travel to Europe this summer and believe they can leverage this into higher yields. Unless one of us has a source in the RM department on Virginia Avenue, it's all just speculation.
Last edited by RSSrsvp; Jan 29, 2014 at 7:25 am Reason: Removed portion of the post referencing comments deleted by the moderator
Jan 29, 2014, 5:10 am
#14
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: SEA
Programs: UA Silver, BA Gold, DL Gold
Posts: 9,779
I can tell you exactly what they are thinking. They think that there is sufficient demand at higher prices to fill their planes without resorting to discounting and, that if such demand does not materialize, that there remains plenty of time to discount. My guess is that this thinking is driven by several years (possibly even decades) of data regarding pricing and demand for TATL routes.
Jan 29, 2014, 5:34 am
#15
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 23,060
No, you didn't just state an observation. If you had just stopped at stating that at fares for a particular route seemed on high from a particular market to a particular destination in Europe, and that the seatmaps didn't seem that full, that would be an observation. However, you also stated a pretty over-the-top question based on those highly limited and anecdotal observations about DL flying empty planes across the Atlantic to Europe this summer. It was clearly a question that was meant to provoke as it's pretty absurd to come to that conclusion based on your limited observations. Obviously, DL has no intention of flying empty planes over the Atlantic and people responded as they did because it's a silly question. It's like those who get upset about changes in DL's SkyMiles program and make knee-jerk statements like "I don't see why they just don't end the program entirely".
Last edited by xliioper; Jan 29, 2014 at 6:00 am
