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Consolidated Delta Schedule Change Discussion Thread

Old Jul 10, 2016, 5:48 pm
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Last edit by: Zorak
Delta rolls out schedule changes pretty much every Saturday, though the scope/impact can vary. During this time, seat maps may be locked out, may show the wrong aircraft layout, etc. while changes are occurring. If you are not traveling immediately, FT conventional wisdom is to wait until Sunday (or even Monday in the case of major schedule adjustments where things take longer) for things to settle down, then take stock of your upcoming itineraries to see what changes have occurred and what changes/refunds you may be entitled to.

You are entitled to a full refund to original form of payment, even for a ticket that was purchased as a non-refundable ticket, if any of the following occur as a result of schedule change:
  • departure or arrival delay of 2hrs or more
  • increase in the number of flight segments (non-stop to connecting, 1-stop to 2-stop, etc.)
  • change resulting in a connection below the Minimum Connection Time for a given airport (do a Google search for "site:flyertalk.com minimum connecting time XXX" with the airport code to find the relevant thread if one exists)
  • any change in operating carrier, i.e. operated by Delta mainline before the schedule change and Delta Connection after the change
    • it is also a commonly-held belief that a change from Delta Connection to mainline, or from one Delta Connection carrier to a different Delta Connection carrier, also qualifies for a full refund -- if anyone has documentation of this, a link would be great...

The airline would rather keep your money than refund it, so they will frequently accept any vaguely reasonable rerouting that you propose. This includes, by policy, changing origin and/or destination within 100 miles, rebooking +/- two days, and changing outbound/return date to keep the length of the trip the same post-rebooking.

If none of the above conditions for a refund is true, you may still be entitled to a free change -- in your trip summary there will be a notice about changes/refunds, and per the "conditions apply" popup link in that text:

If a Delta schedule or routing change has delayed your departure or arrival by more than one hour, you may be eligible to select an alternate flight at no additional charge. Note that the below conditions may apply:
  • Your origin, destination and travel date must remain the same
  • Alternate flights must be available, and you can only modify once as subsequent changes may result in additional fees
  • Voluntary changes to other flights not impacted by a Delta schedule change may result in additional fees
If possible, you may wish to try modifying your flights online first -- there have been data points where the site allowed a free rebooking even though it did not technically fall into the above categories. NOTE however that self-rebooking online is known not to work if you have (1) any trip involving upgrade certificates (whether cleared or not), (2) if you have self-upgraded by picking an upgraded seat that said FREE (instead of waiting for the automated upgrade system sweep to reseat you in an upgraded seat), this seems to inhibit self-rebooking as well.

Otherwise, suggested best practice is to research your preferred alternative rebooking beforehand (whether DL flight search, Google Flights, ITA Matrix etc.) so that you can speak with an agent already knowing what you want, and ask for it; this will be much more efficient than having an agent find alternatives for you.

Other notes/FAQs:
  • Even if you voluntarily choose a preferred rebooking, you have a high likelihood of success claiming Original Routing Credit since the original reason for the change was involuntary.
  • If you booked through a travel agency, including online travel agencies (OTA) such as Expedia, Chase Ultimate Rewards, etc. you will have to contact them, not Delta, to request rerouting if the automatic rebooking is not satisfactory to you.
    • There have been reports of an agency insisting that a change of 2 hours was required (per the "pro" site) for a free change, even though the popup on the DL site says 1 hour
    • You can sometimes get Delta to take over a travel agency ticket; this is subject to a $50 fee to take over the ticket, although sometimes agents decline to collect it
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Consolidated Delta Schedule Change Discussion Thread

Old Nov 25, 2017, 9:48 am
  #586  
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Guess we're going to fly a MPH slower than we initially planned on:

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Old Nov 25, 2017, 11:19 am
  #587  
 
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After checking last week's (?) schedule change, I noticed my 10:30 RDU-JFK got upgauged to a CR9 and had a flight number change. Now operated by Endeavor.

Well, this week, it has a new flight number. Twice in one month
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Old Nov 25, 2017, 12:30 pm
  #588  
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Originally Posted by FlyerWx
After checking last week's (?) schedule change, I noticed my 10:30 RDU-JFK got upgauged to a CR9 and had a flight number change. Now operated by Endeavor.

Well, this week, it has a new flight number. Twice in one month
I have a relatively far-off roundtrip booking with the same routing in both directions where the short segment switched from mainline to regional, and then a week or two later switched back to mainline. Shrug
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Old Nov 26, 2017, 2:34 pm
  #589  
 
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So not a big deal, no possibility of missing connections (don't have any) but ATL to HNL in January is now a longer flight and I just got bumped 6 rows back in main cabin.

Called reservations, first they said someone (disability) needed the seat, which makes no sense because I wasn't in a bulkhead or anything. Then she said it was an aircraft change, which makes no sense either as I was sure it was an a333 before and still is an a333. Saw a post about no more a333 on this route starting March, but this is January.

Anyone have any idea why seemingly only the length of flight changed and that moved my seats back 6 rows?

Again not important, no real issue other than after a 10 hour flight in main cabin I will want of the plane asap. 6 rows makes a difference.
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Old Dec 9, 2017, 4:10 pm
  #590  
 
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I had the most bizarre interaction with the DM line just now regarding a schedule change on a DCA-RDU-JFK-PRG trip that is misconnecting now that DL changed the JFK-PRG schedule. Asked to be put on a DCA-JFK-PRG a few days earlier and was told that DL wouldn't make the change because 1) it's too long between now and the time of travel and there will be additional schedule changes to come and 2) that the outbound (the above itinerary is the return) is also going to have a schedule change. When I asked what the outbound's schedule change would be, I was told that they did not know, just that there would be a change. Good thing I waited 20 minutes for that!
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Old Dec 9, 2017, 5:00 pm
  #591  
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Originally Posted by steveholt
I had the most bizarre interaction with the DM line just now regarding a schedule change on a DCA-RDU-JFK-PRG trip that is misconnecting now that DL changed the JFK-PRG schedule. Asked to be put on a DCA-JFK-PRG a few days earlier and was told that DL wouldn't make the change because 1) it's too long between now and the time of travel and there will be additional schedule changes to come and 2) that the outbound (the above itinerary is the return) is also going to have a schedule change. When I asked what the outbound's schedule change would be, I was told that they did not know, just that there would be a change. Good thing I waited 20 minutes for that!
Ive had agents try the I dont want to make a change for you now becuase its far enough out that there will likely be more changes like before. I either push back right away and state that I still care about things like seat-selection now and want the best seat options available to from or I simply HUCA and get a new agent and ask to make the changes again.
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Old Dec 9, 2017, 6:31 pm
  #592  
 
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Originally Posted by ATOBTTR
Ive had agents try the I dont want to make a change for you now becuase its far enough out that there will likely be more changes like before. I either push back right away and state that I still care about things like seat-selection now and want the best seat options available to from or I simply HUCA and get a new agent and ask to make the changes again.
I HUCA'd and got a second agent who did it without going to the Help Desk or asking any questions.
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Old Dec 11, 2017, 12:13 pm
  #593  
 
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Just saw a classic DL schedule change. Next summer flight changed from 12:36pm scheduled departure to 12:37pm scheduled departure. Arrival is still 5:10pm. The departure time changed by one minute. Typical DL schedule change..
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Old Dec 11, 2017, 12:34 pm
  #594  
 
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Originally Posted by RealHJ
The departure time changed by one minute.
Probably took you longer than that to come here and post it! One minute schedule changes are very common. NBD
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Old Dec 11, 2017, 1:42 pm
  #595  
 
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Originally Posted by kjnangre
Probably took you longer than that to come here and post it! One minute schedule changes are very common. NBD
Just enough of a difference to kick you out of your seat selection even though the plane didn't change
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Old Dec 11, 2017, 1:53 pm
  #596  
 
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Originally Posted by kjnangre
Probably took you longer than that to come here and post it! One minute schedule changes are very common. NBD
That's the whole point. It's common, but it shouldn't be. It's a waste of time for pax, DL, everyone involved.
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Old Dec 24, 2017, 12:14 pm
  #597  
 
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PDX-ATL in Feb. Had paid full fare for FC X2 for at least six months. Noticed yesterday on my own (no D notification email) that flight is moved earlier by 15 minutes. Ugh now leave for airport at 4:30 am which is fine.. In reviewing that flight and connector I see our seat selection went away and was apparently taken by someone X2. Site said "no seat selection". I called in and rep said there are still seats together in first further back. I requested a confirming email with new seats. With FEBO now we lose. Rep also said equipment was still 739er. I noticed on checking daily that flight is 752. In comparing fleet 752 biggest version is only 19 seats bigger so notion that D switched equipment for the holiday season is puzzling. Not happy about losing our original seats with no notification.
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Old Dec 24, 2017, 6:18 pm
  #598  
 
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Found this gem on the Delta Professionals' Site about Schedule Changes. Seems in-line with what happens when I call in about them.

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Old Dec 25, 2017, 12:42 pm
  #599  
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I haven't had trouble moving flights a day earlier or later due to a schedule change, when that makes sense. (E.g. I'm on the last flight, it moves earlier, I tell them I can't make it and they'll let me fly the next day.)
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Old Dec 25, 2017, 3:33 pm
  #600  
 
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I had a few changes show up --

an award trip in late January DCA-MVD and return. To get the lowest level D1 award the outbound is booked DCA-MSP-ATL-GRU-MVD on the outbound. Originally the MSP-ATL-MVD was a single flight number, now as a 51 minute connection. Legal by 1 minute for D-I in ATL. I called and was told that it couldn't be changed (was hoping to skip the detour out to MSP).

award trip DCA-LHR/DUB-DCA. The return connection at JFK became exactly 1 hour instead of 1:04, which is legal for inbound from Ireland since customs and immigration happen there.

award trip DCA-BUD/PRG-DCA. This became a 1 hour flat connection at JFK on the return when the PRG-JFK non-stop got cancelled on the date I'm flying. But it has me flying back from AMS on a KL 747 in 1A which I like. Probably should call for something else though or resign myself to spending the night at an airport hotel at JFK or taking the overnight Amtrak at my expense.

award trip DCA-HKG in September. This has been royally messed up -- DCA-DTW-SEA-HKG, but it appears that DL cancelled SEA-HKG on the day I'm traveling and has rebooked me to fly SEA-HKG the day before the trip starts. I called about that one and the agent I decided to leave it alone for now since it is 9 months away and the flight may be reinstated.
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