Delta Just Called, 5000 skymiles to switch my flight to MSP-HND
 

I wonder if this is any indication on potential abysmal bookings on the new MSP-HND flight that starts the end of October. I have a flight in J booked from YYZ-ATL-NRT. The Delta rep offered me 5,000 bonus miles to re-route YYZ-MSP-HND. Interesting I thought, anyone else get this offer? Delta doesn't have much patience with under performing routes so I bet it they would do anything other than pull it thus allowing AA to take it over.

Wow. That's one way to get your numbers up. Did you take it?

considering I've got to get to downtown Tokyo anyway, I jumped all over it. I probably would have taken it even without the skymiles offer.

Wasn't there a HUGE to do about obtaining this route?

Interesting - YYZ-MSP-HND is almost 1,000 miles less of flying, so less wear-and-tear on the body too, but I hope you're demanding ORC if this is a cash ticket, as in J YYZ-ATL-NRT is nearly 1,500 more MQMs (or almost 2,000 more MMQs if you bought full J), which I would place much more value on than 5,000 miles. ;)

I have NRT-DTW-SEA return in February - probably way too far out at this point to receive any such offer, but I haven't been contacted by DL, if you're curious about other data points out there. However, since I'm really looking forward to the 747 ride on NRT-DTW, I'm not sure even 25K or 50K miles would be enough to get me to switch, as this will likely be my one and only shot at the DL 747 ride.

Someone posted a similiar offer in the LAX/MSP-HND thread:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta...-777-a-37.html

What does inventory on ATL-NRT show for that day?

Just like SEA-HND a few years ago...and we see what happened to that.

Basic gist is Delta has to fly it as scheduled or AA gets the HND slot. Previously when DL had HND slots with low loads (see SEA-HND), they reduced frequencies, plane types, etc in a bid to keep the slot instead of having to release it. They can't do that here. A one off cancellation for mechanical or weather? No problem. Anything else? Ammunition for their competitor to get the slot. So it looks like DL is doing what it can to increase loads on the route, so they can viably operate it within the constrictions of the slot award. Not a bad play if they can get people to shift to the flight, opening availability on flights that they know they can sell the seats on, probably at a premium compared to the MSP-HND flight.

This is what I'd like to know. For the date in question (how far in the future?), what are D1 loads on the two TPAC flights, according the EF fare class availability and seat maps? How about alternative DL TPAC flights on that date.

If I were the OP, I might have negotiated instead for the JFK-NRT nonstop or for a DTW routing, ideally on the 747, depending of course on the date.

I suspect the OP has one of the cheap exCanada TPAC fares, which should be Z class.

that's an excellent point, the fewer MQM's. The MQM's are far more important than the 5K miles. since I volunteered for this change, I would imagine they wont honor a request for ORC on the MQM's. Also, I'm on the 77E instead of the 77L now. What sounded like a good deal at the time isn't so much of one if I don't get the original routing MQMs.

Flying the B747 in April 2017 is more important than the measly Skymiles I was offered. Honestly, Delta is going to have up their offer significantly if they want people to move and keep their HND slot from MSP. We'd do it for like 15,000 MQMs and 15,000 Skymiles each, but nothing less. That would cover the extra Skymiles it takes to fly FC to Europe from the old 125,000 and would give me Gold (wife Platinum) a year earlier than we would've achieved them.

How cheap is "cheap"? :cool:

David

The wife and I paid $1,779 each for FC from YYZ versus $8,800ish from ATL. I'll eat the cost of a hotel the night before and burn the 38,000 Skymiles it cost to position to YYZ. 😜

I just checked some MSP-HND flights on the matrix for pretty much every month between now and next spring and fares are $1,700+. That makes me think they aren't hurting for passengers otherwise I would expect that to be lower.

When they first started those SEA-HKG flights I snagged those for $600. Tons of FTers were taking advantage of that. I was hoping with this new routing I'd be able to find something cheaper to get over to Tokyo, but no luck so far.