Involuntary Denied Boarding
If an insufficient number of passengers volunteer to give up their seats in response to Delta’s
offer, Delta may involuntarily deny boarding to one or more passengers on the oversold flight
according to the following boarding priority rules:
1) Passengers Holding Tickets for Travel in Premium Cabin, SkyMiles members identified
with a Diamond Medallion (“DM”), Platinum Medallion (“PM”), or Gold Medallion (“GM”)
elite-status designation, and passengers holding tickets purchased under a DL
corporate travel agreement.
Passengers holding tickets for confirmed space in the First or Business class cabin,
SkyMiles members identified with a DM, PM, or GM elite-status designation, and
passengers holding tickets purchased under a DL corporate travel agreement will be
accommodated before other passengers holding tickets and/or boarding passes for
confirmed space in the coach cabin.
2) Passengers With Boarding Passes
Subject to the terms set forth in Rule 245(c )(1) and (4), passengers holding boarding
passes who check in and present themselves at the departure gate in compliance with
Rule 135(c) will be accommodated before passengers traveling in the same cabin who
have not been issued boarding passes or who fail to comply with applicable check-in
requirements. Subject to the availability of seats on the aircraft, boarding passes may
be obtained by passengers who hold tickets for confirmed reserved space in the
following manner:
a) for passengers traveling on electronic tickets, through the Online Check-in feature
on Delta.com within 24 hours of scheduled departure
Delta Domestic General Rules Tariff Page 43 of 51
b) for passengers traveling on electronic tickets, through a Delta airport kiosk within
four hours of scheduled departure
c) from a Delta airport ticket counter and/or the check-in desk located in the departure
area.
3) Passengers Without Boarding Passes
Passengers, who are not governed by Rule 245(c)(1) or (4), with confirmed reservations
who have not been issued a boarding pass and present themselves at the departure
gate in compliance with rule 135(c) will be accommodated according to the following
priority rules:
a) Passengers who have been rebooked to the present flight as a result of an irregular
operation (e.g., delay, cancellation) of a previously booked flight.
b) SkyMiles members identified with a Silver Medallion (“FO”) elite-status designation.
c) Passengers with a SkyTeam Elite or Elite Plus status.
d) Passengers without any elite-status designation.
Within each of the foregoing groups, passengers are prioritized first by class of service
and then by time of check-in.
4) Special Needs Passengers
Because of the special needs of passengers with disabilities, unaccompanied children,
and aged or infirm passengers, and active members of the U.S. Armed Forces on travel
orders, Delta reserves the right to accommodate such passengers without regard to the
boarding priorities established by this provision.