CalVol

Called to SDC from the 10:30 PM SAN-ATL-XXX to the 6:15 AM SAN-LAX-ATL-XXX.

I had two supervisors tell me that the LAX-ATL segment wasn't available because it was a "C" fare rather than an "A" fare.

One sup. started off telling me it was because my A fare wasn't a real 1st class fare and that I actually had to have an A to make the change.

The other said it was because "A" is domestic and "C" is international.

I finally gave up and got the second agent to change me to a flight with all domestic fare classes.

I wanted the new routing because 1. It gave me the extra leg room of a lie flat seat and I've got a bum knee (torn MCL) could use the ability to stretch out. 2. The SDC was so I could get to my ultimate destination on the same day and get to sleep in a real bed rather than doze on the plane and arrive the next day...(I'm still accomplishing that...but in a bulkhead window seat) 3. A few extra MQMs never hurt anybody.

My question for all the experts here relates to what the supervisors said. Am I correct that I should have been put on my first choice?

The language on the DL website is pretty clear...there just needs to be a seat in the premium cabin. Has something changed that requires a new interpretation of that language?

And, yes, there were seats available.

xliioper

Depending on XXX, the routing may have been invalid for your fare. For many destinations from SAN, a double connect results in a broken fare when pricing.

"D. The new flight(s) must be for the same origin/destination; a change from nonstop to
connecting flights is allowed only if the connecting point is permitted based on the fare rules;"

CalVol

That, I could understand.

But, that was not what I was told. I was told specifically (twice) that it had to do with fare class.

You may well be correct. GSP is the final destination, fwiw.

flyerCO

Nothing has changed. Just the same uninformed DL agents not knowing the rules.

Robert Leach

A is a front cabin inventory bucket for flights marketed with "First Class" and C is a front cabin inventory bucket for flights marketed with "Business Class" -- but none of that should matter when doing a SDC on a domestic itinerary. The two are used interchangeably for domestic flights.

Some LAX-ATL flights are marketed with "First Class" and a handful are marketed with "Business Class." Any of those flights, regardless of how marketed, should be eligible for SDC.

If the routing from SAN to GSP does not allow connections at LAX, that could deny the change. But per the OP, the supervisor did not quote that as the reason.

What is frustrating is that when you buy a ticket from the website, there is no way to know what routings are, or are not, allowed.

Renes Points

See: http://www.delta.com/content/www/en_...l-changes.html

tkey75

I recently SDC'd from a flight marketed as business to first. It was mentioned by the agent that it took a bit longer to perform the change due to fare classes, but it was still done. On the phone for about 10 minutes.

What was a pain was my original class was I, changed to F, but I received no class of service MQM bonus and had to submit a missing miles form.

yohanson

Are you saying you didn't get the 150% bonus for your original I class ticket or that you didn't get the 200% bonus for the F class reissue? I would think you would only be eligible for the 150% I class bonus.

xliioper

Still unresolved is whether this waives the requirement that the SDC involves a permitted connecting point as specified in the fare rules. This SDC requirement is mentioned in the Contract of Carriage (as quoted above in Rule 255, Section III.D).

javabytes

The next time an agent tells you C is for international flights, ask them when California or Georgia seceded.

davetravels

OK, SDC experts . . . .

I'm flying back from PEK next week. I have an overnite in LA, and I'm anticipating a problem as follows:

I'm on a V fare already upgraded to "RP" via a GUC flying LAX/MSP/PIT. I'm anticipating wanting to change it to: LAX/JFK/PIT. I know, in theory, I should be able to change it "as long as a seat is available in the premium cabin..

Now, the fun part:

When I look at certain flights (via EF) from LAX/JFK/PIT, EF shows J0 on the first segment, but, when I look at LAX/JFK by itself for the same flights, it'll show J6 or J7.

So, a seat is DEFINITELY available in the premium cabin, but, married segment logic is goofing it up.

Any thoughts I can bring up when I call the DM hotline at T-23 hours??

rylan

To the OP, it requires a manual reissue which is more effort so some agents may not want to bother when changing the classes like that or doing flights that don't automatically pop up as options from the computer system. What you are trying to do should be allowed though. The C is just because the flight number continues on as international, but you are only interested in the domestic segment.

rylan

This one is tricky, since you are using a cert and from an international flight, but luckily it is already confirmed into RP and is the last domestic segments. I believe you do need the married segments to be available even though you are staying on the same JFK-PIT segment. Otherwise they'd need to overbook the cabin to get the new flight before taking you off the original ones.

javabytes

He is not staying on the same JFK-PIT, he's currently routing via MSP.

MSPeconomist

The last couple times I tried to do a SDC on a domestic of an international ticket after all of the international segments had been flown, I was told that this needed to be done at the international gateway airport, obviously after arrival and CBP processing. Even when the airport agents weren't aware of the rules, DM phone people (at least several of them, including supervisors) told me that they couldn't touch the ticket, only someone in the airport.

Good luck and of course please report back.

OTOH, I'm sorry to hear that you prefer JFK over MSP.