Debatl

We were booked on an award ticket ATL-LAX-SYD-CHC on an award ticket. My husband is Lifetime GM - not that it helps too much in this scenario. We were flying DL metal LAX-SYD and had great exit row seats booked, however, we had a 12 hour layover in SYD. Yesterday, I got a call from DL that there had been a change in our itinerary and we were now flying Virgin Australia LAX-BNE-CHC, thereby eliminating the 12 hour layover in SYD. Good news, right? That routing was 28,000 miles pp more expensive when I was originally booking the flight. However, we now have regular economy window/middle seats on the 2 VA flights. Also, upon checking his SM account, it looks like 105,000 miles pp had been withdrawn and redeposited yesterday. And further, the same transaction had happened in February. When I pull up our itinerary on VA website, it looks like we were booked SYD-BNE-CHC at some point.

Although, we are happy not to have a 12 hour layover, this has me befuddled. Why would DL proactively do this? And as far as the seating is concerned, I think the only way we can get Economy X is by showing up at the counter in LAX - not sure if we could get assigned to Economy X for free or for a price.... however, knowing that, would DL put us on the next earlier flight (currently available for the same # miles) so that we could be standing there when the gate opens? Also, the original routing had us on a VA flight that was actually operated by NZ. I got the NZ conf code and I had paid for exit row seating on that flight. Are we out of those $$$?

My main questions are: What/Why did this change occur? Any way anyone knows about to get better seats on the long flight? Any chance of DL moving us to earlier ATL-LAX flight? Any chance of getting $$$ back for paid exit row seating on the SYD-CHC flight?

Often1

Has anything changed with your original routing? Perhaps even a few minutes?

If so, DL's auto-rebooking algorithm has simply moved you to the best reroute as DL defines it. Alternatively, DL needs the space and has moved you because your ticket is to your final ticketed destination. All of this is tentative and you may propose anything else you want. If it is on DL, DL will force space. If on another carrier, DL will have to request space if award space is not available.

First thing - Check to see if anything changed on your original itiinerary.
Second thing - If you don't like what you have, do some research as to what you want and have it ready to feed when you call.
Third thing - If this is about seats or other ancillary issues, ask whether that can all be fixed as a result of the inconvenience.

gooselee

Often1's advice is good so I won't repeat. I will add that when looking for new desired flights, DL will have much more ability to get you space/desired seats on DL metal than on partners. Use this to your advantage for ATL-LAX or if there is a LAX-SYD that works better for you (even if moving +/- a day).
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We had something similar happen to our MU flights (DL award) when returning from MEL and had no problem getting DL to put us on their own SYD-LAX a day later...ended up with a more direct return and an extra day in OZ.

And overall, enjoy the trip! It's a wonderful part of the world.

DiverDave

Kind of a long story, but here are some thoughts.

1. I did not think you could use Delta miles to book a Virgin Australia flight operated by Air New Zealand. If that is still the case, that could be what triggered the change.
2. The miles redeposit and withdrawal is normal when an award ticket is rebooked. Not to worry on that score.
3. As noted above, figure out what flights you would like to have and have those ready when you call Delta. Obviously you have a chance at better seats if you can get back onto Delta metal for the USA to Australia segment.
4. You state that your original ticket was ATL-LAX-SYD-BNE but did you mean ATL-LAX-SYD-CHC? In any case, ask Delta about the extra that you paid to ANZ. Since Delta initiated the change, maybe they will give you a credit or something to make you whole. Looks like ANZ is stingy with refunds. Though again it might make a difference if you shouldn't have been booked on the flight in the first place. https://www.airnewzealand.com/seat-s...and-conditions

Good luck!

Debatl

Thanks for everyone for your thoughts. We did call Delta last night and got nowhere with seating. When we did a dummy VA booking, exit row seats showed as available for purchase, however, on DL, those seats don't show as available, and the agent we spoke to kept saying those particular seats were already booked - so I don't think she could see them. We will look at our options and decide exactly what we would like to happen before calling again.

When I look at the booking on the Air New Zealand site, it still shows up, so I'm guessing they won't consider a refund until the booking falls off and who knows when that will happen.

rdurlabhji

I would call and ask for the VA PNR (6 digit code), then you can look at seats on their website, I would assume (never done it for VA but for many other airlines).

Debatl

I can pull up the reservation with the VA PNR, however, I cannot change, or even look at seats on their website. Just spent an hour on the phone with Delta and VA - Bottom line, neither airline can put us in Economy X (preferred seating) ahead of time. We can switch at no charge at the gate. We were even prepared to pay ahead of time, just to not gamble with it, but no go. Delta did change us to the next earlier flight AT-LAX so that we will be there in order to be at the gate when it opens to try to get better seats. We also inquired about paying to upgrade to PE, however, because it's at award ticket, nope..... And as far as the $40 I spent with NZ for exit row seats, well, neither airline will refund that money. That's what I get for proactively trying to get better seats

ATOBTTR

Debatl

I recently read an article that airlines are putting their best agents on Facebook Messenger to help people. I'm currently in contact with all three airlines on FB Messenger - we'll see what happens. The NZ itinerary still shows as active - Delta reticketed this morning, so hopefully it will fall off the NZ site soon and maybe we'll get refund. VA hasn't responded yet to seating dilemma - hey we are more than willing to pay NOT to be in a window/middle economy seat. Why won't anyone take our money???

ATOBTTR

It sounds like they were willing to take your money and give you nothing for it. Hopefully everything catches up soon and both DL and VA show the same thing soon. Then hopefully reaching out via FB or Twitter through VA can get you the seating assignments you want (IME it's always best to go through the operating carrier with seat assignments).

Debatl

UPDATE: there is no update. We spent hours on the phone with both Delta and Virgin Australia over the weekend. At one point, even had Delta and Virgin Australia on the call to each other. At this point, my husband has an aisle seat, and I do not have a seat assignment at all. According to the DL/VA agreement, DL can only "request" seat assignment, and when VA agent tries to assign a seat, the system will not let them because it is considered a third party ticketed itinerary. At this point, it feels like it's all a ploy to make me happy to just be on the plane when it takes off, no matter what seat I'm in. DL did tell us that the itinerary change was made at the request of Virgin Australia due to their schedule change for their SYD-CHC flight - which makes little sense as we were never booked on a VA operated flight out of SYD. I guess someone just noticed that we were actually on a VA coded NZ flight. Supposedly VA has "people" working on getting a seat assignment for me, and is supposed to call back, but I figure that nothing will happen until we are at the gate in LAX.

As far as the exit row seating on the NZ flight, the itinerary still shows as active on the NZ site, so, I don't know how to go about getting that changed or refunded. Delta reticketed the itinerary Saturday, also at VA request and it still didn't change what it looks like online. The VA site shows us flying ATL-LAX-BNE-CHC. However, it also shows us flying SYD-BNE before the DL flight that we are not on arrives in SYD and also SYD-CHC on the NZ flight. Bottom line - DL and VA have a very limited partnership agreement and neither one really knows how to handle a DL award ticket....

I did tell the VA FB messenger person that I will probably cry standing at the gate if I'm assigned a last row middle seat on a 15 hour flight.... think that will help??

gooselee

I'm still a little confused - ultimately, your goal is to go ATL>>CHC>>ATL, correct?

Can you find an itinerary that is mostly DL metal (esp. the ultra long-hauls), and ask DL to simply rebook your entire itinerary on to new flights? Sort of a big reset button. Again, DL has much more ability to fix things on their own metal, and if you feed the specific flights you want to an agent, they may be able to better get everything sorted out, particularly because it sounds like the DL agents are at least recognizing that there is a problem.

I'm thinking you ought to be able to piece together a routing like ATL-LAX-SYD-CHC where only SYD-CHC is on partner metal or something.

ATOBTTR

Agreed. DL can force open award space on its own flights to reaccommodate OP on the longhaul flights. My recommendation would be to simply check DL.com for available routings on the date OP is traveling and basically have them rebook from scratch, given how messed up this itinerary sounds, and then pursue the exit row fees afterward (if necessary, with a CC dispute if the airline won't refund). OP is economy and generally VA has decent Y awards. OP could even get possibly routed ATL-LAX-BNE-CHC with LAX-BNE-CHC on VA and skip the stop in SYD. VA also serves LAX-MEL and MEL-CHC, so having DL construct an itinerary via MEL may be an option as well, if the availability is there for both segments.

gooselee

Although routings via Asia aren't supposed to be allowed anymore, a favorable agent who is already having to unwind this thing might also be willing to route via CAN/PVG using CZ/MU, as well. Of course, that means an additional 10-11 hr flight from China to CHC (and back)...so OP should research those airlines and their seats/service before pursuing that option.