GagaPilot

I'm a long time DL flyer whose had my fair amount of DL schedule changes over the years. I check my itineraries weekly and always hold my breath when Saturday Schedule Change rolls around. I've learned to not panic when it happens and if a call in is needed - wait until Sunday or Monday for things to settle down and an agent is more able to assist. Seeing a few changes that have occurred today, it has got me to thinking, what are the hard and fast changes that require a ticket re-issuance?

Obviously changes that create a misconnect or fall below MCT require a reissue. Also date and origin/connecting city/destination changes require reissues as well. I've seen reissues for major time changes and some equipment changes too.

However, I've had mixed experiences with minor changes such has a few minutes in either direction and/or flight number changes. Sometimes I get a reissued ticket, other times not. I've flown plenty of itineraries where the actual itinerary does not match the latest receipt in terms of a flight number or departure/arrival time.

I've never had an issue with an itinerary not matching a ticket/receipt, but have read more and more threads on that happening lately. I have a trip this fall that involves two DL marketed segments operated by KE, mixed in with four other completely DL segments. I've had a few changes on the four DL segments (times and flight numbers) but no changes yet on the KE operated segments. So far, it's the same ticket as originally booked.

Was curious as to what others thought about when a ticket issue should be required, and when to call in if one doesn't automatically happen? Thanks!

ijgordon

Not an expert, but I think for more basic changes a ticket can be revalidated, as opposed to reissued. The system may or may not do this in advance, I suspect it can happen automatically at check-in as well. I know that sometimes when there are schedule changes I lose functionality on DL.com, such as the ability to upgrade a ticket. The rez will be "stuck" showing the message that there was a schedule change, in lieu of an upgrade/upfare option. And I've never been able to get reservations to fix it (they'll offer to do the upfare, but it's usually more expensive than what the online offer was).

I imagine these "basic" changes only include date or time changes. A routing change would definitely require a reissue.

MSPeconomist

DL agents are apparently told to try reissuing the ticket whenever there's anything strange or any sort of problem, such as the passenger not being able to check in. As a result, DL tickets tend to be reissued much more than necessary, which seomtimes concerns me when I submit receipts for reimbursement as it should be the case that I show the receipt for what I actually pruychased as well as for the ticket as flown. It can require a lengthy explanation as well as a long sequence of receipts showing ticket number exchanged for ticket number, etc., where I never made any changes to the itinerary. [I'm concerned because I'm almost always required to submit the boarding passes too, and I don't want a mismatch between the receipt and the boarding pass to cause questions.]

flyerCO

It depends. A ticket can be revalidated for some changes. However the simpler process is usually to reissue.

Really to list all the reasons for reticketing, and then the exceptions to those that can be done by Revalidation would take forever. Nowadays basically the only time a ticket is revalidated is when there's same day flight changes involving no routing changes, no carrier changes and no cabin changes.

The DL.com and DL app IRROPS rebooking tool will revalidate a ticket with routing changes as long as there is no carrier changes. If you call in though theyll reticket because it's easier for an agent then revalidating a ticket .

Colin

i had a schedule change last night and called today to improve my reservation with a new segment1 flight at a better time. the routing, date of travel, and booking class remained the same. Delta.com "view receipt" shows the old segment1 DL flight number, but the eticket receipt email just received by requesting it using the "email receipt" link shows the new segment1 flight number. I called DL back and the agent said everything is fine. Is this a case where the eticket was just revalidated but Delta.com confusingly shows the original segment1 on the "view receipt" screen?

aacar

Yes, this happened to me last month. Since the ticket hasn't been reissued (just revalidated), the old flights are shown on the receipt.

Duke787

This has been happening to me as well. DL has been slow to reticket recently which is a big PITA because the PM/DM C+ at booking benefit can’t happen until reticketing occurs

Colin

the point is revalidation is sufficient to use the old ticket number to travel on new flights and in these cases you’ll never get reissued a new eticket number. this is all fine by me, i just wish Delta.com view receipt would show the new flight number.

MSPeconomist

It would be good to be able to verify easily on the PNR whether a ticket reissue is required and whether it has been done. Currently, on needs to stalk the ticket receipt and call DL, sometimes repeatedly, to have the reissue completed before further problems are encountered, such as not being able to check in or losing an instrument-supported upgrade.

kenn0223

Here is everything you’ve ever wanted to know about revalidation. In this document it says that DL’s automatic revalidation process takes up to 72hrs to complete and can revalidate about 80% of all tickets. The rest require reissue by DL or the issuing TA.
https://pro.delta.com/content/agency...on-policy.html

MSPeconomist

I question the 80% as the only times I've ever experienced revalidation being sufficient were SDCs that followed the same routing (not nonstop to connection, not change of connection airport, and not change to a coterminal). IIRC when I've simply changed the timing of a domestic connecting flight following an international arrival, DL has given me a new receipt, although in some of these cases I was rechecking a bag after exiting customs.