A Computer at Delta Airlines Wants Me to Pay £700 to NOT Take a Flight
Sep 11, 2018, 8:55 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2018
Programs: oneworld
Posts: 2
A Computer at Delta Airlines Wants Me to Pay £700 to NOT Take a Flight
I hope this is in the right forum, please feel free to move it otherwise.
Hi all (first post!), I just had to share what happened to me today with Delta!
I recently booked a non-refundable, non-flexible Premium Economy flight from London Heathrow to Chicago with Delta Airlines. The route involves a connection at New York’s JFK to Chicago and likewise on the return leg.
A week or so after booking my flight with Delta, my business itinerary changed. It meant that my trip would in fact end in New York, not Chicago (where my return journey is supposed to start). So it would make perfect sense to not fly all the way back to Chicago just to immediately fly back to NYC to get to London… right?!
Not according to Delta.
So, with 7 weeks to go until my flight, I got on the phone to explain my situation to Delta customer support to ask if I can skip the Chicago-NYC flight and simply catch my already booked normal flight from JFK to London.
I was more than happy to pay a small fee to change the booking, as this is totally my own predicament and I am not an unreasonable person.
However, Delta reservations advised me that in order to simply not take the Chicago-NYC flight, I would have to rebook the entire ticket, less the amount I had already paid for my original booking…
Which worked out to be a whopping £700 GBP extra!
I explained to Delta customer support that I would be in NYC anyway and it made no sense for me, the environment and Delta to fly back to Chicago, just to immediately get back on a flight to NYC...
I explained to Delta reservations is that a flight from New York JFK back to Chicago WITH DELTA 🤣 (at the time of writing) costs just £63 GBP - some £637 GBP cheaper than rebooking the flight!
I also explained politely, while trying not to laugh, that my entire Premium Economy return from London to Chicago cost just £650 GBP...
They still insisted that I either pay £700 GBP to not take the flight from Chicago, OR fly back to Chicago in order to fly immediately back to NYC.
In Summary
I am aware that I have a non-flexible ticket, but I am not asking for a flight change, a date change or a refund - I simply want to take my paid return flight from JFK, as I am already in New York - so that I can avoid flying an extra 800 miles west.
Surely Delta could just let me take the flight home from JFK (I was happy to pay an itinerary change fee) and then simply resell the seat from Chicago to New York to someone else - but sadly, in a world governed by computer systems and red tape, the computer system said no.
Hi all (first post!), I just had to share what happened to me today with Delta!
I recently booked a non-refundable, non-flexible Premium Economy flight from London Heathrow to Chicago with Delta Airlines. The route involves a connection at New York’s JFK to Chicago and likewise on the return leg.
A week or so after booking my flight with Delta, my business itinerary changed. It meant that my trip would in fact end in New York, not Chicago (where my return journey is supposed to start). So it would make perfect sense to not fly all the way back to Chicago just to immediately fly back to NYC to get to London… right?!
Not according to Delta.
So, with 7 weeks to go until my flight, I got on the phone to explain my situation to Delta customer support to ask if I can skip the Chicago-NYC flight and simply catch my already booked normal flight from JFK to London.
I was more than happy to pay a small fee to change the booking, as this is totally my own predicament and I am not an unreasonable person.
However, Delta reservations advised me that in order to simply not take the Chicago-NYC flight, I would have to rebook the entire ticket, less the amount I had already paid for my original booking…
Which worked out to be a whopping £700 GBP extra!
I explained to Delta customer support that I would be in NYC anyway and it made no sense for me, the environment and Delta to fly back to Chicago, just to immediately get back on a flight to NYC...
I explained to Delta reservations is that a flight from New York JFK back to Chicago WITH DELTA 🤣 (at the time of writing) costs just £63 GBP - some £637 GBP cheaper than rebooking the flight!
I also explained politely, while trying not to laugh, that my entire Premium Economy return from London to Chicago cost just £650 GBP...
They still insisted that I either pay £700 GBP to not take the flight from Chicago, OR fly back to Chicago in order to fly immediately back to NYC.
In Summary
I am aware that I have a non-flexible ticket, but I am not asking for a flight change, a date change or a refund - I simply want to take my paid return flight from JFK, as I am already in New York - so that I can avoid flying an extra 800 miles west.
Surely Delta could just let me take the flight home from JFK (I was happy to pay an itinerary change fee) and then simply resell the seat from Chicago to New York to someone else - but sadly, in a world governed by computer systems and red tape, the computer system said no.
Sep 11, 2018, 9:00 am
#2
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Colorado
Programs: UA Gold (.85 MM), HH Diamond, SPG Platinum (LT Gold), Hertz PC, National EE
Posts: 5,648
I hope this is in the right forum, please feel free to move it otherwise.
Hi all (first post!), I just had to share what happened to me today with Delta!
I recently booked a non-refundable, non-flexible Premium Economy flight from London Heathrow to Chicago with Delta Airlines. The route involves a connection at New York’s JFK to Chicago and likewise on the return leg.
A week or so after booking my flight with Delta, my business itinerary changed. It meant that my trip would in fact end in New York, not Chicago (where my return journey is supposed to start). So it would make perfect sense to not fly all the way back to Chicago just to immediately fly back to NYC to get to London… right?!
Not according to Delta.
So, with 7 weeks to go until my flight, I got on the phone to explain my situation to Delta customer support to ask if I can skip the Chicago-NYC flight and simply catch my already booked normal flight from JFK to London.
I was more than happy to pay a small fee to change the booking, as this is totally my own predicament and I am not an unreasonable person.
However, Delta reservations advised me that in order to simply not take the Chicago-NYC flight, I would have to rebook the entire ticket, less the amount I had already paid for my original booking…
Which worked out to be a whopping £700 GBP extra!
I explained to Delta customer support that I would be in NYC anyway and it made no sense for me, the environment and Delta to fly back to Chicago, just to immediately get back on a flight to NYC...
I explained to Delta reservations is that a flight from New York JFK back to Chicago WITH DELTA 🤣 (at the time of writing) costs just £63 GBP - some £637 GBP cheaper than rebooking the flight!
I also explained politely, while trying not to laugh, that my entire Premium Economy return from London to Chicago cost just £650 GBP...
They still insisted that I either pay £700 GBP to not take the flight from Chicago, OR fly back to Chicago in order to fly immediately back to NYC.
In Summary
I am aware that I have a non-flexible ticket, but I am not asking for a flight change, a date change or a refund - I simply want to take my paid return flight from JFK, as I am already in New York - so that I can avoid flying an extra 800 miles west.
Surely Delta could just let me take the flight home from JFK (I was happy to pay an itinerary change fee) and then simply resell the seat from Chicago to New York to someone else - but sadly, in a world governed by computer systems and red tape, the computer system said no.
Hi all (first post!), I just had to share what happened to me today with Delta!
I recently booked a non-refundable, non-flexible Premium Economy flight from London Heathrow to Chicago with Delta Airlines. The route involves a connection at New York’s JFK to Chicago and likewise on the return leg.
A week or so after booking my flight with Delta, my business itinerary changed. It meant that my trip would in fact end in New York, not Chicago (where my return journey is supposed to start). So it would make perfect sense to not fly all the way back to Chicago just to immediately fly back to NYC to get to London… right?!
Not according to Delta.
So, with 7 weeks to go until my flight, I got on the phone to explain my situation to Delta customer support to ask if I can skip the Chicago-NYC flight and simply catch my already booked normal flight from JFK to London.
I was more than happy to pay a small fee to change the booking, as this is totally my own predicament and I am not an unreasonable person.
However, Delta reservations advised me that in order to simply not take the Chicago-NYC flight, I would have to rebook the entire ticket, less the amount I had already paid for my original booking…
Which worked out to be a whopping £700 GBP extra!
I explained to Delta customer support that I would be in NYC anyway and it made no sense for me, the environment and Delta to fly back to Chicago, just to immediately get back on a flight to NYC...
I explained to Delta reservations is that a flight from New York JFK back to Chicago WITH DELTA 🤣 (at the time of writing) costs just £63 GBP - some £637 GBP cheaper than rebooking the flight!
I also explained politely, while trying not to laugh, that my entire Premium Economy return from London to Chicago cost just £650 GBP...
They still insisted that I either pay £700 GBP to not take the flight from Chicago, OR fly back to Chicago in order to fly immediately back to NYC.
In Summary
I am aware that I have a non-flexible ticket, but I am not asking for a flight change, a date change or a refund - I simply want to take my paid return flight from JFK, as I am already in New York - so that I can avoid flying an extra 800 miles west.
Surely Delta could just let me take the flight home from JFK (I was happy to pay an itinerary change fee) and then simply resell the seat from Chicago to New York to someone else - but sadly, in a world governed by computer systems and red tape, the computer system said no.
Sep 11, 2018, 9:12 am
#3
Join Date: May 2009
Location: South Park, CO
Programs: Tegridy Elite
Posts: 5,678
Welcome to FT. There is nothing unusual about this, nor is it unique to Delta. Airline tickets are priced based on each origin and destination city pair (or combinations in the case of what would be an open-jaw itinerary as your changed routing would be) and fare rules that vary. It's not a necessarily distance-based or an additive pricing like in some other services. Different markets carry different pricing based on market forces. It's been this way for a very long time and has nothing to do with a computer.
Your ticket is for a roundtrip LHR-ORD-LHR. A ticket for LHR-ORD//JFK-LHR is a different itinerary and pricing. Airline tickets aren't generally sold such that you can just pick and choose where to get back on the ticket. Your ticket is a contract with DL to transport you from London to Chicago and back - the routing and connecting airports aren't really part of the contract of carriage anyway, and airlines can and do change routings even after ticketing. Again, LHR-ORD//JFK-LHR would be a modified contract for different transportation arrangements. Hence the new pricing would apply.
Your ticket is for a roundtrip LHR-ORD-LHR. A ticket for LHR-ORD//JFK-LHR is a different itinerary and pricing. Airline tickets aren't generally sold such that you can just pick and choose where to get back on the ticket. Your ticket is a contract with DL to transport you from London to Chicago and back - the routing and connecting airports aren't really part of the contract of carriage anyway, and airlines can and do change routings even after ticketing. Again, LHR-ORD//JFK-LHR would be a modified contract for different transportation arrangements. Hence the new pricing would apply.
Sep 11, 2018, 9:23 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2018
Programs: oneworld
Posts: 2
Welcome to FT. There is nothing unusual about this, nor is it unique to Delta. Airline tickets are priced based on each origin and destination city pair (or combinations in the case of what would be an open-jaw itinerary as your changed routing would be) and fare rules that vary. It's not a necessarily distance-based or an additive pricing like in some other services. Different markets carry different pricing based on market forces. It's been this way for a very long time and has nothing to do with a computer.
Your ticket is for a roundtrip LHR-ORD-LHR. A ticket for LHR-ORD//JFK-LHR is a different itinerary and pricing. Airline tickets aren't generally sold such that you can just pick and choose where to get back on the ticket. Your ticket is a contract with DL to transport you from London to Chicago and back - the routing and connecting airports aren't really part of the contract of carriage anyway, and airlines can and do change routings even after ticketing. Again, LHR-ORD//JFK-LHR would be a modified contract for different transportation arrangements. Hence the new pricing would apply.
Your ticket is for a roundtrip LHR-ORD-LHR. A ticket for LHR-ORD//JFK-LHR is a different itinerary and pricing. Airline tickets aren't generally sold such that you can just pick and choose where to get back on the ticket. Your ticket is a contract with DL to transport you from London to Chicago and back - the routing and connecting airports aren't really part of the contract of carriage anyway, and airlines can and do change routings even after ticketing. Again, LHR-ORD//JFK-LHR would be a modified contract for different transportation arrangements. Hence the new pricing would apply.
I guess I am just dumbstruck at the total lack of common sense by Delta (and the industry in general) that this is such a difficult change. I am more than willing to pay for the change, so it's not like I am demanding something for nothing - it's just the logic does not make sense!
Sep 11, 2018, 9:57 am
#5
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Colorado
Programs: UA Gold (.85 MM), HH Diamond, SPG Platinum (LT Gold), Hertz PC, National EE
Posts: 5,648
Thanks for the explanation - I appreciate it.
I guess I am just dumbstruck at the total lack of common sense by Delta (and the industry in general) that this is such a difficult change. I am more than willing to pay for the change, so it's not like I am demanding something for nothing - it's just the logic does not make sense!
I guess I am just dumbstruck at the total lack of common sense by Delta (and the industry in general) that this is such a difficult change. I am more than willing to pay for the change, so it's not like I am demanding something for nothing - it's just the logic does not make sense!
I've been a frequent flyer for many years, and its best to understand how this crazy industry works. The good news is FlyerTalk is an incredible wealth of knowledge that you stumbled upon. Welcome to FT!
Sep 11, 2018, 9:59 am
#6
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
It is entirely common sense.
DL sells flexible tickets. If it offered you flexibility for the price of inflexible tickets, but then permitted flexibility, who in their right mind would purchase the discounted tickets? Even if they had to pay something small.
If you think that this is limited to DL, consider that the European carriers really pioneered this and that Germany went so far as to require carriers to offer tickets which permit the passenger to do exactly what you want. However, those tickets are vastly more expensive than the standard ticket.
With that exception, you won't find any legacy US, European, ME, or Asian carrier which permits a passenger to drop a segment without refaring the entire ticket. Sometimes that may be quite cheap. Other times, very expensive.
DL sells flexible tickets. If it offered you flexibility for the price of inflexible tickets, but then permitted flexibility, who in their right mind would purchase the discounted tickets? Even if they had to pay something small.
If you think that this is limited to DL, consider that the European carriers really pioneered this and that Germany went so far as to require carriers to offer tickets which permit the passenger to do exactly what you want. However, those tickets are vastly more expensive than the standard ticket.
With that exception, you won't find any legacy US, European, ME, or Asian carrier which permits a passenger to drop a segment without refaring the entire ticket. Sometimes that may be quite cheap. Other times, very expensive.
Sep 11, 2018, 12:03 pm
#7
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 7,875
No, if it is "common sense" then everybody would understand it. Obviously, then, this is not common sense.
The whole airline fare isn't "common sense". Just because you can understand how/why they do, doesn't make it "common sense". Economics also isn't common sense, nor does it make sense (and make actual predictions that come true. Just look at the market crashes that weren't supposed to have happened). Economics is wrong at its very premise, that people are "rational beings".
The whole airline fare isn't "common sense". Just because you can understand how/why they do, doesn't make it "common sense". Economics also isn't common sense, nor does it make sense (and make actual predictions that come true. Just look at the market crashes that weren't supposed to have happened). Economics is wrong at its very premise, that people are "rational beings".
Sep 11, 2018, 12:12 pm
#8
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: MCI
Programs: AA Gold 1MM, AS MVP, UA Silver, WN A-List, Marriott LT Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 52,555
You may be laughing at them, but they're also laughing at you. They do this because they can. In your case, a GBP 63 seat is available to make it all work. so consider yourself fortunate. 
Sep 11, 2018, 4:01 pm
#9
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Pittsburgh
Programs: MR/SPG LT Titanium, AA LT PLT, UA SLV, Avis PreferredPlus
Posts: 30,987
Sep 11, 2018, 5:24 pm
#11
Join Date: Sep 2007
Posts: 998
Yep, as others have said, flights are priced based on demand more so then actual cost to fly the distance. London to New York is much higher demand than London to Chicago, so even though it's a connection that stops in New York, the "route" is to Chicago. If Delta allowed this then everyone that was looking to save money would book flights to smaller or less popular airports in such a way that forced a connection through a big popular airport, and then just ditch the last leg and get off in their airport of choice. By forcing it like this, Delta is able to bump up the cost on specific routes they see high demand for, but still keep connecting routes lower cost so less popular areas will still get the traffic that Delta is looking for.
Take the flight to Chicago and pick up the extra miles, be happy you're at least in prem economy and save your company money. Or, purchase refundable tickets since business plans can change and employees usually want to get home as soon as possible if they do change.
Take the flight to Chicago and pick up the extra miles, be happy you're at least in prem economy and save your company money. Or, purchase refundable tickets since business plans can change and employees usually want to get home as soon as possible if they do change.
Sep 11, 2018, 5:39 pm
#12
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,369
I'm confused about whether this is a one way or RT ticket. If it's a RT,skipping JFK-ORD will cause the remainder of the ticket to be cancelled, so that the OP would then have the choice to either buy a last minute expensive one way ticket or swim.
OTOH, if it's just for one way travel, OP could probably just exit the airport at JFK after immigtation, claiming checked bags, and going through customs. In theory, DL could bill OP or his/her travel agent for the difference, but this is unlikely unless OP does this often or the travel agent has sold some sort of a special (mistake?) fare.
Note also that for exUK/exEU tickets, cheaper business class etc. ones often have fare rules saying that the entire ticket must be flown exactly as ticketed or all value is lost, so that it's not only nonrefundable but unchangeable too (totally inflexible). In this case, OP would essentially be abandoning the current ticket when changes are made and purchasing a totally new ticket. This seems plausible if the old ticket cost 650 pounds while the new one is 700 pounds, but of course we don't know this unless we know the fare code and someone can look up the fare rules on EF etc.
Whether it's RT or OW, 650 pounds sounds like a very good deal for a TATL ticket in the new premium economy cabin (assuming that it's not really just C+).
OTOH, if it's just for one way travel, OP could probably just exit the airport at JFK after immigtation, claiming checked bags, and going through customs. In theory, DL could bill OP or his/her travel agent for the difference, but this is unlikely unless OP does this often or the travel agent has sold some sort of a special (mistake?) fare.
Note also that for exUK/exEU tickets, cheaper business class etc. ones often have fare rules saying that the entire ticket must be flown exactly as ticketed or all value is lost, so that it's not only nonrefundable but unchangeable too (totally inflexible). In this case, OP would essentially be abandoning the current ticket when changes are made and purchasing a totally new ticket. This seems plausible if the old ticket cost 650 pounds while the new one is 700 pounds, but of course we don't know this unless we know the fare code and someone can look up the fare rules on EF etc.
Whether it's RT or OW, 650 pounds sounds like a very good deal for a TATL ticket in the new premium economy cabin (assuming that it's not really just C+).
Sep 11, 2018, 5:44 pm
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Back in Reds Country (DAY/CVG). Previously: SEA & SAT.
Programs: DL PM 1MM, AA PLAT, UA Silver, Marriott Bonvoy Titanium
Posts: 10,334
I hope this is in the right forum, please feel free to move it otherwise.
Hi all (first post!), I just had to share what happened to me today with Delta!
I recently booked a non-refundable, non-flexible Premium Economy flight from London Heathrow to Chicago with Delta Airlines. The route involves a connection at New York’s JFK to Chicago and likewise on the return leg.
A week or so after booking my flight with Delta, my business itinerary changed. It meant that my trip would in fact end in New York, not Chicago (where my return journey is supposed to start). So it would make perfect sense to not fly all the way back to Chicago just to immediately fly back to NYC to get to London… right?!
Not according to Delta.
So, with 7 weeks to go until my flight, I got on the phone to explain my situation to Delta customer support to ask if I can skip the Chicago-NYC flight and simply catch my already booked normal flight from JFK to London.
I was more than happy to pay a small fee to change the booking, as this is totally my own predicament and I am not an unreasonable person.
However, Delta reservations advised me that in order to simply not take the Chicago-NYC flight, I would have to rebook the entire ticket, less the amount I had already paid for my original booking…
Which worked out to be a whopping £700 GBP extra!
I explained to Delta customer support that I would be in NYC anyway and it made no sense for me, the environment and Delta to fly back to Chicago, just to immediately get back on a flight to NYC...
I explained to Delta reservations is that a flight from New York JFK back to Chicago WITH DELTA �� (at the time of writing) costs just £63 GBP - some £637 GBP cheaper than rebooking the flight!
I also explained politely, while trying not to laugh, that my entire Premium Economy return from London to Chicago cost just £650 GBP...
They still insisted that I either pay £700 GBP to not take the flight from Chicago, OR fly back to Chicago in order to fly immediately back to NYC.
In Summary
I am aware that I have a non-flexible ticket, but I am not asking for a flight change, a date change or a refund - I simply want to take my paid return flight from JFK, as I am already in New York - so that I can avoid flying an extra 800 miles west.
Surely Delta could just let me take the flight home from JFK (I was happy to pay an itinerary change fee) and then simply resell the seat from Chicago to New York to someone else - but sadly, in a world governed by computer systems and red tape, the computer system said no.
Hi all (first post!), I just had to share what happened to me today with Delta!
I recently booked a non-refundable, non-flexible Premium Economy flight from London Heathrow to Chicago with Delta Airlines. The route involves a connection at New York’s JFK to Chicago and likewise on the return leg.
A week or so after booking my flight with Delta, my business itinerary changed. It meant that my trip would in fact end in New York, not Chicago (where my return journey is supposed to start). So it would make perfect sense to not fly all the way back to Chicago just to immediately fly back to NYC to get to London… right?!
Not according to Delta.
So, with 7 weeks to go until my flight, I got on the phone to explain my situation to Delta customer support to ask if I can skip the Chicago-NYC flight and simply catch my already booked normal flight from JFK to London.
I was more than happy to pay a small fee to change the booking, as this is totally my own predicament and I am not an unreasonable person.
However, Delta reservations advised me that in order to simply not take the Chicago-NYC flight, I would have to rebook the entire ticket, less the amount I had already paid for my original booking…
Which worked out to be a whopping £700 GBP extra!
I explained to Delta customer support that I would be in NYC anyway and it made no sense for me, the environment and Delta to fly back to Chicago, just to immediately get back on a flight to NYC...
I explained to Delta reservations is that a flight from New York JFK back to Chicago WITH DELTA �� (at the time of writing) costs just £63 GBP - some £637 GBP cheaper than rebooking the flight!
I also explained politely, while trying not to laugh, that my entire Premium Economy return from London to Chicago cost just £650 GBP...
They still insisted that I either pay £700 GBP to not take the flight from Chicago, OR fly back to Chicago in order to fly immediately back to NYC.
In Summary
I am aware that I have a non-flexible ticket, but I am not asking for a flight change, a date change or a refund - I simply want to take my paid return flight from JFK, as I am already in New York - so that I can avoid flying an extra 800 miles west.
Surely Delta could just let me take the flight home from JFK (I was happy to pay an itinerary change fee) and then simply resell the seat from Chicago to New York to someone else - but sadly, in a world governed by computer systems and red tape, the computer system said no.
Sep 11, 2018, 6:01 pm
#14
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Formerly at PIT, now planted near MSP.
Programs: No flights since April 2019 (Medical Issues). Lost all my status.
Posts: 1,483
OP.....Did you deliberately book your Chicago flight with a connection in New York City on the chance you might be going to New York City instead of Chicago?
Last edited by RRDD; Sep 11, 2018 at 6:07 pm
Sep 11, 2018, 6:11 pm
#15
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,369
I'm also wondering whether the OP was trying to do a stopover in NYC or make it an open jaw itinerary. In particular, why wouldn't the OP need to purchase the separate ORD-NYC flight separately in both directions if OP wants to use the current ticket rather than pay to change it?
In changing the ticket, it's probably more expensive if the new ticket is open jaw or has a stopover as most of the very cheapest fares prohibit both of these features.
In changing the ticket, it's probably more expensive if the new ticket is open jaw or has a stopover as most of the very cheapest fares prohibit both of these features.