Why DL pricing can be so infuriating!
Oct 3, 2018, 5:55 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: HSV
Programs: Bellevue Lifetime Premiere Mega Elite Supreme
Posts: 1,509
Why DL pricing can be so infuriating!
I know most of the "regulars" here have adjusted to the whys of why Delta (and probably every airline, but my sample size is limited) and their pricing schemes seem so convoluted and frustrating. In fact, I actually get why this encounter with a DM desk agent produced the result it did, and why I was expecting it, but...
I'm in my hotel in Madison, WI. I flew out on a R/T fare and was hoping to go home tomorrow for the weekend. I don't even remember what my house looks like or what my bed feels like.
Anywho... as is usually the case, I have to go to my office in LA, so I call to change my outbound to LAX instead of home to HSV through ATL. I have a one-way fare I'm about to pull the trigger on, as it's the last remaining F seat on an A fare for $570. The price to change my destination from HSV to LAX? About $1500... in Y!
Needless to say, I scoffed-up the last F seat on MSN>MSP>LAX for the bargain basement price of 60% off, with the flight happening in 15 hours to boot! Now I have an MSN>ATL>HSV return trip in my wallet for a year, cuz... you never know.
Dear God, make it stop!
I'm in my hotel in Madison, WI. I flew out on a R/T fare and was hoping to go home tomorrow for the weekend. I don't even remember what my house looks like or what my bed feels like.
Anywho... as is usually the case, I have to go to my office in LA, so I call to change my outbound to LAX instead of home to HSV through ATL. I have a one-way fare I'm about to pull the trigger on, as it's the last remaining F seat on an A fare for $570. The price to change my destination from HSV to LAX? About $1500... in Y!
Needless to say, I scoffed-up the last F seat on MSN>MSP>LAX for the bargain basement price of 60% off, with the flight happening in 15 hours to boot! Now I have an MSN>ATL>HSV return trip in my wallet for a year, cuz... you never know.
Dear God, make it stop!
Oct 3, 2018, 8:25 pm
#2
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Chicago
Programs: United-1K, Marriott-Titanium Ambassador, Hyatt-Globalist
Posts: 215
In my experience it's usually because of the popular route. In this case it's the (almost?) transcon to LAX.
They do it because they can. Also if it's tomorrow that means Thursday which is the busiest day of the week, especially for biz travelers.
Take it and weep man
They do it because they can. Also if it's tomorrow that means Thursday which is the busiest day of the week, especially for biz travelers.
Take it and weep man
Oct 3, 2018, 8:58 pm
#3
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: SJC, SFO
Programs: Delta DM, IHG Spire, Hertz PC, H.com Gold^3, lowly something on others...
Posts: 1,260
Haha, I know that feeling. I fly home near the end of the month, to pay rent and run a few errands that can't be done remotely... I have similar experience with the pricing issue. In one instance last year, I had to extend my trip in Asia. The change fee + fare difference was $2900 for economy. AND... a RT from Asia to SEA and same-day back was just a bit more than $500... Even more funnier, the same tail brought me to SEA was the one flew me back to Asia. I landed, pass US custom, ran to SC, took a shower, ate some clam chowder and chips and went back and got on the same plane, sat in the same seat. It wouldn't have been possible without Global Entry and no checked bag, considering how bad SEA international arrival is. I would never do that again...but $2400 is a lot money even if it's company money.
Oct 3, 2018, 10:37 pm
#4
Join Date: Feb 2016
Programs: DL DM, SPG Plat 100/LT Gold, Marriott Plat, National Executive Elite
Posts: 2,988
OP - Did you ask the agent to break down the add/collect for you of the initial change request in Y?
I ask because - I'm confused how they couldn't take the remaining value of your MSN-ATL-HSV - minus the change fee - and use that voucher/remaining value to purchase your new F ticket for $570 MSN-MSP-LAX
It seems like they made you buy a new one when you had previous funds that could simply be applied (maybe not all in one transaction; maybe first they had to cancel for the voucher, then apply it to your new ticket)
BTW - with how much you pay for tickets (thinking of the 100K F ticket for a domestic flight you posted about) - does the DM Desk ever offer you a waived change fee?
I ask because - I'm confused how they couldn't take the remaining value of your MSN-ATL-HSV - minus the change fee - and use that voucher/remaining value to purchase your new F ticket for $570 MSN-MSP-LAX
It seems like they made you buy a new one when you had previous funds that could simply be applied (maybe not all in one transaction; maybe first they had to cancel for the voucher, then apply it to your new ticket)
BTW - with how much you pay for tickets (thinking of the 100K F ticket for a domestic flight you posted about) - does the DM Desk ever offer you a waived change fee?
Oct 4, 2018, 8:49 am
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: HSV
Programs: Bellevue Lifetime Premiere Mega Elite Supreme
Posts: 1,509
OP - Did you ask the agent to break down the add/collect for you of the initial change request in Y?
I ask because - I'm confused how they couldn't take the remaining value of your MSN-ATL-HSV - minus the change fee - and use that voucher/remaining value to purchase your new F ticket for $570 MSN-MSP-LAX
It seems like they made you buy a new one when you had previous funds that could simply be applied (maybe not all in one transaction; maybe first they had to cancel for the voucher, then apply it to your new ticket)
BTW - with how much you pay for tickets (thinking of the 100K F ticket for a domestic flight you posted about) - does the DM Desk ever offer you a waived change fee?
I ask because - I'm confused how they couldn't take the remaining value of your MSN-ATL-HSV - minus the change fee - and use that voucher/remaining value to purchase your new F ticket for $570 MSN-MSP-LAX
It seems like they made you buy a new one when you had previous funds that could simply be applied (maybe not all in one transaction; maybe first they had to cancel for the voucher, then apply it to your new ticket)
BTW - with how much you pay for tickets (thinking of the 100K F ticket for a domestic flight you posted about) - does the DM Desk ever offer you a waived change fee?
Should I have HUCA and tried again with a different agent? Are there any magic words I could have used to have a different outcome?
Oct 4, 2018, 10:34 am
#6
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: NYC
Programs: Delta DM, 2MM
Posts: 1,254
Total R/T HSV>ATL>MSN>ATL>HSV was ~$900. When I called to change my return to LAX I already had the O/W MSN>MSP>LAX $570 F fare in my cart ready to pull the trigger, under the assumption the call wasn’t going to go my way. The agent said she had to reprice the ticket as a multi-city HSV>ATL>MSN>MSP>LAX fare and the difference was over $1,500. She also said that if I chose to not fly the return, that SPECIFIC return route would be stored in my wallet for a year. Given the options, I obviously booked the F O/W trip for 1/3 the price and banked a return I will likely never use in the next 12 months, but you never know.
Should I have HUCA and tried again with a different agent? Are there any magic words I could have used to have a different outcome?
Oct 4, 2018, 11:28 am
#7
Join Date: Feb 2016
Programs: DL DM, SPG Plat 100/LT Gold, Marriott Plat, National Executive Elite
Posts: 2,988
Total R/T HSV>ATL>MSN>ATL>HSV was ~$900. When I called to change my return to LAX I already had the O/W MSN>MSP>LAX $570 F fare in my cart ready to pull the trigger, under the assumption the call wasn’t going to go my way. The agent said she had to reprice the ticket as a multi-city HSV>ATL>MSN>MSP>LAX fare and the difference was over $1,500. She also said that if I chose to not fly the return, that SPECIFIC return route would be stored in my wallet for a year. Given the options, I obviously booked the F O/W trip for 1/3 the price and banked a return I will likely never use in the next 12 months, but you never know.
Should I have HUCA and tried again with a different agent? Are there any magic words I could have used to have a different outcome?
But that differential shouldn't matter given you flew the outbound and historical fares are locked in
Who knows how this rogue agent repriced it to multi city, but I would have told them to try/do this (the more correct way of doing it):
*Cancel the remainder of your existing trip
*Ask what the value of the remainder is, and if you want you can always ask them nicely to waive the change fee - I have work colleagues who have been DM nearly 10 years and are offered waived change fees on domestics every time (I get it more randomly, but never refuse a nice gesture like that from an agent)
*Ask them to apply the remainder to your new purchase - if they charged and you accepted a change fee, you can do this all online as the remainder should show up as a voucher in your wallet (by the way, is there a voucher now in your wallet that wasn't there before the call?)
--->If they offered or agreed to waive the change fee, you would have to call for an agent to manually do this for your rebooking
The part about your cancelled trip being ONLY valid for MSN-ATL-HSV doesn't make any sense. Maybe call back and explain the misinformation to a Supervisor, and ask for them to waive the change fee on what you cancelled for the misinformation (as you could have otherwise immediately applied the leftover to your new ticket to LAX)
Oct 4, 2018, 11:44 am
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: HSV
Programs: Bellevue Lifetime Premiere Mega Elite Supreme
Posts: 1,509
Its possible you bought a HSV-->MSN roundtrip fare that was cheaper than the two one ways.
But that differential shouldn't matter given you flew the outbound and historical fares are locked in
Who knows how this rogue agent repriced it to multi city, but I would have told them to try/do this (the more correct way of doing it):
*Cancel the remainder of your existing trip
*Ask what the value of the remainder is, and if you want you can always ask them nicely to waive the change fee - I have work colleagues who have been DM nearly 10 years and are offered waived change fees on domestics every time (I get it more randomly, but never refuse a nice gesture like that from an agent)
*Ask them to apply the remainder to your new purchase - if they charged and you accepted a change fee, you can do this all online as the remainder should show up as a voucher in your wallet (by the way, is there a voucher now in your wallet that wasn't there before the call?)
--->If they offered or agreed to waive the change fee, you would have to call for an agent to manually do this for your rebooking
The part about your cancelled trip being ONLY valid for MSN-ATL-HSV doesn't make any sense. Maybe call back and explain the misinformation to a Supervisor, and ask for them to waive the change fee on what you cancelled for the misinformation (as you could have otherwise immediately applied the leftover to your new ticket to LAX)
But that differential shouldn't matter given you flew the outbound and historical fares are locked in
Who knows how this rogue agent repriced it to multi city, but I would have told them to try/do this (the more correct way of doing it):
*Cancel the remainder of your existing trip
*Ask what the value of the remainder is, and if you want you can always ask them nicely to waive the change fee - I have work colleagues who have been DM nearly 10 years and are offered waived change fees on domestics every time (I get it more randomly, but never refuse a nice gesture like that from an agent)
*Ask them to apply the remainder to your new purchase - if they charged and you accepted a change fee, you can do this all online as the remainder should show up as a voucher in your wallet (by the way, is there a voucher now in your wallet that wasn't there before the call?)
--->If they offered or agreed to waive the change fee, you would have to call for an agent to manually do this for your rebooking
The part about your cancelled trip being ONLY valid for MSN-ATL-HSV doesn't make any sense. Maybe call back and explain the misinformation to a Supervisor, and ask for them to waive the change fee on what you cancelled for the misinformation (as you could have otherwise immediately applied the leftover to your new ticket to LAX)
Between my AMS GUC debacle, my delayed luggage arriving after midnight in MSN (I got there at 1700), and a myriad of other relatively minor issues (malfunctioning IFE, an SC agent telling me my companions had to pay, when I have DM guest access due to multiple AXR cards, and making us wait around 10 precious minutes on a short layover while she “confirmed” my status, and a few other individually minor issues, but compound over time), some tarnish is beginning to appear on my typically high opinion of DL.
Oct 4, 2018, 3:02 pm
#9
Join Date: Feb 2016
Programs: DL DM, SPG Plat 100/LT Gold, Marriott Plat, National Executive Elite
Posts: 2,988
Yeah, I’ve done this not a few times before and was never stymied like this. If the O/W F fare was expensive I would’ve been more motivated to press the matter or HUCA. For the money, I was tired and needed to book the last available F seat 15 hours before departure, so I just went with the flow, as it were.
Between my AMS GUC debacle, my delayed luggage arriving after midnight in MSN (I got there at 1700), and a myriad of other relatively minor issues (malfunctioning IFE, an SC agent telling me my companions had to pay, when I have DM guest access due to multiple AXR cards, and making us wait around 10 precious minutes on a short layover while she “confirmed” my status, and a few other individually minor issues, but compound over time), some tarnish is beginning to appear on my typically high opinion of DL.
DL has gotten worse recently. I also had a SkyClub "hold up" while they confirmed if my JFK-LAS got access (the agent was convinced I was flying F, and that only JFK-LAX and JFK-SFO got access; she had no idea SAN, LAS, and SEA also had 1 flight a day with access.
She also didn't apologize and a Supervisor had to come out to verify, despite our boarding passes clearing stating the class of service as "Delta One" instead of "First Class." Smh.
Oct 5, 2018, 3:58 am
#10
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Hotlanta.
Programs: I've gone underground!
Posts: 4,604
I’m sitting on a ATL-SEA.. Stay 2 nights, SEA-SFO ticket. I need to take a flight earlier in the day from SEA-SFO and called DL to change it... $500+. While they sell one way on the same flight I want for $88. I ended up booking on AS because I don’t want to risk buying a second ticket on DL and having it cancelled by them.
Oct 7, 2018, 2:16 pm
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: HSV
Programs: Bellevue Lifetime Premiere Mega Elite Supreme
Posts: 1,509
Classic... it's like I'm spinning the wheel on The Price is Right!
Last Thursday's last-minute OW F booking MSN>MSP>LAX was $570. I really wanted to get into SNA, since my office is in Irvine, but that was $2K in F with no UG availability, so LAX with $100 Uber it was. Of course, SNA is almost always more than LAX for... everything.
So, I just booked my OW home to HSV. I figured the same would hold true -- outbound SNA would be much more (someone told me HSV was the most expensive airport to fly from/to in the USA, not sure it's true, but I wonder). Nope, OW LAX>ATL>HSV is $1.6K, SNA>ATL>HSV is $700 in F.
Fun times! LOL.
Last Thursday's last-minute OW F booking MSN>MSP>LAX was $570. I really wanted to get into SNA, since my office is in Irvine, but that was $2K in F with no UG availability, so LAX with $100 Uber it was. Of course, SNA is almost always more than LAX for... everything.
So, I just booked my OW home to HSV. I figured the same would hold true -- outbound SNA would be much more (someone told me HSV was the most expensive airport to fly from/to in the USA, not sure it's true, but I wonder). Nope, OW LAX>ATL>HSV is $1.6K, SNA>ATL>HSV is $700 in F.
Fun times! LOL.
Last edited by TheHorta; Oct 7, 2018 at 2:34 pm Reason: Typo
