Missing First Flight - Does Ticket Cancel?
Nov 27, 2018 | 10:01 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: CLT
Programs: AA EXP; Avis PC; Hertz PC; Marriott LT Gold; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,269
Missing First Flight - Does Ticket Cancel?
I'm an AA flyer, so I'm not sure if this works the same on DL.
My niece has a RT FLL-JFK-FLL and will miss the FLL-JFK segment, but wants to use the JFK-FLL return. Will her ticket cancel if she misses the first leg (as it does on AA)?
The ticket costs just a few dollars more than the $200 change fee listed on the DL website.
Any suggestions on how best to proceed? I was thinking of changing her ticket to a one-way, but if that still incurs the change fee, it's cheaper to buy a new ticket.
Also, her ticket is on the same PNR with other family members, who will make the outbound. Will one pax missing the outbound cause issues for the others?
Thanks!
My niece has a RT FLL-JFK-FLL and will miss the FLL-JFK segment, but wants to use the JFK-FLL return. Will her ticket cancel if she misses the first leg (as it does on AA)?
The ticket costs just a few dollars more than the $200 change fee listed on the DL website.
Any suggestions on how best to proceed? I was thinking of changing her ticket to a one-way, but if that still incurs the change fee, it's cheaper to buy a new ticket.
Also, her ticket is on the same PNR with other family members, who will make the outbound. Will one pax missing the outbound cause issues for the others?
Thanks!
Last edited by HofstraJet; Nov 27, 2018 at 10:07 am
Nov 27, 2018 | 10:13 am
#3
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: HSV
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Posts: 1,513
Her cancellation / no show should not affect the other(s) on the same PNR unless she booked the companions using some instrument, like a companion certificate, etc. It wont affect a normal cash fare.
Nov 27, 2018 | 10:18 am
#4
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Join Date: Sep 2009
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One can only hope for a weather waiver, delays, cancellations (very unlikely with DL), or a significant schedule change to avoid the $200 change fee. In addition, a change of operating carrier to/from mainline versus DL Connection flights or even from one DL Connection carrier to another (according to DOT regulations but I've had DL agents deny that this is the rule), but this would be very unlikely to apply to this route.
Nov 27, 2018 | 10:19 am
#5
Join Date: Feb 2016
Programs: DL DM, SPG Plat 100/LT Gold, Marriott Plat, National Executive Elite
Posts: 2,997
What is the reason she is missing the first flight? Is it she just doesn't want to go, or is she sick, has a serious/conflicting commitment, etc.?
DL is much more reasonable than AA in working with customers who have legitimate issues come up and can not make a particular flight. It's all at the agent's discretion, though.
Best to call and let them know what is happening, ask them to separate out this one person from the rest in the reservation, and see how they can work with you. They likely won't just cancel the outbound and let you keep the return, but they could very well waive the change fee (or reduce it by 50%) and let you refare the return at today's price. That would likely be a fair compromise, again depending on the reason for the change.
DL is much more reasonable than AA in working with customers who have legitimate issues come up and can not make a particular flight. It's all at the agent's discretion, though.
Best to call and let them know what is happening, ask them to separate out this one person from the rest in the reservation, and see how they can work with you. They likely won't just cancel the outbound and let you keep the return, but they could very well waive the change fee (or reduce it by 50%) and let you refare the return at today's price. That would likely be a fair compromise, again depending on the reason for the change.
Nov 27, 2018 | 11:17 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: CLT
Programs: AA EXP; Avis PC; Hertz PC; Marriott LT Gold; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,269
What is the reason she is missing the first flight? Is it she just doesn't want to go, or is she sick, has a serious/conflicting commitment, etc.?
DL is much more reasonable than AA in working with customers who have legitimate issues come up and can not make a particular flight. It's all at the agent's discretion, though.
Best to call and let them know what is happening, ask them to separate out this one person from the rest in the reservation, and see how they can work with you. They likely won't just cancel the outbound and let you keep the return, but they could very well waive the change fee (or reduce it by 50%) and let you refare the return at today's price. That would likely be a fair compromise, again depending on the reason for the change.
DL is much more reasonable than AA in working with customers who have legitimate issues come up and can not make a particular flight. It's all at the agent's discretion, though.
Best to call and let them know what is happening, ask them to separate out this one person from the rest in the reservation, and see how they can work with you. They likely won't just cancel the outbound and let you keep the return, but they could very well waive the change fee (or reduce it by 50%) and let you refare the return at today's price. That would likely be a fair compromise, again depending on the reason for the change.
Nov 27, 2018 | 12:51 pm
#7
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: DL DM 1MM, HH Diamond, Marriott Plat
Posts: 872
Now there's a perfect example of understanding in customer service. Congrats on the outcome!
Nov 27, 2018 | 1:56 pm
#8
Join Date: Feb 2016
Programs: DL DM, SPG Plat 100/LT Gold, Marriott Plat, National Executive Elite
Posts: 2,997
But to anyone else reading out there - this is not a carte blanche nor to be expected. It is completely discretionary. And if they offer it at all, it is much much much more likely to be offered to a leisure traveler around the holidays, then a business traveler calling to make a change. Their bread and butter is (change) fees milked out of business travelers.