Tour group bumped from flight

Old Jul 23, 2019, 8:21 pm
  #46  
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I assume for whatever reason tour group was the best option for IRROPs. Had they only bumped half the tour group there would have been a thread about that. It sounds like (though we don't have all the facts) there was an oversell and the tour group was the best candidate, they moved the whole group (to still keep them together) to the later flight that is still on DL metal, and gave them 24 hours notice (and now they get 4 extra hours in Greece).

In the grand scheme of things that's about the best case scenario you can hope for -- they are lucky that there are two ATH - JFK flights, many other secondary European cities only get 1 daily flight (though some do also get a 2nd for seasonal) and an IRROPs situation would mean either connecting through Europe or waiting another day (and possibly more depending on loads)
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Old Jul 23, 2019, 9:24 pm
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Originally Posted by ballfour
Thank you all for your help. They were moved from the 12:00 to the 14:25 flight. I am still waiting to find out the reason for this. Since I don't have my son's flight confirmation number, Delta can't give me much information. The tour group rep is still working with Delta to see if they can be put back on the original flight. She (the tour group rep) said that she doesn't think it was due to overbooking. Hoping to have an answer by 18:00.
If JKF is the final destination, then I really dont think you need to worry or stress-out about a 2 and a half hour delay (or create a new thread about compensation chances).

If he is part of a group, why are you micro-managing this from the US? Have some faith in the staff.
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Old Jul 23, 2019, 9:34 pm
  #48  
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Originally Posted by audio-nut
LOL. How often is the flexible fare premium less than the change fee? The vast majority of flexible fare purchases are negotiated corporate rates.
Im going to make an unjustified assumption here, so please do tell me if Im wrong. Im going to make a guess that youve not noticed the difference between how economy fares work out of Atlanta or Dallas versus those out of Athens (I assume were talking about the one in Greece). While sure, fully flexible Y fares are extremely rare whether corporate or personal, it is extremely common and perhaps even most common for commercial EU flights to have some element of flexibility in Y fares - particularly last day changes which is what I mainly end up with nowadays.

You would do well to learn from often1 here.
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Old Jul 23, 2019, 10:41 pm
  #49  
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Originally Posted by Duke787
I assume for whatever reason tour group was the best option for IRROPs. Had they only bumped half the tour group there would have been a thread about that. It sounds like (though we don't have all the facts) there was an oversell and the tour group was the best candidate, they moved the whole group (to still keep them together) to the later flight that is still on DL metal, and gave them 24 hours notice (and now they get 4 extra hours in Greece).

In the grand scheme of things that's about the best case scenario you can hope for -- they are lucky that there are two ATH - JFK flights, many other secondary European cities only get 1 daily flight (though some do also get a 2nd for seasonal) and an IRROPs situation would mean either connecting through Europe or waiting another day (and possibly more depending on loads)
Oversell are handled at airport. They dont know if its oversold till departure time, only that its overbooked. Also they would have the option or not to give up seat. IDB is only done after VDB falls to provide enough passenger. DL per DOT rules would need to solicit VDB and fail before could IDB. Nothing in story so far suggests an oversell. Rather I'm curious if the agent handling the booking messed up.
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Old Jul 23, 2019, 11:22 pm
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Remember last month when AA bumped some kids and DL picked up the slack and everyone thought DL was just so much better?
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Old Jul 23, 2019, 11:32 pm
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Originally Posted by bchandler02
Remember last month when AA bumped some kids and DL picked up the slack and everyone thought DL was just so much better?
You obviously do not understand what "bump" means. AA cancelled their flight and gave them no alternative.
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Old Jul 23, 2019, 11:46 pm
  #52  
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Originally Posted by s0ssos
You obviously do not understand what "bump" means. AA cancelled their flight and gave them no alternative.
We also have no clue yet why this group was "bumped."
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Old Jul 24, 2019, 12:00 am
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Originally Posted by flyerCO
We also have no clue yet why this group was "bumped."
Or whether this group was "bumped" in the first place.
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Old Jul 24, 2019, 3:44 am
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Originally Posted by WestCoastPDX
Minor rant, but I dont understand at all the glee and delight people take in demanding compensation for every inconvenience they are faced with.

Its often the first question breathlessly out of peoples mouth how much compensation can I get!


I dont pay the airline extra when they get me there early.
I dont tip them or pay the fare difference when they upgrade me to F.
When there is a delay, I accept it as a part of travel. The airline wants to get me where I am going as much as I want them to. I dont understand the instant desire to be compensated for everything.

Not trying to pick on you OP, Im sure you stressed yourself out knowing a part of your sons trip didnt go as planned.
But, just a macro question.

I find it really unseemly that everyone has their pitchforks up at every misconnect / delay / diversion.
(and then of course, these people wonder what happened to the golden age of aviation...)
At least to speak from my POV:
-A good portion of upgrades to F, at least domestically, serve to allow airlines to accommodate overbooks in Y. An unpaid bump up to F is nice, but in a very strange way I'm actually helping the airline in a sense.
-On the other hand, I think we've (collectively) become mercenary because the airlines have as well. I tend to see there as being a collective indignity at things such as Basic Economy (which in many places didn't provide a lower fare but rather resulted in pax paying more for the "old" non-BE fare), bag fees, reduced legroom, airports with problems, and so on. I once explained this to the head of an FFP (I will not say which one it was at the time): Due to how things have evolved, passengers and airlines fundamentally have an adversarial relationship in many respects.
--And of course, there is definitely a feeling that if I'm thrown off my flight because the airline sold too many tickets (as opposed to an "Act of God" situation), they rather get what's coming to them.
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Old Jul 24, 2019, 4:48 am
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Originally Posted by s0ssos
You obviously do not understand what "bump" means. AA cancelled their flight and gave them no alternative.
And you obviously don't understand sarcasm.
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Old Jul 24, 2019, 5:04 am
  #56  
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Originally Posted by GrayAnderson
--And of course, there is definitely a feeling that if I'm thrown off my flight because the airline sold too many tickets (as opposed to an "Act of God" situation), they rather get what's coming to them.
"We sold some last-minute, full-fare Y tickets, even though the flight was already full and operating at a profit, so we've decided to delay your journey (although we're really supposed to ask for volunteers first, and compensate those whose journeys are delayed). Enjoy!!!"
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Old Jul 24, 2019, 10:27 am
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Another note...… I don't know if Delta does this but at least one carrier used to sell "discount" tickets to these tour companies with the understanding that basically they were buying "a flight home on day X". The airline could then move them at will. (It apparently was highly profitable because when I booked some kids on a tour and said "no thanks to airfare" all kinds of "hysteria" ensued from the tour company with bizarre made up circumstances that could ruin the entire trip LOL!)
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Old Jul 24, 2019, 11:23 am
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I just really do not think that DL would contact a group to reissue to a different flight the same day AND still sell tickets on the flight. The likelyhood of DL selling that many last minute Y class tickets that they then proactively moved a tour group instead of working it out at the airport is frankly absurd. A ton of people on that plane do not have JFK as their final destination. It would make way more sense to route some people through AMS and CDG to then to their final destination for individuals or small groups than move one big one.

If I may wildly speculate for a moment...the tour operator couldn't get transportation to the airport in time for the first flight. Either they forgot, or it fell through or whatever. Then they had to change the flights at the last minute. And if you're the tour operator at this point you just put all the blame on Delta.

What is more likely...DL overbooked (for whatever reason) a flight so much that they proactively reached out to a tour group to move their flights 24hrs in advance OR the tour operator screwed up?
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Old Jul 24, 2019, 12:04 pm
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Originally Posted by bchandler02
And you obviously don't understand sarcasm.
Just because a comment is illogical and thus I do not understand it does not make it 'sarcastic'.
But I get it. That is the new excuse. Officer, I was being sarcastic when I threatened to bomb the plane!
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Old Jul 24, 2019, 12:11 pm
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Originally Posted by ballfour
Thank you all for your help. They were moved from the 12:00 to the 14:25 flight. I am still waiting to find out the reason for this. Since I don't have my son's flight confirmation number, Delta can't give me much information. The tour group rep is still working with Delta to see if they can be put back on the original flight. She (the tour group rep) said that she doesn't think it was due to overbooking. Hoping to have an answer by 18:00.
Tell the tour rep to put the kids in Delta One if those are the only seats available. Minors accompanied should get preferential accommodations especially the tour leader and chaperons are responsible. Not only does Delta have to rebook the teens but also a chaperone.
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