Need Advice About Multiple Reservation Mess
Aug 1, 2019, 5:32 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2019
Posts: 5
Need Advice About Multiple Reservation Mess
I managed to make a complete mess out of this situation, and I really need advice about what to do next. Basically, I am interning in New York this summer with an end date of August 9. Early in the summer, I booked a round trip ticket to go home after my internship ended and come back before school started. I booked a ticket through Delta to fly LGA-IAH on August 9 and IAH-LGA on September 1 before my semester starts.
A couple days ago, my boss asked me if I wanted to work a conference my team is having in Houston on August 7/8 and finish my internship a day early. I agreed because it would be nice to go home early, so my boss booked a one-way ticket (through Delta) for August 7 from LGA-IAH. I thought I could just miss the first part of my round trip ticket and fly back to New York on September 1st and all would be well.
Now I just found out that if I miss the first half of my round trip ticket, they'll cancel the second part as well, so I don't know what to do! I've already committed to working the conference, so I can't back out now without ruining my relationship with my boss. But I need to fly on my September 1st ticket to get back to college before the semester starts.
Is it possible that Delta will let me keep the second half of my round trip ticket if I talk to them and explain the situation? Both my tickets are through Delta if that helps at all, so I'm not trying to fly on a cheaper flight through a second airline. I was just really dumb and ignorant and made a mistake. Does anyone have any advice on how to talk to Delta or if there is any way to resolve this situation? Or will I just have to cancel my round trip ticket and pay for a new one-way ticket (which is a big loss on my college student budget)? Thank you for any help!
A couple days ago, my boss asked me if I wanted to work a conference my team is having in Houston on August 7/8 and finish my internship a day early. I agreed because it would be nice to go home early, so my boss booked a one-way ticket (through Delta) for August 7 from LGA-IAH. I thought I could just miss the first part of my round trip ticket and fly back to New York on September 1st and all would be well.
Now I just found out that if I miss the first half of my round trip ticket, they'll cancel the second part as well, so I don't know what to do! I've already committed to working the conference, so I can't back out now without ruining my relationship with my boss. But I need to fly on my September 1st ticket to get back to college before the semester starts.
Is it possible that Delta will let me keep the second half of my round trip ticket if I talk to them and explain the situation? Both my tickets are through Delta if that helps at all, so I'm not trying to fly on a cheaper flight through a second airline. I was just really dumb and ignorant and made a mistake. Does anyone have any advice on how to talk to Delta or if there is any way to resolve this situation? Or will I just have to cancel my round trip ticket and pay for a new one-way ticket (which is a big loss on my college student budget)? Thank you for any help!
Aug 1, 2019, 5:56 pm
#4
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The main cabin ticket can be changed/cancelled for a $200 fee, although you can only get a voucher/credit toward future DL flights within a year rather than a refund in real money. You can call DL can change your RT ticket to a one way or to a RT is the opposite direction and use it for your return home for the holidays. Unless the RT ticket cost less than $200, all is not lost. If you want to convert it to a one way and find that one way fares on this route are extremely expensive, it might make sense to take a RT ticket with a return on whatever date is cheapest and just throw away the return portion.
Aug 1, 2019, 5:59 pm
#5
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: San Francisco
Programs: DL
Posts: 466
- Delta will not touch the Basic Economy ticket. Fly it if you want, or don’t, but it’s not going to be changed by anyone.
- Delta agents could drop the first segment from your regular Economy ticket, if they’re sufficiently persuaded.
- They may try to make you pay the change fee for your regular economy ticket, which is probably $200. This means you can spend the value of the ticket on a new one, minus $200. If your ticket was <$200, you cannot change it (without a fee waiver).
- They might also allow the change fee to be waived, which means you will only pay the fare difference. Likely a new one-way will be cheaper than your old round-trip, but maybe not.
- Call a few times if you get the “must pay change fee” line, but don’t hold out too much hope if you don’t have any status.
Aug 1, 2019, 6:04 pm
#6
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 5,182
Walk away from your sunk cost and save the $200 penalty and simply buy a new IAH>LGA ticket on another airline for 9/1. If there is IRROPS, a schedule change or a delay of >1.5 hours on your DL ticket you can get a refund.
Last edited by sydneyracquelle; Aug 1, 2019 at 6:21 pm
Aug 1, 2019, 6:13 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2019
Posts: 5
Thank you for the responses! I just have a clarifying question. My original round trip ticket cost $272, and looking at the Delta website, the one-way ticket I would need is currently priced at $251. If I ask Delta to change my roundtrip ticket to one way, would I need to pay the $200 change fee plus the cost of the new ticket? Or would I just have to pay the change fee or just the ticket fare?
(I know I should probably just ask Delta, but I hate talking on the phone and would like to go into any phone call understanding the costs of my situation a little better)
(I know I should probably just ask Delta, but I hate talking on the phone and would like to go into any phone call understanding the costs of my situation a little better)
Aug 1, 2019, 6:19 pm
#8
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Thank you for the responses! I just have a clarifying question. My original round trip ticket cost $272, and looking at the Delta website, the one-way ticket I would need is currently priced at $251. If I ask Delta to change my roundtrip ticket to one way, would I need to pay the $200 change fee plus the cost of the new ticket? Or would I just have to pay the change fee or just the ticket fare?
(I know I should probably just ask Delta, but I hate talking on the phone and would like to go into any phone call understanding the costs of my situation a little better)
(I know I should probably just ask Delta, but I hate talking on the phone and would like to go into any phone call understanding the costs of my situation a little better)
You would have to pay for the new ticket, but you would also have a $72 credit from the old ticket after paying the change fee, so your additional cost would be $251 - $72, or less than two hundred dollars as the cost of keeping your boss happy. It's too bad that your internship employer didn't try to change your ticket rather than immediately buying a view BE ticket for you.
What would a new RT ticket in the opposite direction cost?
What would a new RT ticket in the opposite direction cost?
Aug 1, 2019, 6:23 pm
#9
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 5,182
Thank you for the responses! I just have a clarifying question. My original round trip ticket cost $272, and looking at the Delta website, the one-way ticket I would need is currently priced at $251. If I ask Delta to change my roundtrip ticket to one way, would I need to pay the $200 change fee plus the cost of the new ticket? Or would I just have to pay the change fee or just the ticket fare?
(I know I should probably just ask Delta, but I hate talking on the phone and would like to go into any phone call understanding the costs of my situation a little better)
(I know I should probably just ask Delta, but I hate talking on the phone and would like to go into any phone call understanding the costs of my situation a little better)
Aug 1, 2019, 6:39 pm
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2019
Posts: 5
You would have to pay for the new ticket, but you would also have a $72 credit from the old ticket after paying the change fee, so your additional cost would be $251 - $72, or less than two hundred dollars as the cost of keeping your boss happy. It's too bad that your internship employer didn't try to change your ticket rather than immediately buying a view BE ticket for you.
What would a new RT ticket in the opposite direction cost?
What would a new RT ticket in the opposite direction cost?
Aug 1, 2019, 6:41 pm
#11
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However, you're going to be flying home for the holidays anyway, right? Is it really cheaper to buy a one way ticket on those dates? Especially if you know the dates, think of the extra amount you pay as purchasing a holiday flight early.
Aug 1, 2019, 10:58 pm
#12
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Others have already explained how the change fees and residual value will work. It's then just a matter of doing the math to see what the best by-the-rules change will be.
However, my advice would be to just call and be nice and explain your situation. You've booked more flights than you need, all with DL, and you just want to take a subset of those flights without changing anything else. They are not obligated to make any exceptions so remember you are 100% asking for a favor, but phone agents have some leeway and DL agents in particular seem inclined to reward kindness with kindness when they can.
However, my advice would be to just call and be nice and explain your situation. You've booked more flights than you need, all with DL, and you just want to take a subset of those flights without changing anything else. They are not obligated to make any exceptions so remember you are 100% asking for a favor, but phone agents have some leeway and DL agents in particular seem inclined to reward kindness with kindness when they can.
Aug 2, 2019, 6:34 am
#13
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Not sure how long the delay when you posted this but Delta typically offers 24-36 hr to cancel any booking. I would suggest your boss cancel his booking and pay you the change fee so you leave early with your booking.
The key is your boss likely has only until 11:59pm tonight if he booked it yesterday Aug 1st. If he booked it earlier not much you can do besides pay your own change fee and waste the cost of the ticket your boss purchased.
Finally, only other option is monitor flight delays on the days of travel and if delay more than 90 minutes on the 7th can call/ask them to issue you a credit which you can use in the future and due to the delay use your flight or ask for a change.
The key is your boss likely has only until 11:59pm tonight if he booked it yesterday Aug 1st. If he booked it earlier not much you can do besides pay your own change fee and waste the cost of the ticket your boss purchased.
Finally, only other option is monitor flight delays on the days of travel and if delay more than 90 minutes on the 7th can call/ask them to issue you a credit which you can use in the future and due to the delay use your flight or ask for a change.
Aug 2, 2019, 6:38 am
#14
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I suspect the boos wouldn't like the idea of trying to partially reimburse a plane ticket an intern has purchased. It probably violates the employer's travel policy.
Aug 2, 2019, 7:25 am
#15
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Michigan
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Posts: 855
I've been successful with this strategy in the past. It doesn't hurt to call and ask nicely. Just explain the situation and ask if they can drop the first leg of your itinerary. Worst they can do is say they have to charge a change fee, at which point you tell them thank you but you need to think about your options and hang up.