Equipment Swap leads to changed flights... advice on what to do?
Aug 22, 2019, 3:22 pm
#1
formerly wchinchen
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Equipment Swap leads to changed flights... advice on what to do?
Issue: A call from a representative to rebook my flight for erroneous reasons.
I had a flight scheduled from XXX-XXX today as Platinum Medallion member, 1st on the upgrade list to first, and was told that there is a something wrong with the plane and that I needed to be rebooked to another airline. I assumed a mechanical and delay due to such mechanical and wasn't going to make my connection. I assumed the call was preemptive to find a different flight. I find out later, that they had an aircraft swap that was performed prior to them calling me, and the flight is overbooked due to 757 to a 767. The rationale to rebook me was erroneous.
I get a call at 7AM with the representative saying "there is something wrong with the plane", and asks if I want to be booked with HA flight, so I said yes.
I never received delay notifications from the Delta app, and this flight didn't appear to be delayed
I called a representative to ask if I can be book back to the original flight, and they said it was oversold. They researched this, an airplane swap was performed at 6AM without any mechanicals. I get the call at 7AM, to rebook me. I find out rest of the story after another call.
This is a work flight, so I took the other airline flight, and took $100 compensation. I told them to please educate the original representative to not give erroneous reasons for flight change, otherwise I would never have consented to a flight change.
Whats been your experience? Similar? different?
I had a flight scheduled from XXX-XXX today as Platinum Medallion member, 1st on the upgrade list to first, and was told that there is a something wrong with the plane and that I needed to be rebooked to another airline. I assumed a mechanical and delay due to such mechanical and wasn't going to make my connection. I assumed the call was preemptive to find a different flight. I find out later, that they had an aircraft swap that was performed prior to them calling me, and the flight is overbooked due to 757 to a 767. The rationale to rebook me was erroneous.
I get a call at 7AM with the representative saying "there is something wrong with the plane", and asks if I want to be booked with HA flight, so I said yes.
I never received delay notifications from the Delta app, and this flight didn't appear to be delayed
I called a representative to ask if I can be book back to the original flight, and they said it was oversold. They researched this, an airplane swap was performed at 6AM without any mechanicals. I get the call at 7AM, to rebook me. I find out rest of the story after another call.
This is a work flight, so I took the other airline flight, and took $100 compensation. I told them to please educate the original representative to not give erroneous reasons for flight change, otherwise I would never have consented to a flight change.
Whats been your experience? Similar? different?
Aug 22, 2019, 3:39 pm
#2
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Equipment swaps happen, and I wouldn't think that any airline would swap a frame and boot 20-30 people off a full flight just for fun. Perhaps the scheduled 757 did in fact have a mechanical issue and the easiest solution was to swap in a 767 that was nearby and available?
Whatever the reason, DL did call in advance and offered you an alternative which you accepted. This is far better than having everyone show up at the airport and then trying to reaccommodate a couple dozen people on the spot, when perhaps there are fewer options left.
Whatever the reason, DL did call in advance and offered you an alternative which you accepted. This is far better than having everyone show up at the airport and then trying to reaccommodate a couple dozen people on the spot, when perhaps there are fewer options left.
Aug 22, 2019, 3:45 pm
#3
formerly wchinchen
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I agree swaps happen; the swap was due to a mechanical, but was rectified with the new aircraft swap. No mechanical after the swap. I was called after the swap without a mechanical. The flight is not delayed for any reason.
Just saying they should give the reason for the flight change as being overbooked for equipment swap rather than a mechanical. There is no mechanical at the time of the call.
Just saying they should give the reason for the flight change as being overbooked for equipment swap rather than a mechanical. There is no mechanical at the time of the call.
Aug 22, 2019, 3:58 pm
#4
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Sounds like this might be fallout from this:
DL 414 Rough Landing at PDL
As a result of a hard landing on Aug 18, 757 ship N543US is currently out of service. With DL down one ETOPS 757 during the summer peak, they're likely having to substitute aircraft for a couple of 757 flights each day.
DL 414 Rough Landing at PDL
As a result of a hard landing on Aug 18, 757 ship N543US is currently out of service. With DL down one ETOPS 757 during the summer peak, they're likely having to substitute aircraft for a couple of 757 flights each day.
Aug 22, 2019, 4:10 pm
#5
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I agree swaps happen; the swap was due to a mechanical, but was rectified with the new aircraft swap. No mechanical after the swap. I was called after the swap without a mechanical. The flight is not delayed for any reason.
Just saying they should give the reason for the flight change as being overbooked for equipment swap rather than a mechanical. There is no mechanical at the time of the call.
Just saying they should give the reason for the flight change as being overbooked for equipment swap rather than a mechanical. There is no mechanical at the time of the call.
Most customers don't really care about every changelog item in a flight history - they literally just want to know if the have a seat on the plane, if it will leave on time, and if it will operate safely.
From DL's perspective, one of these is much more efficient:
1. "There's been a mechanical issue that affected your flight, we'd like to rebook you and give you $100, if that's okay here's your new flight info."
2. "We had a mechanical issue on one of our aircraft a couple days ago and had to take it out of service, which affected the dozen or so flights that particular plane was supposed to operate. We have brought in substitute aircraft, but unfortunately only so many of that type of aircraft are available, and we had to move around some different equipment to cover all the flights that plane was supposed to be on. The end result is we needed to proactively sub in a different type of plane on your flight so we could still run the flight instead of cancelling it. And with all that movement, the new equipment has a few less seats. So, we'd like to rebook you and give you $100. If that's okay here's your new flight info."
Both are accurate, but #1 is easier for everyone involved.
Aug 22, 2019, 4:15 pm
#6
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I have twice gotten called from DL about switching flights long before takeoff.
Once was for a plane swap to smaller plane and once was for an oversell situation.
Didn’t bother me and appreciated DL being proactive. The compensation offer was an added bonus. $150 voucher both times.
Once was for a plane swap to smaller plane and once was for an oversell situation.
Didn’t bother me and appreciated DL being proactive. The compensation offer was an added bonus. $150 voucher both times.
Aug 22, 2019, 5:08 pm
#7
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While many 767s have less economy seats than the 753, all 767s have at least two more first class seats. And they’re lie-flat at that. As #1 on upgrade list, OP would have likely ended up in one of those post-swap. I think that is reason to feel aggrieved. I’m surprised that DL just didn’t move OP into one of the 2+ new FC seats proactively and not bother calling.
Aug 22, 2019, 5:25 pm
#8
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While many 767s have less economy seats than the 753, all 767s have at least two more first class seats. And they’re lie-flat at that. As #1 on upgrade list, OP would have likely ended up in one of those post-swap. I think that is reason to feel aggrieved. I’m surprised that DL just didn’t move OP into one of the 2+ new FC seats proactively and not bother calling.
The only issue revolves around the fact the the OP though he HAD to take some other flight. Without a cockpit recorder we will never know exactly what the agent said that led to the disconnect.
Aug 22, 2019, 5:27 pm
#9
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DL1887 SEA HNL. Would it really be that bad to put that in OP? 763 subbed in place of 753.
Not sure why the issue. DOT IDB rules have an exclusion when a smaller aircraft must be subbed in.
Not sure why the issue. DOT IDB rules have an exclusion when a smaller aircraft must be subbed in.
Aug 22, 2019, 10:27 pm
#10
formerly wchinchen
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Issue is the representative had data to show plane sub caused an over sold flight well prior to the call; but rather mentioned this data, mentioned it as a mechanical. Sure, a mechanical caused a plane swap, but is not the active issue for the call at the time.
I would have just kept my original Delta flight had I known it would have left at the original time irregardless of what seat I had.
Just warning other flyers that if they receive a call about changing a flight without an email or app notification, it may not be for the reason the agent is calling about. One would assume Delta would be calling for the correct reason, but they did not.
I have no no qualms about flying Delta, just calling out their erroneous reason to rebook an oversold flight as mechanical.
I would have just kept my original Delta flight had I known it would have left at the original time irregardless of what seat I had.
Just warning other flyers that if they receive a call about changing a flight without an email or app notification, it may not be for the reason the agent is calling about. One would assume Delta would be calling for the correct reason, but they did not.
I have no no qualms about flying Delta, just calling out their erroneous reason to rebook an oversold flight as mechanical.
Aug 22, 2019, 10:49 pm
#11
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Issue is the representative had data to show plane sub caused an over sold flight well prior to the call; but rather mentioned this data, mentioned it as a mechanical. Sure, a mechanical caused a plane swap, but is not the active issue for the call at the time.
I would have just kept my original Delta flight had I known it would have left at the original time irregardless of what seat I had.
Just warning other flyers that if they receive a call about changing a flight without an email or app notification, it may not be for the reason the agent is calling about. One would assume Delta would be calling for the correct reason, but they did not.
I have no no qualms about flying Delta, just calling out their erroneous reason to rebook an oversold flight as mechanical.
I would have just kept my original Delta flight had I known it would have left at the original time irregardless of what seat I had.
Just warning other flyers that if they receive a call about changing a flight without an email or app notification, it may not be for the reason the agent is calling about. One would assume Delta would be calling for the correct reason, but they did not.
I have no no qualms about flying Delta, just calling out their erroneous reason to rebook an oversold flight as mechanical.
You very well might not have been on that flight if you were chosen to be denied boarding.
Aug 23, 2019, 6:26 am
#12
Join Date: May 2017
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Granted, DL would have most likely treated it as any other oversale situation by soliciting customers due to the expenses being well-worth it to head off bad publicity of "removing a customer from an oversold flight without any compensation" even if they're legally allowed to do so. Bonus for them though is it doesn't affect their VDB or IDB stats with DOT. Arguably, they did treat it like any other oversale by proactively reaching out to OP (and presumably other customers) and accomodating them on OAL w/ voucher as well, which is far more than is required in this situation.
Aug 23, 2019, 8:23 am
#13
formerly wchinchen
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How did it make a difference? Your use of the term oversold makes it sound like you were hoping for VDB. As I've pointed out a swap to aircraft with less seats is a specific exclusion from needing to pay out.
You very well might not have been on that flight if you were chosen to be denied boarding.
You very well might not have been on that flight if you were chosen to be denied boarding.
Aug 23, 2019, 8:35 am
#14
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DL is just trying to rebook pax off the flight. They offered OP $100 to switch to the other flight and he took it. Does not matter where he was on the list.
The only issue revolves around the fact the the OP though he HAD to take some other flight. Without a cockpit recorder we will never know exactly what the agent said that led to the disconnect.
The only issue revolves around the fact the the OP though he HAD to take some other flight. Without a cockpit recorder we will never know exactly what the agent said that led to the disconnect.
Aug 23, 2019, 8:52 am
#15
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How did it make a difference? Your use of the term oversold makes it sound like you were hoping for VDB. As I've pointed out a swap to aircraft with less seats is a specific exclusion from needing to pay out.
You very well might not have been on that flight if you were chosen to be denied boarding.
You very well might not have been on that flight if you were chosen to be denied boarding.
As a GM, OP is extremely unlikely to ever be selected for an IDB.
As I understand the situation, the OP preferred the times of the original flight that was purchased and moreover, apparently apparently believes that he/she would have a very good chance of an upgrade if he/she had stayed on the original flight. [OTOH, being #1 on the upgrade well in advance of departure doesn't really mean much and I wouldn't expect a GM to have a good chance on any flight to HNL.] Thus, OP would have preferred to have clearly been given the choice to stay on the original flight (with the new aircraft type).
My impression is that what agents start making such calls to rebook people in advance, they're under some pressure to quickly get enough victims/volunteers to agree, so they might skip the details and give folks the impression that there's no choice. IMO if this is what happened, it's unethical.
As I understand the situation, the OP preferred the times of the original flight that was purchased and moreover, apparently apparently believes that he/she would have a very good chance of an upgrade if he/she had stayed on the original flight. [OTOH, being #1 on the upgrade well in advance of departure doesn't really mean much and I wouldn't expect a GM to have a good chance on any flight to HNL.] Thus, OP would have preferred to have clearly been given the choice to stay on the original flight (with the new aircraft type).
My impression is that what agents start making such calls to rebook people in advance, they're under some pressure to quickly get enough victims/volunteers to agree, so they might skip the details and give folks the impression that there's no choice. IMO if this is what happened, it's unethical.
