Billy Mumphrey

I got a call that my BWI-ATL-MHH round-trip for next year was cancelled today. Delta decided to discontinue the ATL-MHH route. The agent said my only options were to obtain a refund or fly to NAS instead. She said Delta would waive any change fees to NAS (gee thanks, you'll let me switch to flights to the wrong island, which cost about half as much, and you'll waive the change fee?). I looked into tickets on other airlines and unfortunately they are now much more expensive. If I cancel my trip I will have to pay cancellation fees for lodging.

Is Delta's only obligation to provide a refund? Would you ask for compensation (vouchers) to help offset the increased cost of new flights? Or would they ever book passengers to their ticketed destination on another airline? I assume I'm basically stuck just paying more for the flights on another airline, but curious what others would ask for in this situation.

TTT

Advanced schedule changes only require an alternative option (NAS in this case) or a refund. You are not due any additional compensation and they wont book on another airline this far out.

Can you take the refund, rebook to NAS and then arrange your own transportation from NAS to MHH? Looks like Bahamasair provides non-stop service.

Billy Mumphrey

I could take the refund and rebook on another airline all the way to MHH, but that will cost me about $1000 all-in.

Just sucks that when I cancel in advance it costs me $200. When the airline does the same there's no penalty.

Do you think it's worth asking if they'll book me to another destination in the Caribbean or am I stuck with NAS?

LoganFlyer

It's certainly worth asking. My gut instinct is that they'll say no, especially if your new destination isn't close to Marsh Harbour, but you have nothing to lose by asking. Of course, make sure you check the price to buy a ticket from BWI to whichever other Caribbean destination you're thinking of--if it's less than what you paid for BWI-ATL-MHH, then you should just take the refund and buy the ticket yourself from BWI to your new destination.

hi55us

I find that Delta is very flexible in these situations and would probably be willing to rebook to STI or another island since it seems you're upset with NAS. I would also ask if they would book you on United or American, since Delta does have arrangements with those airlines that possibly could be used in this situation.

Also realize the area has recently been hit by a horrible hurricane, I think this was behind Delta's decision to cancel the route. Unfortunately airlines change schedules/eliminate airports every so often, but in the case of Delta they're usually nice at rescheduling to a more reasonable option.

TTT

It's frustrating for sure.

You might try seeing if they will rebook to MHH via NAS and Bahamasair. It looks like they have an interline agreement.

Weekend Away

I've only encountered this once, ATL-JFK-YQB. They rebooked me via YYZ but I got to Quebec 16 hours later and left 12 hours earlier, which stole two days from my trip. I found an alternate routing via YUL that normally isn't legal, but I called and HUCA'd once, and they were able to make it happen. I was still on WS for the Canadian legs, but Delta was flexible.

I'd push, and HUCA until you get it, to be rerouted onto AA. If they absolutely will not do that, ask about rereouting onto BahamasAir as TTT mentioned. That'd require a double connect and take longer, but maybe they'd get you there. IF both of those fail, then ask to go to NAS or refund and ask for DL to cover the cancellation fees of your hotel. While I haven't needed to do that, and I haven't read of others doing that, DL seems pretty flexible.

The card you booked on, does this have trip insurance? If it does, I feel like this would qualify as a reason to have them cover the cancellation fees of the hotel.

Just a bunch of random thoughts on things to try.

Good luck!

Billy Mumphrey

Great thoughts here. Will look into the credit card travel insurance for sure. I'll try pushing for the AA option or Bahamas Air from NAS. Seems remote but worth a shot anyway.

MSPeconomist

Are there any airports served by DL within 300 miles that would have a cheap flight to MHH since you seem to be saying that it will be very expensive to fly from NAS to MHH?

Often1

It is perfectly fair to ask DL to rebook with a connection to an interline carrier at NAS. No obligation on DL's part, but they might do it.

The key is to be proactive. Don't call DL and ask what can be done. Instead, call and propose the specific flights on which you wish to be rebooked.

Standard CC travel interruption coverage is unlikely to do anything for a route cancellation, but it is worth reading the policy -- not the brochure -- carefully.

TTT

Looks like the options are (not all flights are year round or daily):

• Silver Airways from FLL (~125/each way)
• Silver Airways from MCO ($125/each way)
• American from MIA (~105/each way)
• Western Air from NAS (~$95/each way)
• Bahamasair from NAS ($110/each way)
• Bahamasair from PBI ($175/each way)

OP, if you have Avios (or Amex Membership Rewards to transfer to BA), it might be worth looking at the AA option and use Avios points.

luv2vacay

Good luck on the travel insurance part. I've only found one policy that specifically covers this reason as a "covered reason". Since travel has not yet begun, you'll probably be held to the confines of "trip cancellation" and the covered reasons therein. If you find a policy that covers when the airline cancels the service, let me know. Typically only carrier default (ie: bankruptcy) will be a "carrier" covered reason under "trip cancellation".

Now, supposedly if you had *begun* travel, then the travel delay, etc. would've kicked in.

Weekend Away

Wholeheartedly agree. Delta sold me a ticket, charged my card, gave me an eticket and then a week later canceled it. It was, sorta, an error fare, but still seems like BS that they're allowed to cancel tickets whenever they want penalty free.

Great call out, you're 100% correct. When I called to get rebooked I had chosen all of the flights I wanted, had the airports ready, flight numbers, departure and arrival times handy. I spoon fed the information to the agent to make things easier on them.

ijgordon

Demand DL pay you a $200 fee if they won’t get you to your ticketed destination. Seriously.
I don’t think the Conditions of Carriage let DL unilaterally back out of their obligation to fulfill the terms of your agreement with them. I’d read it carefully.

TTT

The CoC is pretty unilaterally in Delta's favor.

https://www.delta.com/us/en/legal/co...age-igr#rule27