Changing KLM flight when using GUC
 

I booked and am confirmed into business on all legs using GUC. I booked direct through Delta several months ago. Flight is LAX-AMS-GOT and return.

There was a schedule change a while back that leaves me with a 7.5hr layover in AMS on my return. My flight GOT-AMS departs at 6:10AM. The KLM app shows a later flight departing at 9:45AM, which would be far preferable to me. I called Delta a couple of weeks ago to ask about changing to the 9:45 flight. I made it very clear that I didn’t want to make any change if it would remove the upgrade to business on the AMS-LAX leg. After looking, the agent offered to switch me to a noon departure from GOT. That would leave me with a connection tighter than I am comfortable with. I asked about the 9:45 flight and as she was looking, she said that flight wouldn’t be flying. It was a Saturday, so she said it would still show up on the app, but had been canceled. I told her not to change anything and ended the call.

now, two weeks later, I can still see the 9:45 flight that I wanted when I search via the KLM app. Should I call KLM…is it better to call Delta when a GUC is involved?

I found it takes a week or more for DL to get the schedule change into their system from KL. I had a KL flight cancel on KLM site and email fromKLM) but it showed in DL’s system and I couldn’t change until it was visible to the agent.

The flight I want to change to is available on the KLM site, not on DL’s site.

Could the agent be looking for the flight you want under a codeshare (DL) flight number? Not all intraEU KLM flights carry DL flight numbers, just the ones that will be more likely to be used as connections to/from DL flights. You could look up the flight number, not just the time, on the KLM website and try calling DL again, this time telling the agent the flight you want with the flight number rather than the time.

Are you looking on DL.com for the GOT-AMS segment only? If you search for it as a standalone intra-EU flight it will not show up on DL's site (it will tell you that DL does not operate flights between those cities). This is true even if the actual flight is a DL codeshare - the codeshare is only visible and can only be booked if combined with a TATL segment. If you search GOT-AMS-US, it should show up on DL.com if still a valid flight.

OP needs to be careful here. If the agent rebooks the entire ticket GOT-AMS-USA, this could cancel the GUC upgrade. DL in principle could force it, but I'm not sure they would easily be willing to do so if upgrade inventory isn't available.

I'm not sure whether OP is upgraded into EuroBusiness on GOT-AMS or even cares.

Agreed on being careful but the agent should be able to tell before rebooking if the GUC will stick or not (and then it is OP decision to say yes or no).

Personally, as long as the GUC sticks TATL, i'd happily take (if needed) the downgrade from "Eurobusiness" (which is a ridiculous name for what the product is).

I had a similar issue when the 9:45am GOT-AMS flight was actually cancelled and they moved me to the 6am, which I couldn't make. I had also applied GUCs, and the best solution for me at the time was to fly GOT-AMS the night before and overnight in AMS before my TATL to the US. The Delta agent was initially reluctant but I encouraged her to contact the AF/KLM partner desk. There wasn't any Z availability but they moved me on that short segment without any fuss (and just cautioned me I was on my own for the overnight hotel). I think the key is to get the Delta agent to connect with the partner desk, where they'll have more flexibility in fixing schedule change issues on KLM metal (and can presumably see all the KLM flights that Delta maybe cannot).

I haven’t been searching on DL’s site or app at all. I have been using the KLM app to look for available options. However, just now, I did do a quick search GOT-AMS-LAX and the 9:45 departure does show up as available.

To be clear, I don’t care about the business class on the GOT-AMS leg, though I am currently confirmed into business class on both legs. That being said, I made sure the agent understood that I did not want to make any changes that would cause me to lose the confirmed business class seat on the AMS-LAX leg.

At this point, I have to believe the agent I spoke to was wrong in stating that the 9:45am flight was being canceled. Sounds like I do need to work through delta on this and not call KLM directly?

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...eebead5ade.png

Well, looks like it’s all a moot point…I logged in to check again and now the AMS-LAX flight has reverted back to the original departure time. Taking the 9:45 out of GOT would only leave me with a 1.5hr layover in AMS. Doable, but in case of IROPS, could be an issue and I don’t want to get stuck overnight at AMS.

1.5 hrs should be plenty. You can use egates to exit (not enter) at AMS. Likely will have time to visit lounge. AMS nowadays generally is really easy.

<delete - apologies for bumping the wrong thread>