sydneyracquelle

I buy the flight I want immediately. Then I call in and ask for a refund and the booked flight as an even exchange.

kavok

Here is the thing with Customer Service and Phone Agents…

Historically DL has not needed to staff as many of them because DL’s operation was far more reliable. Generally speaking, minimal operational issues = far less need for people to speak to an agent. The fact that meltdowns have become a way more commonplace means more agents are needed now than at any point in recent times.

So while the number of agents may be closer now to what there was in 2019 (albeit there are far more junior agents now), there is also far more utilization of those agents in 2022 than in 2019.

And from a business standpoint, Delta has to decide if hiring more agents is worth it. Because if DL can eventually get their operational house in order, than theoretically the customer demand for agent help would in theory go down.

rbain

Been waiting on a call back for 1.5 hours as a platinum. Yvr to Rdu via Sea paid first. 4 of us. Moved to westjet YVR to Las then delta Las to Rdu. Was landing at rdu 11PM tomorrow. Now landing 6AM Tuesday and all seats have been bumped to coach... Text agent no help whatsoever. This is going to be a fun summer of travel

unitedbusiness

so you buy a last minute, possibly high priced ticket in order to secure a seat on your preferable new flight….
and get your presumably lower priced original ticket that had an IRROP refunded ?
that’s a new strategy I’ve never heard

Yellowjj

From my reading of it; she buys the last minute ticket and then calls and gets the IRROPS ticket even exchanged for the new one, while letting the agent cancel and refund back the new one simultaneously.

KDCAflyer

No the original fare would stand and the newly purchased ticket in the same class of service would be refunded. I almost did that a few weeks ago but the SkyClub agent was able to get everything fixed.

sydneyracquelle

I get the expensive last-seat-on-the-plane ticket refunded and that seat even exchanged to my old irops pnr. So my credit card statement shows a same-day $700 debit and credit. But I secure that last seat at $0 additional cost.

spongenotbob

Great option but I wonder how reliable this is? Also, what if you can’t get through in time and actually fly the full-fare walk-up ticket?

BamaGirl

I wonder if DL would do the same if you had purchased a seat on another carrier. Anyone have any experience with that?

lindros2

short answer - “not any more”

Justin026

I’ve done full fare last minute parallel bookings during service meltdowns several times, when the lines and the phones look hopeless. Delta has always refunded them. In the end, you fix it when going by the boarding pass scanner — they have to fix it then.

My suggestion is to get a printed BP when there is even a HINT of schedule or weather trouble for a flight. Then when you board an alternate flight you have the printed BP for your original trip and the parallel booking on your phone, so the agents can see both at once. (Also helps to show what seat you had when they suddenly reseat you or there is a mystery seat duplication or the flight attendant starts moving people around on a delayed flight before it is scrubbed and you all deplane.) And if you are in a gate area or sitting on a delayed plane, plug in immediately — have had situations where I am using the last 2% of charge trying to stay on hold or check status, rebook, whatever.

ryandc99

The pilots have published a letter of no confidence in management. Quite interesting 🤔

https://dal.alpa.org/Portals/1/Docum...Letter-BOD.pdf

spongenotbob

Strong words. Let’s see where this goes.

BenA

Another “ordinary seasonal” development out of Delta this Q2.

It’s clear that the senior leadership team drastically underestimated the return of demand, training/staffing levels, and the amount of continued impact COVID illnesses would have on the summer operation.

I think the situation has deteriorated to the point where some accountability is appropriate.

KDCAflyer

That letter is scathing.

I'm on the pilots' side if they decide that sterner measures are needed. I don't see this management team taking any responsibility or admitting fault. If the pilots need to walk off to prove the point, so be it.