I was booked on a Europe to US flight today in Premium select. It was a cash fare. Due to an equipment change, the aircraft didn�t have Premium Select, and Comfort+ was full so I was put in Economy. Not exactly happy. But, not much I could do.

I understand that there should be a fare difference refund. And, probably some other compensation offer.

I know they will try to make this work in a manner that works best for them. Anyone have experience with this and have any suggestions as to what I should ask for? Either by experience or any specific EU clauses that might be in play?

There was no impact to schedule.

Thanks.

 

USA DOT would require a refund of the fare difference, which should be based on the cheapest "main cabin experience" ticket DL was selling on the day you bought your ticket (assuming you have a discounted PS ticket, not FULL/nonrefundable fare).

However, since it was a flight FROM the EU, EC 261 also applies and you are owed 75% of the fare for the downgraded segment. There's a huge and authoritative sticky thread on EC 261 rules in the BA forum here on FT. IIRC the number of cabins of the downgrade doesn't matter and C+ is considered coach for EC 261 purposes.

Obviously you can pick one of these methods, not request both.

Were you given the option to be rebooked in PS on another flight or a different day? DL should have been willing to do this. When did you learn of the aircraft change and resulting downgrade?

 

In addition to what MSPeconomist laid out, you should probably push DL to give you some sort of mileage compensation as well.

 

There's also a DL EC261 thread: Regulation (EC) 261/2004 Delayed flight - Delta Air Lines Definitive Thread

 

That would be a customer service gesture, not compensation. Don't use the word compensation when asking.

 

I found out about 90 minutes before boarding at the KLM lounge. No rebooking options were offered.

 

That's in line with how European carriers tend to handle these situations, although from AMS there should have been alternative routings back to the USA (and maybe a delayed arrival, which can also result in EC 261 claims). Airlines like BA/AF/LH seem to prefer to downgrade someone from IFC to coach, rather than downgrading one passenger from IFC to business class, and someone else from business class to premium economy, and still someone else from premium economy to coach. They'd rather have one unhappy customer than three, and one EC 261 payment requirement.

 

While sucky, it's a better from a CS perspective. As you note 1 unhappy passenger instead of 2 or 3.

 

I was downgraded to coach from bizclass on DL LHR-JFK when a group of NFL referees and other officials boarded.

I was actually seated and enjoying a preflight nip when a VS rep boarded (DL has no local staff since they co-own VS) who informed me that I had been bumped.

Never happened to me before, but then again I�ve had several things happen to me at LHR that never happened to me before (or since).

All sorts of complications: My company was due the $100 or so UK bizclass seat tax plus fare difference. Meanwhile I refused to move until I was promised an entire middle row so that all 6�8� of me could sleep the entire flight. Plus 5,000 Skymiles plus a systemwide upgrade.

The whole process took maybe 20 minutes and two or three VS agents in the phone to ATL to negotiate.

I slept the entire flight and never knew the difference. No complaints.

 

Why did you even accept the downgrade?

 

Either this is becoming more widely reported/posted about on FT or this overbooking the D1 cabin or Premium cabin and downgrading passengers is becoming the norm for DL.

I was recently called just over a week ago and informed I was involuntarily downgraded from D1 to Y about 3 weeks ahead of my flight. Most alternate options were sold out and the only one that DL could rebook me on was a less than desirable option with a way shorter flight in D1 but the only option in which I could keep D1 and instead of getting home mid-morning, I'm now departing 4-5 hours later and getting home about 5-6 hours later. I was offered no compensation after switching to the new flights. I did write in the following day and am still waiting on a response to see if DL will offer any compensation (miles or voucher).

 

I am curious if this is happening agnostically or if status plays into these actions. Are there Platinums/Diamonds getting bumped? o

If they are bumping everyone and using fare as a criteria that is ominous. Status is supposed to insulate from this type of behavior and it likely indicates that DL is indeed going revenue based on its decisions.

 

In my case, I�m a PM and my wife is a GM. We were on a ticket booked with miles so I�m not sure if that was the factor that made us the low-passengers on the totem pole. But our PM/GM status didn�t keep us from being the ones who got involuntarily downgraded.

 

I'm honestly not sure what the official rules are (IIRC the DOT doesn't care in the slightest about premium cabin pax), but I would at least file a DOT complaint even if it's a dead end - openly refusing to honor a ticket instead of soliciting volunteers is simply absurd.

 

I would have refused the downgrade and ask to be rebooked. This is ridiculous. I don't know of any law that requires airlines to give priority to sports referees.

New laws need to be passed to make it as expensive and inconvenient as possible for airlines to engage in this behavior.

Downgrades should always be done by asking for volunteers. I' m sure DL would have found someone if you offer enough money. You will get volunteers for a $ 10000 voucher.

If it doesn't work then airlines should be required to downgrade based on reverse order.. last in first out, with the downgrade being treated as IDB, that is payable at 4� the fare difference. Also, at the passenger's sole discretion airlines should be required to reroute on the airline of the passenger' s choice regardless of cost.