Award Ticket Success - Post It Here
Dec 3, 2005, 12:09 am
#136
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: So Fla & NYC
Programs: DL DM/2MM, UA MM, BV LT Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 23,766
The kind of thing that helps put DL in the hole they are now in
As I mentioned earlier in this thread, I did not have a lot of trouble reserving two BE tickets JFK-TXL-JFK for mid-March using the old Frequent Flyer Miles' M4 award (140K for the two).
When I called to ticket this res, the agents that I talked to screwed around with this thing for about a half hour and then came back to me that since it was for two pax on one award, I would need to ticket it at a DL counter.
It sounded OK to me because I am accustomed to needing to get paper tickets if I have a partner award on a Star Alliance carrier, so I figured out how to leave a little extra time before my flight home from SDF last night so that I could stop at the DL counter which is very centrally and conveniently located there.
Now comes the part that is hard to believe. The agent at SDF know exactly what I needed but had never issued a ticket using the old miles and needed to call ATL in order to get the proper codes, etc. When he called, they put him on hold for about 20 minutes and then he got somebody who spent about 30 minutes giving him detailed instructions which he followed diligently but which completely failed to allow him to issue the tickets.
So the Dodo in ATL finds somebody to hand him off to. This person immediately told him what Dodo had done wrong and informed him that it was a series of errors that were extremely complicated to correct. But correct it she did in the lightning quick time of 25 minutes (and I thought that USAir was a pain in the butt with the 20 minutes it usually took for them to issue the *A paper tickets).
Add it up and you'll see that DL had its agents tied up for more than an hour and a quarter (and I'm not even bothering to count the two on the phone the week before) issuing some free tickets and what is even more bizarre, they were not the paper tickets that I was expecting but merely E-ticket receipts showing the mileage deducted and the (very reasonable) $56 in taxes and fees that I needed to pay for each passenger.
If they didn't need to issue paper flight coupons, my question is why could they not have done this over the phone and saved themselves and me lots of time? Very sad and not really a good signal being sent for the survival of this company.
When I called to ticket this res, the agents that I talked to screwed around with this thing for about a half hour and then came back to me that since it was for two pax on one award, I would need to ticket it at a DL counter.
It sounded OK to me because I am accustomed to needing to get paper tickets if I have a partner award on a Star Alliance carrier, so I figured out how to leave a little extra time before my flight home from SDF last night so that I could stop at the DL counter which is very centrally and conveniently located there.
Now comes the part that is hard to believe. The agent at SDF know exactly what I needed but had never issued a ticket using the old miles and needed to call ATL in order to get the proper codes, etc. When he called, they put him on hold for about 20 minutes and then he got somebody who spent about 30 minutes giving him detailed instructions which he followed diligently but which completely failed to allow him to issue the tickets.
So the Dodo in ATL finds somebody to hand him off to. This person immediately told him what Dodo had done wrong and informed him that it was a series of errors that were extremely complicated to correct. But correct it she did in the lightning quick time of 25 minutes (and I thought that USAir was a pain in the butt with the 20 minutes it usually took for them to issue the *A paper tickets).
Add it up and you'll see that DL had its agents tied up for more than an hour and a quarter (and I'm not even bothering to count the two on the phone the week before) issuing some free tickets and what is even more bizarre, they were not the paper tickets that I was expecting but merely E-ticket receipts showing the mileage deducted and the (very reasonable) $56 in taxes and fees that I needed to pay for each passenger.
If they didn't need to issue paper flight coupons, my question is why could they not have done this over the phone and saved themselves and me lots of time? Very sad and not really a good signal being sent for the survival of this company.
Dec 3, 2005, 6:24 am
#137
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: louisville,ky usa
Programs: Delta Platinum, HH Diamond, , AA Gold, Bonvoy Titaniu
Posts: 619
In a bit of a rush to burn up 400,000 old FF miles, I spent an 1.2 hours on the phone and held itineraries for the following:
2 FC from SDF-Bermuda 2/7/06-2/13/06 total 50,000
5 EC from SDF-HNL 3/12-3/22 total 125,000
4 EC from SDF-CDG 4/24-5/22 total 200,000
We will not be able to take the time for all three of these trips-- We will weed one out in the next week or so.
As far as I could get from the agents I spoke to, there was no FC availability to Hawaii or Paris at any time from Feb-Sept. at the old ff milage rates.
2 FC from SDF-Bermuda 2/7/06-2/13/06 total 50,000
5 EC from SDF-HNL 3/12-3/22 total 125,000
4 EC from SDF-CDG 4/24-5/22 total 200,000
We will not be able to take the time for all three of these trips-- We will weed one out in the next week or so.
As far as I could get from the agents I spoke to, there was no FC availability to Hawaii or Paris at any time from Feb-Sept. at the old ff milage rates.
Dec 3, 2005, 8:25 am
#138
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: MIA
Programs: Retired :)
Posts: 10,940
I went onto DL.com last night to see availability for TXL in case I want to go to the Do being planned in March. I was able to put a 2 week hold on BE SkySaver seats JFK-TXL on the exact dates I requested.
Dec 7, 2005, 2:47 am
#139
Ambassador: Thai Airways
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Bangkok
Programs: UA 1k, TG Gold, LT Bonvoy Titanium, Hyatt Globalist, Hilton Diamond, IHG Diamond Ambassador
Posts: 1,034
Originally Posted by kiam
Reserved this 2 weeks ago....120K miles required. Booked with Delta. 1st preference on all dates.
Fri 23DEC Korean Air 654 BKK-ICN (Business Class)
Fri 23DEC Korean Air 1 ICN-LAX (Business Class)
Fri 30DEC Delta 480 LAX-ATL (Business Class)
Fri 30DEC Delta 600 ATL-BWI (Business Class)
Sat 07JAN Korean Air 94 IAD-ICN (Business Class)
Sun 08JAN Korean Air 653 ICN-BKK (Business Class)
Have the privilege of having the tickets issued one month before departure.
Fri 23DEC Korean Air 654 BKK-ICN (Business Class)
Fri 23DEC Korean Air 1 ICN-LAX (Business Class)
Fri 30DEC Delta 480 LAX-ATL (Business Class)
Fri 30DEC Delta 600 ATL-BWI (Business Class)
Sat 07JAN Korean Air 94 IAD-ICN (Business Class)
Sun 08JAN Korean Air 653 ICN-BKK (Business Class)
Have the privilege of having the tickets issued one month before departure.
). Ticket got issued today.Fri 23DEC Korean Air 654 BKK-ICN (Business Class)
Fri 23DEC Korean Air 1 ICN-LAX (Business Class)
Thu 05JAN Korean Air 24 SFO-ICN (ECONOMY Class) - Waitlist for BUSINESS (will pay for 50 USD change fee once it is confirmed)
Fri 06JAN Korean Air 8659 ICN-BKK (Business Class)
Dec 7, 2005, 12:16 pm
#142
Moderator: Mileage Run, InterContinental Hotels
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 5,918
Burned 480,000 miles on partner awards. Very surprised to be able to get excatly the dates I had hoped for. Good job, Delta!
MUC-CDG-HKG-stopover-NRT-CDG-MUC AF Business (2 tickets)
SEA-ICN-BKK-stopover-BKK-ICN-SEA KE Business (2 tickets)
MUC-CDG-HKG-stopover-NRT-CDG-MUC AF Business (2 tickets)
SEA-ICN-BKK-stopover-BKK-ICN-SEA KE Business (2 tickets)
Dec 9, 2005, 6:52 am
#143
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Atlanta & San Francisco
Programs: DL 2MM DM & My Wife is a DL 3MM DM
Posts: 2,784
Just scored two FC (coach was also available) ATL/SFO for the exact flights and dates we were trying to get for travel next fall. This was for my wife's sister and her husband, neither of whom are medallion level flyers. ^
Also, last night my wife was able to use PMUs to upgrade a YBM fare for this coming June on an ATL/LGW itinerary. She was locked into specific travel dates and still able to get what she wanted. ^
Also, last night my wife was able to use PMUs to upgrade a YBM fare for this coming June on an ATL/LGW itinerary. She was locked into specific travel dates and still able to get what she wanted. ^
Last edited by atl runner; Dec 9, 2005 at 6:54 am
Dec 14, 2005, 11:38 pm
#144
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Lafayette, CO, USA
Programs: SPG Lifetime Plat, AA Gold, UA Gold, DL Silver, HH Gold, Vail Epic
Posts: 9,096
SkySavers booked on DL metal:
2 coach GSP-ATL-SJD (Los Cabos) 1/15-1/21/06 (Sunday - Saturday)
2 coach CAE-ATL-UVF (St Lucia) 10/26-10/31/06 (Thurs - Tues)
I've seen lots of availability throughout the year on this route to St Lucia.
I'm not having much luck finding a two-segment SkySaver to SLC from South Carolina for the days that I want in March, though. Will probably just wait for a fare sale to buy that ticket.
2 coach GSP-ATL-SJD (Los Cabos) 1/15-1/21/06 (Sunday - Saturday)
2 coach CAE-ATL-UVF (St Lucia) 10/26-10/31/06 (Thurs - Tues)
I've seen lots of availability throughout the year on this route to St Lucia.
I'm not having much luck finding a two-segment SkySaver to SLC from South Carolina for the days that I want in March, though. Will probably just wait for a fare sale to buy that ticket.
Dec 15, 2005, 9:11 am
#146
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Fairfax County, VA
Posts: 53
4 skysaver ABQ-SLC-HNL on Delta for Oct 06. I did it using the partner award desk.....
What happens if Delta goes under? Since I am ticketed and have paid all my taxes and fees etc would I be given tickets on another airline for the same dates?
What happens if Delta goes under? Since I am ticketed and have paid all my taxes and fees etc would I be given tickets on another airline for the same dates?
Dec 15, 2005, 10:05 am
#148
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Lafayette, CO, USA
Programs: SPG Lifetime Plat, AA Gold, UA Gold, DL Silver, HH Gold, Vail Epic
Posts: 9,096
Originally Posted by vinnmann
SJD should be a nice break in January. There should be plenty of sun and umbrella drinks. I am guessing that SLC in March can be difficult due to the skiers on spring break.
with SLC-OGG.Nonetheless, flights from CAE to SLC can often be found for under $300 during a sale. Current best price of $303 (T fare) is available on my desired travel dates, but the outbound has a 4 hour layover and the return time is later than I'd desire.
And of course, delta.com did not let me see those later flight times unless I explicitly asked for that later range.
Instead, I used travelocity.com to find that better price. Why doesn't delta.com let you search the entire day at once??? Why the limiting 8-hour ranges? (Rhetorical questions.)
