Flyer girl

I was flying to Berlin in Friday from JFK. The flight was full and they were looking for one volunteer. Initially, the offer was $600 and rebooking on the same flight the next day. No takers and the GA was walking around the passengers looking for a volunteer. Well, they changed it to $700 and rebooking to Frankfurt and then a connection to Berlin getting in 2 hours after the initial 6 AM arrival time. Well, that worked for me so I went to volunteer. There were two people ahead of me on line but by the time we got up there, the Frankfurt flight was gone and they were offering a Delta flight to Zurich and from there a Luftansa flight to Berlin getting in around 5 PM. The first two people couldn't do that so I got it although by the time I acutally got rebooked, the Zurich to Berlin flight was full so I was booked onto a later one that got in around 7:30 PM. I did get a $750 e-voucher as well as two meal coupons. I specifically asked if I would get my original miles since I was on a B fare and wanted my 1.5 MQM to Berlin. I was told yes, of course. I also asked if I would have a problem accessing the lounge at Zurich as I was planning on doing work during the layover. (Gold Medallion but paid Sky Club member). I was told no problem. Well, I did not realize but I was rebooked on a T fare and not a B fare. I asked 2 different Delta reps at the airport and was told not to worry about it since I had paid a B fare. Also, in Zurich, I was told at the Skyteam lounge that I needed to be flying out on Skyteam. Since I was flying out on Luftansa operated by Swiss Air, they told me to check at the Swiss Air lounge. Not likely to be successful considering I have no status there. The Swiss Air flight was however, very nice. So no lounge access. When I got to Berlin, I checked and I only got miles for the flight to Zurich as a T fare, so no 1.5 MQM.

On my return, I figured I should at least have access to the Berlin lounge as stated on the Sky Club website. Well, when I checked in and asked the Delta rep where the lounge was, she told me it was only for BE or Delta platinum, so again no lounge access!

Very disappointing!

jjglaze77

I don't know what to say about the lounge access issues, but regarding mileage credit: a simple e-mail to Delta requesting "Original Routing Credit" will do the trick. I am confused why you were rebooked in anything other than B (or perhaps Y), but in any case it should be no problem to get JFK-TXL in "B" posted to your account. Just ask.

Flyer girl

I have e-mailed Delta and got an automated response that due to the volume of e-mail, I should expect a response in 7 business days or less.

I am curious as to whether anyone with a Sky Club membership but not platinum and not flying BE has had success in accessing an international Skyteam lounge that is not operated by Delta. Either their webpage on Sky Club lounge access is inaccurate or they need to train their people better.

Thanks for your input.

ShopAround

I've been in the lounge in Berlin and believe me, you didn't miss anything. It's small, not much in the way of food or drink and no free internet access. Was hardly worth bothering with.

Flyer girl

Glad to know I did not miss much in the Berlin lounge. Unfortunately, not much to do elsewhere in the airport either.

MikeMpls

"B" is a coach fare despite being labeled a "business" fare. Although an occasional lounge dragon might be fooled, I'm not aware that it should get you into any lounges.

I definitely would take DL to task for rebooking you on a T fare and losing the extra 50% qualifying miles.

The lounges in both Zurich & Berlin are AF lounges. AF limits access to Skyteam departures only.

The lounge info on delta.com does seem to misrepresent this, unless they have an affiliate arrangement with the AF lounge.

I've used the lounge at TXL (Berlin Tegel) several times this year. Food/snack/drink/liquor selection is better than Sky Club, definitely better than what they've downgraded the WorldClubs to. Having the restrooms 4 levels down in the basement does stink (and they are pay toilets, too, although you can find non-pay restrooms closer to the gates).

ifette

On the other hand, the AF Salon in TXL does have a nice view out the window, and when I'm there (usually before the 6:05 KL1818) it's also very quiet and relaxing.

MikeMpls

Agreed. I'm looking forward to another (probably last) visit in late Oct.

davetravels

I've already been there 5 times this year! Did I see you? I'm also hoping to go back for an event on Oct 31, so maybe I'll have another chance to meet you then, however yesterday, I discovered an event that I'd like to attend in ZRH on Oct 30, so I may end up flying to ZRH then AirBerlin to TXL on Oct 31. I'm waiting for the fares to drop. Right now it's around $700ish. I was hoping the winter fares would be out!

Anyway, yes, the Berlin lounge isn't much, but, it is a quiet little haven for a few minutes of peace of mind before a long day of flying. Some drinks, cakes, gummie candies! They don't have Wifi, but they do have a couple of computers to use, if you can get them to work.

izmatron

Flyer Girl, if you want to prove your purchase of a B fare and Delta gives you the run-around, go back to the credit card you purchased the ticket with and the company should provide you with the Fare, routing information, and class of service for the ticket. You can then take that information to Delta as undisputable evidence and they will have to provide the appropriate mileage compensation.

Hope that helps.

Flyer girl

Thank you for all of your replies. To clarify, the B fare is a premium economy fare that should get me 1.5 MQMs. (It was the cheapest that was available when I booked 10 days from travel, although Q fare opened two days later for $1000 less, but 24 hours too late for a free cancellation.).

Regarding the 1.5 MQM's, I have not heard back yet, but I think I may need to e-mail Delta again and put in the original flight number for clarification.

I was expecting to get to the Berlin lounge based on my Sky Club membership and the fact that I was flying Delta back to the US, not based on my fare class, since the Berlin lounge was listed as accessible with a Sky Club membership.

http://www.delta.com/traveling_check...ions/index.jsp

Apparently, Delta does not go by the published lounge access page since this was the reply I got from Delta regarding lounge access:

Dear Flyer Girl,

Thank you for your e-mail to Delta Air Lines.

The lounge in Berlin is actually operated by Air France. To have access
to our partner lounges, the member must be flying on a SkyTeam flight,
and confirmed in First or Business Class. All SkyTeam Elite Plus members
may access any of Delta's Sky Clubs. Regardless of class of service,
these passengers can also use the SkyTeam lounges throughout the world
and may invite one guest to accompany them. SkyTeam Elite Plus members
for Delta are the Platinum members.

Sky Club information is available on our website at:
http://www.delta.com/traveling_check...wn_room_clubs/

For more information about SkyTeam lounges, please visit:
http://www.skyteam.com/EN/benefits/skyteam_lounges.jsp

Please accept our apology for the unfavorable impression you received in
this instance. We appreciate your selection of Delta and will always
consider it a privilege to be of service.

Sincerely,

Delta
Medallion Desk
www.delta.com

I suppose it was foolish of me to assume that the lounges listed under Sky Club member meant that I was allowed into those lounges.

MikeMpls

This is when you send their email back to them with some commentary: "Please read the information on your own web site. It specifically states that .... "

Have at 'em!

SeaClay007

I think you should email (or better yet, call) Delta Customer Care again about the lounge access on your return from Germany.

The DL website clearly shows that SC members have access to the Berlin AF lounge regardless of fare. You should have been welcomed there.

I also think you should reference the email from DL and ask that the person who sent it to you have their error pointed out to them and be given the correct information so that he/she can better serve their customers going forward.

buckwirth

This would be the key portion of the Sky Club page to quote back at them:

Specific Air France, KLM and Aeromexico operated lounges (noted above when Delta Sky Club member is selected as the customer type) permit access to Delta Sky Club members, as long as that member is traveling on a same day SkyTeam international flight or on a SkyTeam domestic flight connecting to/from a same-day international flight operated by SkyTeam. (This includes same day travel on a Delta domestic flight connecting to a Delta—or any other SkyTeam partner—international flight.)



It seems that the Medallion desk assumed you were not a Sky Club member...

Flyer girl

Mike, you would think it would be that easy and logical, but I don't have high hopes for it. Read on.

I did write back and referred him back to the same website that he referenced for me. I have not heard back from him yet. However, I did call the Medallion desk tonight to see if a live person would be more reasonable. The person who answered agreed that booking me on T class should never have happened and said that she would put a notation in the record and that I should hopefully see the additional MQM's in 3-4 days. I then asked her about the lounge access in Zurich and Berlin. She agreed that lounge access is only for BE and Platinum members if it is not a Delta operated lounge. I pointed out to her the website and that Berlin was listed as a lounge I should have been able to access as a Sky Club member. I also pointed out that it stated that certain Air France lounges are accessible to Sky Club members. I told her that since the BE and Platinum lounge page lists more lounges, I would think that the fact that Berlin is listed under Sky Club member meant that I would have gotten access as a Sky Club member flying on Delta to the US. She agreed that one would think so (exact words!) from looking at the site, but no, it is only for BE and platinums! I told her that if that is the case, they need to correct and update the site. She stated that was not the only error on the site and that there is at least one other lounge listed that doesn't even exist. She was very pleasant when she informed me of all this. So apparently, according to her, the Delta representative in Berlin was correct, and the Delta website is incorrect.

I have given up on international lounge access with my Sky Club membership. Had I known all this last week when I purchased my ticket to Paris for vacation next month, I would have just gone with the cheapest fare on a major carrier instead of making sure that I was on Delta so I would have access to the one Air France lounge listed on Sky Club member website. Oh well, live and learn. I do, however, intend to get the missing MQM's that I am due.