Clear Cut Q&A Explaining the New Changes (Internal Publication)
 

Ticketing Policy Changes
Questions and Answers
September 5, 2002

Q1. What’s different about Delta’s ticketing policies now?

Nonrefundability rules

Here’s the new:

Effective Sept. 5, 2002 – Effective for tickets purchased on or after Sept. 5, 2002, for travel beginning Oct. 1, 2002, Delta’s nonrefundable fares must be used for the flights ticketed, except in cases where customers either:
• pay certain fees to change their itinerary prior to date of departure, or
• pay to standby on the same day of travel.

Customers may make changes to their itinerary prior to departure date, subject to applicable change fees and some restrictions. Delta’s ticket change fees remain the same*. After the departure date, tickets for nonrefundable fares will have no value and cannot be changed or used for any other purpose.

*Changes to nonrefundable tickets prior to departure date are still subject to an administrative service charge (ASC) of:
• Mainline $100 domestic
• Delta Express $50
• Delta Shuttle $100*
* Effective immediately, Delta Shuttle is increasing its ASC from $75 to $100. Delta and Delta Express are not changing their fees.

This new policy applies for travel in the 50 United States and Canada on Delta, Delta Shuttle, Delta Express and the Delta Connection carriers.


Here’s the old:
For tickets purchased before Sept. 5, 2002 – Tickets for nonrefundable fares not used for the flights ticketed were valid for one year from date of purchase. All travel had to be completed by validity date of the ticket.
If not used as ticketed, a domestic nonrefundable ticket could be applied toward the purchase of any Delta fare in the domestic or international system. Tickets could be processed at a Delta ticket office or by a travel agency who originally issued the ticket for up to one year. Passenger had to have confirmed reservations for future travel prior to the reissuance of the ticket. A passenger could reissue the ticket at anytime (before or after original travel dates on ticket) as long as the ticket was within the one year validity date.


Changes to nonrefundable tickets prior to departure were subject to an administrative service charge (ASC) of:
• Mainline $100 domestic
• Delta Express $50
• Delta Shuttle $100*
* Delta Shuttle is increasing its ASC from $75 to $100. Delta and Delta Express are not changing their fees.

Standby rules

Here’s the new:

Effective for tickets purchased on or after Sept. 5, 2002, for travel beginning Jan. 1, 2003 -- Delta will allow customers traveling on most restricted fares to standby for a different flight on the same day of travel for a fee of $100, except Delta Express, which will charge a fee of $50. Effective immediately, Delta Shuttle will charge a fee of $100 to standby on restricted fares from an off-peak* flight to a peak* flight or from a peak to a peak flight. There will be no charge on Delta Shuttle for standby travel on any unrestricted fare, or for standby travel from off-peak to off-peak flights on any fare type.

*Delta Shuttle peak flights operate between 6:00 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. and between 3:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and between 2:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. on Sunday.

Tickets purchased for travel before Jan. 1, 2003, allow same day standby travel (outbound or return), regardless of fare type. Standby is permitted for any earlier or later same-day flight at no additional cost. ASC fee does not apply.

Here’s the old:
For tickets purchased before Sept. 5, 2002 – Customers traveling on most fares will be able to standby for travel on the same day of their ticketed flight at no charge, even if travel occurs after Jan. 1, 2003.

Same day standby travel (outbound or return): Any passenger, regardless of fare type, could standby for any earlier or later same day flight at no additional cost. ASC did not apply.

Different day standby travel was prohibited.

Q2. What if a customer traveling on a restricted ticket does not travel on the flight ticketed and does not change the ticket before departure date or pay to standby on a different flight?

After the departure date, tickets for nonrefundable fares not used for the flight ticketed (or changed prior to departure date) will have no value.
Q3. Why has Delta made these changes to its ticketing policies?

Delta has introduced several new policies to more closely align its ticketing policies to the value customers realize as they purchase different fares.

The new policies allow Delta to continue to offer the low fares we know our customers want, while rewarding customers who expect added benefits and flexibility in exchange for their willingness to pay a higher fare.

The new policies also allow Delta to cover the costs associated with customers who don’t show up for flights, while giving customers who are willing to pay a fee, the flexibility to standby on a different flight the same day of their reservations.

Q4. Where do the new policies apply?

This new policies apply for travel in the 50 United States and Canada.

Q5. Can customers still change their ticket prior to the date of departure?

Yes, customers may make changes to their itinerary prior to date of departure, subject to payment of change fees and some restrictions.
Changes to nonrefundable tickets prior to departure are subject to an administrative service charge (ASC) of:
• Mainline $100 domestic
• Delta Express $50
• Delta Shuttle $100*
* Effective immediately, Delta Shuttle is increasing its ASC from $75 to $100. Delta and Delta Express are not changing their fees.


Q6. Customers have to pay to standby on the same day of travel beginning January 1, 2003? Why?

Yes, Delta will allow customers traveling on restricted fares to standby for a different flight on the same day of travel for a fee of $100, except Delta Express, which will charge a fee of $50. However effective immediately, Delta Shuttle will charge a fee of $100 to standby on restricted fares from an off-peak* flight to a peak* flight or from a peak to a peak flight. There will be no charge on Delta Shuttle for standby travel on any unrestricted fare, or for standby travel from off-peak to off-peak flights on any fare type.

The new standby policy applies for tickets purchased beginning Sept. 5, 2002, for travel beginning Jan. 1, 2003, expect Delta Shuttle which is effective immediately.

Most of our customers travel as ticketed and will not be impacted by these changes. The only customers affected will be those who do not use tickets for the flight ticketed. The new policy allows Delta to cover the costs associated with customers who want the flexibility to standby on a different flight the same day of their reservations.


------------------
I'm only here trying to shed light on DL issues brought up on this board. I do work for Delta, but I don't represent DL's final word when answering a question. Please e-mail Customer Care with your questions. www.delta.com/email

[This message has been edited by UnofficialDLHelper (edited 09-05-2002).]

The message you have posted here (not your post, the actual message) is actually wrong. It refers to making changes "before the date of departure." Actually, if you read the rules, the change can be made "on the date of departure."

It is annoying that they go to the effort of writing a Q&A and give misleading information to their agents.

The memo doesn't even mention the October 1 start date for the use-it-or-lose-it rule and change fee. You can buy now, fly before then with no new penalties.

If UA holds the line and CO waives standby fees for its elites, solidarity will be tested and the airlines will locate the reverse thrusters.

I'm especially fond of this: "The new policies also allow Delta to cover the costs associated with customers who don’t show up for flights, while giving customers who are willing to pay a fee, the flexibility to standby on a different flight the same day of their reservations."

It's not a revenue grab..it's inventory management and this way we'll all be home for dinner.

Under these new rules, is "departure date" the date of the first leg of a ticket, or is it the date of any individual leg? For example, if you are on a roundtrip ticket flying leg 1 on October 1 and leg 2 on October 10, and after departing per schedule on October 1 you decide you want to come back on October 9 instead, will this change still be allowed (by paying the change fee)? The wording gets a little tricky here, because "after the departure date" you can't do anything with regard to changes other than stand by on the same day that travel was booked (by paying the $100 standby fee).

If "after the departure date" means any date after the date of the first leg of the ticket, then it sounds like the return leg of a roundtrip ticket must be on the date booked and changing the return date of a ticket won't be allowed any longer.

I may be being too picky here (and a bit paranoid), but I'm concerned that the only way to change a ticket (by paying the $100 change fee) is to change it before any leg is flown, and that beyond that the only option for a variance will be standing by for a different flight on the same day that travel was originally booked, but never ever being able to actually change a return date once travel has commenced. Perhaps everyone else has already recognized this as fact, but I had not. It seems like the entire uproar has been over paying $100 just to standby, but if they're removing any option to change the return date after travel has commenced, then I think that's an even bigger change than the new standby charge.

I have seen numerous times the peak ->peak and off-peak -> peak stand-by mentioned, but never mention made of a peak -> off-peak stand-by. By specifically not identifying this, should one understand this to mean that there is no $100 fee for stand-by for a peak -> off-peak?

GMF

UDH, a question from overseas: what has changed for international travel? All the new rules which you're stated are for the US domestic market, what about intl. tickets to/from Europe/Asia/South America?

The government should have let the airlines fail on their own. The beauty of the marketplace is that inefficient and dumb companies are put out of business by more efficient and smart companies.

These companies have taken $4.5BN in taxpayer money and now are demanding additional fees and restrictions from those same taxpayers. The government should have put in place some passenger rights before handing over the checks.

I second this question. Any news on rule changes for international travelers would be appreciated. Thanks.

My guess is they are probably still the same, as I don't believe any foreign carriers have announced any new fare restrictions.

Jeff