CityFlyerNYC

Effective October 1st, Delta Shuttle will no longer be selling the Student/Senior FlightPacks. I was told by the Delta agents at the Marine Air Terminal that I could purchase FlightPacks before the deadline and use the tickets for the next year but that after october 1st the youth/senior fares would go up to $70 non-peak/$100 peak one-way.

Personally, I think Delta is making a big mistake in ending the Shtutle flightpacks as students on standby helped to fill up empty planes and by now charging $100 one-way (as opposed to the $50/$60 the flighpacks used to offer) the company is putting itself in direct competition with the Accela.

EnhancedByCO

Thanks for the heads-up on this one. Actually, it just means that more students will be riding the bus from Boston, since you can get r/t bus tickets for $40 these days. Given the extra time it takes me to get to Logan (20 min) and from LGA (45 min), as well as allowing at least 30-60 minutes for check-in, the bus only ends up being an hour and a half slower (4.5 hours for the bus, 1 hour + up to 2 hours for the flight), but at least $100 cheaper round-trip ($160 cheaper during peak hours).

Acela Regional service on Amtrak is 4 hours in each direction, but about $100 r/t. Acela Express is $240 r/t, making it even more expensive than the new student shuttle fares, but about an hour slower end to end (three and a half hours from South Station to Penn Station).

Out of curiosity, with all the changes to standby and peak flights on DL mainline, are they still letting students with Flightpack coupons standby without charge for peak-hour flights?

jasoncrhdc

I flew on the Shuttle using a flight pack ticket this past friday on the 6:30PM--- peak. no problem, same process as always. The Shuttle is still a good deal, and the 40 minute flight cant be beaten. I routinely arrive just 30 minutes before the flihgt and get on, no problem. it's still the fastest/easiest way to go, at only a slight premium

EnhancedByCO

I definitely agree that the Flightpack, as it currently stands, is a great deal--particularly with the triple miles offer (at 1.5 center per mile, you get $45 worth of base miles, lowering your effective cost down to about $65 per r/t with an 8-coupon pack). Once the packs are gone, however, the shuttle is no longer available at "a slight premium," at least for those of us who like the flexibility of flying without advance reservations.

On a side note, I might pick up one more 8-pack before they go off-sale, particularly since my 24th birthday is in October 2004 (i.e. even if they weren't pulling them, I would have had only had a half-month longer of eligibility).

Flying Fan

I found this out this weekend also. The current packs can be used, and standby is still allowed at peak times w/out a fee. It's too bad Delta is following USAirways on this one - the youth pack was a good way to fill empty seats and to create goodwill among young buyers. I was very greatful for the flexibility that the pack allowed me when I was in college - letting me come home to my family on short notice w/out paying a lot of money and still having the conveneice of being able to fly.

jasoncrhdc

granted,it's not as flexible as before, but you can still walk up and pay $65 one way at off peak times. they confirm you on the spot, so no waiting around at the gate for standby.

EnhancedByCO

Even with the flightpacks, though, I was never made to standby on off-peak flights--I would always be given a confirmed boarding card when I checked in. Only on the peak flights (M-F before 10:30, and from 15:30 to 18:30) would I have to standby for a seat--and I always cleared--even on Friday 18:30 departures BOS-LGA.

Basically, not including the taxes, they just raised the fares on the off-peak trips by about $10-$15 in each direction...not too terrible, I will admit, but definitely pushing the bounds of what I am willing to pay to get between BOS and NYC.

EnhancedByCO

Two things I forgot. First, from what I understand, the flightpacks should be treated as tickets on off-peak flights--in other words, you have the same rights as every other fare-paying customer, including confirmed seating and the service guarantee (although I might be wrong about this).

Second, it was rude of me not to welcome you to Flyertalk, jasoncrhdc. Don't get caught in too many flame wars, and you'll do OK around here...

BackOfTheBus

You guys could also fly AirTran BWI-BOS for $52 each way stand-by (note: no Fri/Sun/Holiday travel permitted).

Their advance purchase fares are in the $40-60 one way range.

Inch by inch, Delta's giving it up to AirTran...

mikey1003

They did the same thing last year when they did away with the Comair Weekend Traveler booklets. (4 segments $300.00)

UnofficialDLHelper

RE:Shuttle Flight Pack

Due to decreased demand resulting from increased discount fares that offer greater savings, Delta has decided to discontinue this program effective September 10, 2002.

Any previously purchased flight packs are accepted for travel following the normal program guidelines.

We offer many attractive discount fares that you can use for your future travel. For more details or to make reservations, please contact Delta at 800-221-1212, or at the number on the back of your SkyMiles card.


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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

EnhancedByCO

Several problems with this:

One, I'm 23, and the age cap for the AirTran X-Fares is 22. Two, that is for stand-by travel only off-peak, where I could be confirmed on the Shuttle off-peak. Three, BWI is like splitting the baby in two--why would I go to BWI when I want to fly BOS-LGA, and why would jasoncrhdc travel up to BOS when he only wants to get to LGA--this would really only be useful for those who used to take the BOS-DCA shuttle (which is strictly in USAirways' hands now anyway).

UnofficialDLHelper, thanks for the "official" word--I know there's not much you can do for us, but the main problem with the "discount fares that offer greater savings" is that almost all of them would require me to leave by Sunday 3:30pm, whereas the flightpack coupons were good all day Sunday. It kind of ruins a trip home for the weekend when the weekend turns into one day...