Jaimito Cartero

I don't know that anyone has brought up the brashness of this whole thing. DL is collecting fuel surcharge for partners that don't even charge a fuel surcharge. How is this anything other than a complete and utter rip off?

As with the fuel surcharge threads have pointed out, it's just a way to increase your income, and is not really tied to the extra cost of fuel. It's not like, "Well, we figured fuel at $75 a barrel, it's $135 now, and the difference for this flight is $45 per person".

GUWonder

I have the actions of a government to worry about more than even this.

I never claimed that the courts would somehoe save the entire FF game.

Good for you then -- some of us will continue to do that .... some here better than others. [I'm going to still find a way to extract more pounds of flesh out of the airline more than most. ]

jpdx

I would be highly surprised if DL had any plans to lower the "taxes & fees" collected on award tickets originating in (parts of) Europe. I was merely questioning the wisdom of sending this email to customers with European mailing addresses on file.

Angeleno228

So... and SQ award ticket would cost...

$25 Phone Fee
$25 Partner Fee
$50 Award Ticket Fuel Surcharge Fee

$100 Total just in Fees

Eh... getting close to what the European airlines charge...!

The Award ticket fee is not waived for Elites I suppose?

GUWonder

pbarnette and cynicalflyer, do you recall this

http://www.iht.com/articles/2000/07/21/trmiles.t.php

too?

An airline trying to hide behind terms and conditions doesn't always work.

Jaimito Cartero

As with most other deals that happen, DL will make deals privately, and not go to court in almost all cases. I personally know of at least 4 cases where people got what they wanted, as well as extras for their trouble, when DL denied 99% of other people the benefits of tickets they had already purchased.

GUWonder

Oh my! I wonder how German regulators would look at this kind of announcement by DL unless DL is also reducing the surcharge on EU-originating redemptions.

pbarnette

So you will be filing suit then?

GUWonder

Will you?

pbarnette

It looks like this applies only to ex-US/Canada tickets (from the DL site):

I would assume that the ex-European fuel charges will remain as before.

pbarnette

Nope. But there are a lot of people who seem pretty certain that they would win. If you are certain you will win, why wouldn't you sue?

precious medal

The FF Programs may not be over, but we have got to accept the reality of what is facing the airline industry! They are in survival mode at this point, and doing everything they can to survive. They are not out to "get" us Frequent Flyers as so many people make it sound. They are not out to get employees as many felt after massive layofffs and paycuts. Like any company or family under financial stress, they are spreading the pain. We all have to accept that things will never be the same. Does it do any good to continue "beating up" the airlines when they have to make major decisions for their survival. Probably not, but it makes us feel better. Why not direct that energy to something positive. If you are not depressed before you log onto this site, you will be after reading all the "doom and gloom". WE will survive the changes, some of the airlines will survive the changes. Tomorrow will come but it will be different from what we have known...
Embrace change...make it work for you!

HeathrowGuy

ROTFLMAO!

Thankfully, I invested smartly in my education so as not to be treated as a mindless, spineless peon by anybody or anything. Delta's bad business judgment -- some of which involved bad guesswork on fuel prices -- creates no crisis or need to alter my way of life with respect to travel.

GUWonder

There are many reasons ..... including having other higher priorities that are determined to be a better use of personal resources, having other means to game DL, etc.

If someone decides to pursue their rights and interests vis-a-vis Delta, by pursuing the matter legally including through Court, I certainly wouldn't discourage them. If they decide to pursue such path and others can free-ride, I won't oppose getting in on the action either. Would you oppose getting in on the action too?

If you don't want to file suit, then why are you so worried or interested in having people lay out their strategy here for pursuing the matter as they indivdually determine is best for them?

As I've come to be made aware, informing DL here on FT on how they are violating the law before the matter is pursued through the appropriate legal channels doesn't always serve the consumer's interest in pursuing the matter.

g50

And don't forget any rapid redemption fees