That is interesting. You got the same flights, with AF/KL flight numbers, but different fare codes? I always assumed these rules were set in the fare rules (thus would apply to everybody selling the ticket). Or did you get DL codeshares?

It indeed seems strange to me.

Some clarification. So far I got only a reservation confirmation from DL, now KL's reservation office will have to issue the tickets (the well known problem of Dutch credit cards buying tickets on delta.com).
In detail, I plan to fly Germany-ZRH via AMS with a 23 hour layover in AMS on the outbound. I found on ITA G fares class on the outbound and R on the inbound. The KL reservation agent told me that the fare conditions for G do not allow overnight stays (her definition of a stopover) and the system automatically booked into N, which allows that. I went on DL.com and found the same fights and same fare codes, BUT the confirmation email came with N on the outbound. That's rather perplexing… There's a slight probability that I was too tired last night at 2am, but checking delta.com again the flights are offered still in G. When you look at the fare conditions of the N fare class on ITA, then stopover are not permitted. Therefore I conclude that a stopover would require a stay of over 24 hours. So I remain rather confused ....

Sounds like a system glitch. If I were you I would keep quiet about this until you get your e-ticket in case it works in your favour:

- worst case scenario: they tell you they need to charge you a higher fare (as this books in N) which you can always decline as this is not what was confirmed to you;

- best case scenario: they give you an N fare at the cost of G which would be a nice consequence for a system glitch!

- alternative case scenario: KLM rejects the ticket because DL tries to give them the G fare to get an N ticket and then they will have to contact you and let you know about possibilities.

I'll keep you posted, but I wonder what would happen, if I had booked the ticket with non-Dutch card. DL would be issuing the ticket and it would be confirmed by now!

Isn't the definition of stopover any stop of 24 hours or more?

As I reported a few posts earlier, the KL reservation agent claimed that any overnight stay is a stopover, e.g. you arrive with last flight and leave with the first in the morning...

Perhaps KLM checks for a difference between the date of the arrival flight into AMS and the date of the departure flight out of AMS, then. But 3rd party websites seem to abide by the normal 24 hour rule.

Definitely another case of incompetent agent. Definition of a stopover for KLM is definitely flight leaves 24 hours or more after the arrival of the previous one. I have done that many times with an overnight stop and counted as no-stopover.

About 1-2 weeks ago I bought an intra-EU ticket - all KLM flights - for my wife. This was a simple AAA-AMS-BBB round trip and she's already flown the outbound. She wanted a long layover in AMS on the return. KLM.com was being stupid so I went to delta.com and was able to select the exact fligths that I wanted, with a long layover in AMS. The price was the same as listed on ITA. I made the payment and within a few minutes got a confirmation with KL flight numbers and 006 ticket stock.

I had a bit of trouble with the payment because my mastercard is secured (i.e. it is enrolled in MasterCard SecureCode, also referred to as 3D Secure) and when I make online payments I get a pop-up from my bank which prompts me for an additional password. At DL.com there was no such pop-up and the payment was automatically declined. I called my bank and did the transaction at DL.com while I was on the phone with them - they disabled the 3D secure on my card, the payment went through and then they re-activated the security.

Conclusions:
- DL.com can and will sell tickets with all KL flight numbers (I think DL code-shares usually are in conjunction with DL connections, such as TATL flights). They can be issued with 006 ticket stock; they do not have to be issued by KLM reservations.
- DL.com is sometimes more flexible than KL.com, especially when it comes to long layovers.
- DL.com allows you to enter a BlueBiz number too.
- You can use the DL confirmation number to manage your reservation at KLM.com
- Online payments at DL.com may be declined due to a card security issue that Delta, a GLOBAL airline:rolleyes:, is not aware of since they proably don't use this kind of security in the state of Georgia, which we all know is the center of the universe.

+1 My thoughts exactly. This has nothing to do with N fares not allowing stopovers, because if it's <24 hours in AMS it is not a stopover.

So KL issued today the ticket in N on the outbound and R for the inbound.

As for DL booking directly KL flights - that's nothing new - only if you use credit cards from Holland and some Scandinavian countries DL will not issue the ticket and the job will be done by KL in Amsterdam. That was my case - my ticket is 074 stock. I have both a DL and KL confirmation numbers.

Definitely the KL agent was incompetent, but competent enough to confuse me :p